Scoil Mhuire Secondary School, Buncrana 2/1 St: Eunan’s College, Letterkenny (AET)
By Johnny Craig, Sports Editor, Inish Times
Scoil Mhuire claimed the Ulster Junior Boys Schools title at the Lakeside in Aileach on Friday afternoon (March 10) with a deserved extra time victory over their Letterkenny neighbours St: Eunan’s:
A Ryan Varma strike in the first half of extra time sealed the win for William O’Connor’s talented group who had dominated long periods of the game but let a half time lead slip to set up an All Ireland Semi Final with St: Gerald’s College, Castlebar:
In a scrappy opening, the Buncrana School’s biggest threat came on the flanks where Donal Doherty and Ryan Varma were pushing forward at every opportunity:
From one such break on 8 minutes Varma skipped down the right and found striker Peter McLaughlin with a deep cross but Conor Tourish did well to block for St Eunan’s and they cleared:
St Eunan’s responded with an Odhran McMacken shot from distance drifting narrowly wide but they were dealt a blow on 12 minutes when McMacken was forced to come off injured:
Midway through the half Mhuire again got in behind St Eunan’s when Bruce Waldron released Varma again and his cross found the inrushing Doherty at the far post but his firm header was wide of the target:
The Inishowen College had goalkeeper Harry Doherty to thank for keeping the game scoreless 25 minutes into the 40 minute half when substitute Michael Sanni cut through their defense like a hot knife through butter but the Cockhill man came off his line well to deny him with a sliding tackle:
After an even opening half hour the first goal would prove crucial and it came on 33 minutes when towering striker Peter McLaughlin dropped to the right side to cross for Mark Timlin who coolly took a touch before slotting past Sean Patton:
Timlin came close to doubling his side’s advantage on 37 minutes when he was played in by Varma but Sean Hume, who had an assured game for St Eunan’s, made a brilliant recovering tackle before the Buncrana Hearts man could pull the trigger:
The early exchanges of the second half lacked the high tempo of the first as on 50 minutes a Varma cross broke for Ryan Curran at the left edge of the box but his shot flew high and over the bar:
Although Buncrana were good for their lead, without a second goal Eunan’s were still in the game and it came with 15 minutes remaining:
Dale Gorman forced the best out of Harry Doherty who tipped his free from the left onto the crossbar and from Cathal McDaid’s resultant corner Hume rose highest in the box to nod home the equalizer and blow the game wide open:
It was the Buncrana school who came closest to claiming a winner at the end of the normal time as Doherty’s brilliantly flighted cross from the left for Darragh O’Connor was deflected wide for a corner and Peter McLaughlin scuffed a shot from a one on one with the advancing Patton late on:
The crucial strike came 8 minutes into the first period of extra time when a defense splitting through ball by Doherty allowed Varma to slip between the centre/half’s and he shrugged off a Hume challenge before drilling the ball home from close range:
SCOIL MHUIRE: Harry Doherty, Matthew Barber, Ryan Doherty, Peter Doherty, Bruce Waldron, Donal Doherty, Ryan Curran, Peter McLaughlin, Mark Timlin, Ryan Varma: Subs: Cian Hirrell
ST EUNAN’S: Sean Patton, Eoin Barrett, Thomas Grant, Conor Tourish, Sean Hume, Aidan Sweeney, Ryan McConnell, Odhran McMacken, James Gillen, Dale Gorman, Cathal McDaid, SUBS: Michael Sammi, Jordan McBride