McHugh inspires Bunnanadden while Marren brothers break St Mary’s hearts

STEPHEN McHUGH’S sparkling performance inspired Bunnanadden to their first Sligo Senior Championship final appearance since 2000 when they were last county champions.

The jinking corner-forward notched seven points, six of which were converted frees, as the winners, who led by four points at the interval, 0-7 to 0-3, held on despite a late second-half surge from Eastern Harps at a thronged Markievicz Park.

McHugh scored Bunnanadden’s 10th and final point 10 minutes into the second period, but then had to soak up relentless pressure as Harps responded with five unanswered points, including scores from Paul Taylor and the excellent Sean Dorrian. Sub John Rafferty’s stoppage-time point reduced the margin to the minimum but Eastern Harps will rue eight second-half wides.

Scorers: Bunnanadden: Stephen McHugh (0-7, 6f), Willie Gormley (0-1, 1f), Mark Gormley (0-1), Liam Og Gormley (0-1). Eastern Harps: Paul Taylor (0-4, 3f), Sean Dorrian (0-3), Michael Doddy (0-1), John Rafferty (0-1).

BUNNANADDEN: D Flannery, P McGettrick, S Roddy, B Gilhooley, T Davey, E Gilhooley, S Leamy, F O’Flaherty, P Doohan, K Kerins, Mark Gormley, L Og Gormley, S McHugh, Michael Gormley, W Gormley. Subs used: J Killoran for Michael Gormley; R McManus for T Davey; S Kerins for Mark Gormley; A Killoran for W Gormley.

EASTERN HARPS: B McHugh, J Lynch, K Phillips, K Cryan, K Gallagher, P McGovern, S King, P Grady, T Taylor, T Cryan, K Carty, R Donovan, M Doddy, P Taylor, S Dorrian. Subs used: J Rafferty for T Cryan; R Hannon for K Carty.

Referee: D Mullaney (Enniscrone-Kilglass).