St. Aidan’s 5-10
Rosses CS Dungloe 2-10
By Martin McBrien
ST AIDAN’S produced a strong second-half display on Thursday morning to book their place in the Ulster Final on either Thursday 25 or Friday, 26 April against Largy College, Clones (venue tbc).
After the teams were level-pegging at the break on 2-5 apiece, St Aidan’s enjoyed a real purple patch early in the second half and went eight up.
The Derrylin schoolboys’ ability to find the net once again proved crucial with corner forward Eoin McTernan leading the charge with a hat-trick as the school now looks forward to their second boys’ Ulster Final this year having won the Under 16.5 title in January.
Played on an excellent Ballyshannon pitch, the game began in electrifying manner with Leighton Greene pointing for Rosses within 30 seconds.
Straight from the kickout, a Tomás Cathcart free put Ronan Fitzpatrick through for a goal before McTernan found a way through but blasted just wide.
He swiftly made amends though, powering through to unleash a fierce drive, for a 2-0 to 0-1 lead.
The Donegal boys were quick to respond with Greene stabbing home the loose ball after goalkeeper, Thomas Fitzpatrick, had done well to save from a rebound off the post.
A 5th minute Matthew Ferguson point, neatly slotted after a clever dummy, was followed by three points by Danny McCready for the opposition to level it, 2-1 to 1-4, by the 11th minute.
St. Aidan’s tagged on points from Cathcart (2), Aidan Leonard and McCaffrey but Rosses hit back with a 29th minute Greene goal and a McCready point, to level again, 2-5 apiece.
St. Aidan’s clearly put the break to good use, coming out to knock over a brace within as many minutes from McTernan and a Fitzpatrick free.
McCready did pull back a point from distance but a well worked 37th minute move was finished by McTernan, netting from close in, and the winners soon surged into a commanding lead.
McTernan applied a Mo Salah type finishing touch to slickly net a 41st minute goalmouth scramble and Leonard pointed to make it 4-9 to 2-6.
A Cathcart pointed free and 50th minute goal from the effervescent Ferguson who coolly finished after cutting through the Rosses rear-guard secured the win.
The Dungloe school’s late points were merely consolation.
The St. Aidan’s defence, ably led by Alex McCaffrey, were solid throughout. While McTernan and Fitzpatrick provided a real threat in attack.
St. Aidan’s; Thomas Fitzpatrick; Lawrence Doone, Cathair Reilly, Conan McManus; Cian Martin, Alex McCaffrey (0-1), Ryan McBrien; Daire Donegan, Shay Prior; Matthew Ferguson (1-1), Tomas Cathcart (0-4, 1f), Eoghan Creighan; Eoin McTernan (3-1), Ronan Fitzpatrick (1-1f), Aidan Leonard (0-2). Subs; Ben Melanaphy (HT); Shay McManus (40); Cathair Maguire (48); Fionnan Reilly (50); Sean Fitzpatrick (52); James Mullan (60).
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