Second half goals give Buncrana the edge against Gaeil Fhánada in U-21B

Gaeil Fhánada and Buncrana did battle in what turned out to be dismal weather conditions in Páirc Uí Shiadhail, and it was the visitors who prevailed when all was said and done by a margin of four points. 

Gaeil Fhánada 1-8
Bun Cranncha 3-6

Three second half goals from the visiting side were the key scores, as they opened up a seven point gap over the home side, who tried as they might couldn’t reign in the Scarvey men. 

Niall Breslin hit two of those three pointers after the break, and it was he who was also fastest out of the blocks at the start of the opening period, firing two points in the opening three minutes as Buncrana played with the help of a considerable breeze.

A couple of Liam McGrenaghan frees kept the home side ticking over but Buncrana pulled two clear again by the 21st minute as Sean McLaughlin pointed from a free and Conor Graham split the posts from play.

The sides traded another pointer each as the opening half neared its conclusion, David Carey for Buncrana and Shaun Kerr for Gaeil Fhánada finding their range from play. The Gaels would lead by the minimum at the interval however, as Eoin McGonigle found the net, converting on the rebound after Liam McGrenaghan combined with Shaun Kerr who drew a decent save from Rory Scott in the Buncrana goal. It was 1-3 to 0-5 for Fanad at the break.

Breslin palmed home his first three pointer from close range in the second minute of the second half, but Gaeil Fhánada who looked threatening in opening exchanges after the break saw Joshua Mc Ateer reduce the gap to the minimum.

Buncrana turned the game on its head with two goals in a minute, opening out a considerable lead. Sean Mc Laughlin with the first, before Breslin converted from close range after a pointed effort came back into his grasp from the posts. 

The visitors stood firm, and brought plenty of intensity to their play as they held off any potential Gaeil Fhánada comeback. McGrenaghan and McLaughlin traded points and that’s how it remained until the closing five minutes before the hosts found their range. Eoin Mc Gonigle hit two late points and Liam McGrenaghan added a third, but Buncrana prevailed by four at the full time whistle. 

Gaeil Fhánada scorers: Eoin McGonigle 1-2; Liam Mc Grenaghan 0-4; Joshua Mc Ateer and Shaun Kerr 0-1 each.
Bun Cranncha scorers: Niall Breslin 2-2;  Sean McLaughlin 1-2; Conor Graham and David Carey 0-1 each.

Gaeil Fhánada: Brian Gallagher; Cian Sweeney, Liam Sweeney, Pauric Clinton; Darren McAteer, Jonathan Gallagher, Callum McAteer; Liam Mc Grenaghan, Seán Carr; Brandon Friel, Conor Heraghty, Joshua Mc Ateer; Ronan Sweeney, Eoin McGonigle, Shaun Kerr. Subs: Charlie Mc Ateer for Brandon Friel, Eoghan Logue for Cian Sweeney. 
Bun Cranncha: Rory Scott; Caolán O’Neill, Sean Doherty, Sean Daly; Conor Graham, Michael Bernard Mc Laughlin, Cathal McNutt; Sean Mc Laughlin, Kevin O’ Rourke; Matthew Mulholland, David Carey; Oisín Crawford, Kevin Jordon, Niall Breslin.
Réiteoir: Pat Barrett (Baile na nGallóglach)