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Scoil Mhuire’s Mark Coyle had to walk across the Burnfoot river to make it to Friday’s Ulster Final at Cockhill and the midfielder continued his messianic behaviour with a 25 yard screamer to earn his school the title:
With the road between Bridgend and Burnfoot closed for most of Friday morning due to a traffic collison, the quick thinking youngster was forced to builld a makeshift bridge from pallets to make it to his lift to school to play in the game:
The kickoff was delayed by 10 minutes to allow St Eunan’s to take a long detour via Carndonagh to get to the Charlie O’Donnell Sports Grounds and when the game got underway there was little to separate the sides until Coyle netted the winner in extra time:
In an instantly forgettable first half, St Eunan’s only got in behind the Buncrana school once whena Sean Hume header sent in Michael Patton but his shot was cleared by the back tracking Keelan Dillon at the expense of a corner:
William O’Connor’s side had the best chance of the half when good interplay between Georgie Kelly and Ryan Varma sent Michael Coyle away and his well struck shot from the right edge of the box was turned around the post by Jason Quinn in the St Eunan’s goal:
HALF TIME – Scoil Mhuire 0 St Eunan’s 0
Scoil Mhuire made a positive start to the second half as a deep free in by Varma was headed goalward by Kelly but it lacked the power to trouble Quinn before Varma shot into the side netting following good work by Michael Coyle:
Coyle was leading the line for Mhuire well as his strike partner Kelly dropped deeper to link up the play and he came close on 48 minutes when he latched onto a booming long ball forward from Campbell but his shot on the turn struck the side netting:
St Eunan’s had their chances at the other end as Sean Hume tested Caolan McGonagle with a header from an Oisin Shields cross and the Mhuire ‘keeper had to be at his best to deny Chris Flanagan after he capitalised on hesitation in defence:
Scoil Mhuire’s best chance before extra time fell to Aidan Donaghey as Campbell sent Kelly away down the left and he sent in a deep cross to the winger whose shot was smothered by Quinn in the Eunan’s goal:
Full Time – Scoil Mhuire 0 St Eunan’s 0
The Buncrana school started extra time in positive fashion and it was an approach that would ultimately win them the game as early on Donaghey made a surging run down the right side and crossed for Coyle whose header was wide of the target:
4 minutes into the first period the game was settled by a moment of magic from Coyle as he picked the ball up 25 yards out and angled his outswinging right foot shot over a packed penalty area into the top left corner:
Coyle had a chance to wrap the game up moments later when he ghosted into the box from his midfield berth but his shot was too close to Quinn on this occasion while at the other end only a well timed tackle from John Campbell denied Hume a shot on goal:
St Eunan’s built up a good head of steam in the second half of extra time and Oisin Hassett had a chance to send the game to penalties when Hume flicked a kickout into his path but he failed to make good contact with his shot and McGonagle cleared:
Late in the game Eunan’s leftback Glen McNulty received his marching orders for a second booking for a tackle that denied Georgie Kelly a shot on goal and Scoil Mhuire retained possession well late in the game to claim the title:
Scoil Mhuire will now play for a place in the All Ireland final when they play Connacht champions Presentation College at Sligo IT later today (Kick off 1pm)
SCOIL MHUIRE: Caolan McGonagle, Michael Noone, Keelan Dillon, Paul McDermott, John Campbell, Mark Coyle, Aidan Donaghey, Ryan Varma, Michael Coyle, Georgie Kelly, Joseph McGrory SUBS: Jack McDaid, Kyle Long, Adam Callaghan, Sean Porter
ST EUNAN’s: Jason Quinn, Oisin Shields, Glen McNulty, Conal O’Boyle, Darragh McWalters, Chris Flanagan, Michael Patton, Oisin Hassett, Sean Hume,Cormac Callaghan, Conal Blaney
REFEREE: Liam Porter