Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana crowned Senior Cup Champions
FAI Schools Dr. Tony O’Neill National Senior Cup Final (Under 19, Large Schools)
Friday, April 19, 2024
Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana 2-0 Belvedere College, Dublin
Shaunie Bradley (65), Conor Graham (73 pen)
SCOIL MHUIRE, BUNCRANA were crowned FAI Schools Dr. Tony O’Neill Senior Cup Champions following an impressive victory over a much fancied Belvedere College in the Showgrounds, Sligo last Wednesday week (April 10).
The Buncrana outfit join the ranks of some illustrious Donegal stalwarts in this competition as St. Eunan’s College and Carndonagh Community School have won this trophy on numerous occasions. St. Eunan’s tasted success in 2022, 2020, 2005 and 2004 while Carndonagh captured the Cup in 2019, 2018 and 2016.
The Ulster dominance in this competition remains with Scoil Mhuire’s most recent result.
Paddy Carr’s side enjoyed a second half brace to ensure this historic milestone for the School.
This success follows last season’s Senior Girls National Cup win.
Unfortunately, the girls lost out 1-0 in extra time to Presentation SS, Thurles this season and failed to retain the Senior Cup. No double celebrations as Carr led both sides to their respective National Cup Final appearances but he will definitely relish this one.
It was a cagey opening forty five with neither side making major inroads.
Belvedere’s Billy Canny forced Stephen McNulty into a great save midway through the first half.
While six minutes later, it was Shaunie Bradley who had a header on target but Christian Loftus palmed it away to safety. All coming from a beautifully weighted free-kick from Conor McDaid.
The industrious Mark Isong was causing concern but had no real threat on the Donegal goal.
The half time interval left it scoreless.
The deadlock was broken twenty minutes into the second period when Conor Graham played a delightful ball into Shaunie BRADLEY who slotted home the opener.
The Buncrana lead was doubled eight minutes later as Darragh Coyle was taken down inside the box and Captain Conor GRAHAM converted the resulting penalty to make it 2-0.
Belvedere just couldn’t impress on the game and their recent form in the provincial stages eluded them. Fiachra Sheridan made several changes with a quarter of an hour remaining but they couldn’t break down the Buncrana defence.
A resilient Scoil Mhuire kept their composure late on as Belvedere pumped the ball up top but Conor Graham marshalled his troops brilliantly to see his side win out.
SCOIL MHUIRE, BUNCRANA | Stephen McNulty, Mason McDaid, Connor McDaid, Seán McLaughlin, Óisín McIntyre, Darragh Coyle, Daniel McMenamin, Conor Graham ©, Shaunie Bradley, Jay Bradley Shane McLaughlin
SUBS USED | Adam McColgan for Shane McLaughlin (52)
SUBS NOT USED | Dónal Óg O’Brien, Liam Duncan, Danny McDaid, Cahir McDaid, PJ Doherty, Conor Doherty (GK)
EXTENDED PANEL | Lee Rutherford, Brendan Roe, Jack McDaid, Dylan Porter, Charlie Campbell, Darragh O’Donnell, John McDaid, James Gleeson, Owen O’Donnell
TEACHER | Paddy Carr
BELVEDERE COLLEGE | Christian Loftus, Harry Bryce, Charlie Delaney, Lewis Brennan, Billy Canny, Edward Stenson, Charlie Townsend, Flynn Healy ©, Mark Isong, Jack O’Flaherty, Hugh Smith
SUBS USED | Evan Dowley for Townsend (58), Karl Wright for Brennan (78), Brandon Mangan for O’Flaherty (78), Shane Clarke for Bryce (85), Charlie Callaghan for Delaney (84)
SUBS NOT USED | Alex O’Reilly, Cillian O’Grady
EXTENDED PANEL | Jack Coughlan, Jack McHugh, John Gartlan, Tadgh Connolly, George Long, Harry Ryan, Tadhg O’Loinigh, Marzuq Lawal
TEACHER | Fiachra Sheridan ASSISTANT | Tom O’Sullivan
MATCH OFFICIAL | Keenan Deering (Sligo)
