Burt and Letterkenny Gaels ends all square at a windswept Hibernian Park

Burt and Letterkenny Gaels could not be separated after they ended on level terms in trying conditions in Hibernian Park in Division 3.

Oisin Kerr top-scored for Burt with a goal and a point while Shayne Gallagher, Mark McElhinney, Caolan McKinney, and Stephen O’Donnell all scored for the locals.

Darren Hunter scored the Gaels goal and Ben Gallagher punched the late equalising point. In the proverbial game of two halves, Gaels dominated the opening half and led 0-5 to 0-0 playing with a driving wind and rain in their backs. Matthew Winters, Diarmuid Ó Cathail and Ben Gallagher scored the points for the visitors.

Burt, under the management of Ronan McLaughlin, were confined to sporadic raids and restricted to a couple of McElhinney frees. They began the second period with two early McElhinney frees and a point each from Shayne Gallagher and Caolan McKinney to storm back into the game to cut the Gaels lead to one point 0-5 to 0-4.

And the men from Hibernian Park were ahead for the first time 19 minutes into the second half when Oisin Kerr got on the end of a good move involving McElhinney and Denver Kelly to slam Gallagher then knocked over from out on the right-hand side.

And thanks to further points they went four up 1-7 to 0-6 with the clock ticking on full time. But with Diarmaid O’Cathail, Kevin Langan, Paddy Doherty and Ben Gallagher rising to the challenge they were back level terms 1-7 each when Hunter struck for a Gaels goal. In a frenetic finish Burt went ahead again before deep in injury Ben Gallagher got a fist to high ball into the goalmouth to score the equaliser.

There was confusion at the finish when Shayne Gallagher seemed to have struck the winner from long range. But it was ruled wide by referee Greg McGrory after consulting the umpires.

Burt scorers: Oisin Kerr 1-1, Shayne Gallagher 0-3, 2f; Mark McElhinney 0-2, 2f; Caolan McKinney, Stephen O’Donnell 0-1 each.
Letterkenny Gaels scorers: Darren Huner 1-0; Diarmuid Ó Cathail and Ben Gallagher 0-2; Matthew Winters, Adam Duffy, Kevin Langan, Paddy Doherty 0-1.

Burt: Kieran Brady; Darren Bradley, Tom Doherty, George Kelly; Darren Gallagher, Martin Donaghey, Keith McColgan; Stephen O’Donnell, Denver Kelly; Mark McElhinney, Dara Grant, Oisin Kelly; Oisin Kerr, Caolan McKinney, Shaynen Gallagher. Sub; Aidan McKinney for C McKinney (56).
Letterkenny Gaels: Cathal Roarty; Conor Cullen, Conor Browne, Aaron Bonner; Brian Diver, Conor Walker, Liam McAlary; Ben Gallagher, Paddy Doherty; Peter Doherty, Matthew Winter, Adam Duffy; Diarmaid O’ Cathail.Kevin Langan, Darren Hunter. Subs: Shay Doherty for M Winter (49); Sean McBride for A Duffy (55).
Referee: Greg McGroary (Four Masters).