Buncrana delight with U-21B final success against Dungloe

Buncrana are U-21B champions after a heart-stopping historic victory against Dungloe side in a thriller at O’Donnell Park. 

Buncrana 1-10 Dungloe 0-10 

In a well- balanced physically powerful side, the giant midfielder Michael Bernard McLaughlin was a colossal figure and he got great support from the explosive man of the match Dylan Mulholland, Sean McLaughlin, Liam Jordan and Kevin Jordan in particular. 

For Dungloe, Donegal county senior panellist Karl McGee was a huge figure and he landed three great long-range frees in the second half. 

But goals win matches and the crucial one fell to Buncrana when Michael Bernard cut through the Dungloe defence and released Niall Breslin, who found Mulholland deep inside and the corner forward hit the top of the Dungloe net like a missile. 

Mulholland’s marvellous strike put Buncrana into a 1-4 to 0- 5 lead in the 19th minute and it proved to be a priceless score in such a closely contested affair.  It gave the eventual winners a solid platform going into half-time as they led by 1-4 to 0-6 at the break with Daire Gallagher landing three pointed frees for Dungloe in that half. 

The second half was a ding-dong affair with the physical power of the winners proving most crucial.  And the reaction of their fans at the end showed exactly what this victory meant to those bounding boys from Inishowen who, except keeper Adam Harrigan, are all underage again next year. 

But for team manager Oisin O’Flaherty and his elated backroom team, this one was the sweetest of victories. Luke Clerkin opened the scoring with a delightful punt with the outside of the boot to give a lively-looking Dungloe side a fine start. 

Buncrana ‘keeper Harrigan had to deal with a few tricky lobs in the opening five minutes as had Dungloe keeper Dominic McGowan in the fifth minute. 

The Rosses Park side looked the more purposeful side in the early stages and full forward Ryan Brennan hit a soaring point to regain the lead. Centre forward Daire Gallagher then pointed the first of his three effort from frees to put his side into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead by the 10th minute. But Buncrana showed their teeth with two points in the space of a minute from the accurate boots of the nippy Billy Duffy and Liam Jordan to level matters yet again. 

Dungloe responded strongly through a neat point from Oran Fallon and a Gallagher pointed free to lead by 0-5 to 0-3 by the 15th minute. But that was to be their last score until another pointed free from Gallagher in the 29th minute. 

However, they will rue six chances that dropped into Harrigan’s hands when they were in the ascendancy. A Sean McLaughlin free dropped short and the gifted Mulholland swooped and swung over a fine point to leave Dungloe leading by 0-5 to 0-4. 

But Buncrana then struck for the crucial score of the match in the 24th minute as the towering midfielder Michael Bernard McLaughlin went straight through the Dungloe defence and Mulholland finished superbly. 

The importance of this vital goal was underlined as Dungloe raced down the field and Daire Gallagher was one-on-one with Harrigan but his low shot was deflected around the post by the goalkeeper. Dungloe could consider themselves a tad fortunate not to lose midfielder Karl McGee to a straight red card after his high challenge felled Michael Bernard McLaughlin, with referee Shane Murrin opting to give the Dungloe man a yellow card. 

But it was already significant that Buncrana were winning most of the 50/50 battles and were good value for their 1-4 to 0-6 lead at the break. Mulholland increased that lead on the resumption with a cleverly constructed point for Buncrana. 

Dungloe were shaken, but not unduly stirred as Gallagher pointed a free for Dungloe as McLaughlin continued to drive Buncrana forward. He made another searing run and off loaded to sub Oisin Porter made it 1-6 to 0-7. 

McGee made a brilliant run through the Buncrana defence and found Oisin McKelvey whose flicked effort seemed destined for the net only for Harrigan to superbly save at the expense of a 45. McGee then stepped up an confidently struck the ball high and over the bar from the kick.

Buncrana full-forward Liam Jordan replied with a fine effort for Buncrana in the 45th minute as play swung from end to end. 

McGee landed another from a placed ball as Gallagher replied in kind for Dungloe to make the score Buncrana 1-8 Dungloe 0-9 with 11 minutes to go. 

McGee, who was having a big impact on matters, converted another free to leave the minimum margin between the sides once again. But it was Buncrana who took a firm grip on the game in the final moments as Aindriu Davison careered through the Dungloe defence and his shot blazed over the bar. 

Kevin Jordan got the final point as Dungloe hit the post twice in a last-gasp attempt at victory. But, there was no doubt but that Buncrana richly deserved this victory. 

Buncrana scorers: Dylan Mulholland 1-2; Liam Jordan and Billy Duffy 0-2; Sean McLaughlin, Andriu Davison, Oisin Porter and  Liam Jordan 0-1.
Dungloe scorers: Daire Gallagher 0-5f; Karl McGee 0-2f; Ryan Brennan, Luke Clerkin and Oran Fallon 0-1;  

Buncrana: Adam Harrigan; Caolan O’Neill, Sean Doherty, Conor Graham; Andrew Davison, Oisin Crawford, Liam Jordan; Michael Bernard McLaughlin, Darragh Corry; Aaron Cleary, Sean McLaughlin, Niall Breslin; Billy Duffy, Kevin Jordan, Dylan Mulholland. Subs; David Carey for Caolan O’Neill (34), Oisin Porter for Niall Breslin (36) 
Dungloe: Damian McGowan; Anthony O’Donnell, Aaron Ward, Aidan McGee ; Jordan Saville, Brendan McCafferty, Conor Diver; Luke Clerkin, Karl McGee; Oisin McKelvey, Daire Gallagher, Oran Gallagher; Oran Fallon,  Ryan Brennan, Aaron Neely. Subs; Cian McGee for Aidan McGee (38), Ethan McCaffrey for Oran Gallagher (41) Dylan Wallace for Jordan Saville (25),  
Referee: Shane Murrin (Killybegs).