Jamie Brenna kicks equaliser to qualify Bundoran for the IFC quarter-finals

Jamie Brennan kicked a late equalising point to earn Realt na Mara Bundoran a well-deserved draw with Malin on Saturday evening in Connolly Park. 

In an edge-of-the-seat encounter from the first whistle to the last, county ace Brennan carried the main scoring threat and he ended the game with a personal tally of six points.

The share of the points means that Bundoran finished in fifth place in the championship table and qualified for the quarter-finals. 

The share of the points was also enough to secure Malin a place in the last eight as they finished in seventh place. 

The locals and last year's beaten finalist led by a point 0-4 to 0-3 at the end of a cagey opening half in the brilliant Connolly Park sunshine.  

Conor O’Neill kicked three of the Malin points with Josh Conlon posting the other. 

Oisin Walsh, Michael McEniff, and Brennan raised the first half white flags for Bundoran. 

Brennan really stepped up in the second period and he kicked three of his sides first four points of the half as Bundoran led the tie for the first time, 0-7 to 0-5. Ryan McGloin for Bundoran and John Gerard McLaughlin for Malin were the other early second-half scorers.

Malin then enjoyed a purple patch and landed the games next three points courtesy of Sean O’Neill, Brendan McLaughlin, and Zach Conlon to back in front by a point 0-8  to 0-7, with the clock ticking on full-time. 

Brennan levelled it again before Oisin McGonagle, in only his second game back from a lengthy layoff from injury to restore Malin’s lead one more time. 

But in one last throw of the dice, Brennan tied it up once more for a drawn game. 

Malin scorers: Conor O’Neill 0-3; Sean O’Neill, John Gerard McLaughlin, Oisin McGonagle, Brendan McLaughlin, Josh Conlon, and Zach Conlon 0-1 each. Bundoran scorers: Jamie Brenna 0-6, 4fs; Oisin Walsh, Ryan McGloin, and Michael McEniff 0-1 each. 

Malin: Zach Conlon; Taylor Bonner, Ciaran Doherty, Sean Byrne; Oisin McGonagle, Damien Harkin, Paul McLaughlin; John G McLaughlin, Christopher McLaughlin; Josh Conlon, Matthew Byrne, Stephen McLaughlin; Finn Ward, Conor O’Neill, Sean O’Neill. Subs: Terence Doherty for F Ward (35); Brendan McLaughlin for S McLaughlin (40); Shaun Kelly for M Byrne (53); Seamus Houghton for C O’Neill(56).

Bundoran: Conor Carty; Brendan Oats, Oisin Walsh, Lee Smyth; Ryan McGloin, Johnny Boyle, Matthew Duffy; Niall Carr, Michael McEniff; Timmy Govorov, Jamie Brennan, Anton Govorov; Kyle McNulty, Cian McEniff, Dara Hoey.

Referee: Anthony McCallig (Naomh Ultan).