St Eunan’s produce huge shock in Donegal hurling final

It is the Letterkenny side's first title since 1972

St Eunan's Kevin Kealy, in action here for their footballers, scored the winning goal.
Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Donegal SHC Final: St Eunan’s 2-9 Setanta 0-14 

Letterkenny’s St Eunan’s produced a mesmeric shock to win a first Donegal SHC final since 1972 against hot favourites Setanta on Saturday.

Setanta had hammered Eugene Organ’s side in the group stages, 2-25 to 0-7, away from home and were looking for a three-in-a-row. 

Russell Forde got on the end of a great move to crack the sliotar to the net in the eighth minute to put St Eunan’s into a 1-3 to 0-0 lead.

However, Setanta’s ace marksman Declan Coulter, who would score 10 frees in all, was on form and the side from the Cross got back on terms in the second half. 

However, a 44th-minute goal from dual star Kevin Kealy kept the outsiders in front and they held on for dear life to seal a famous victory.

They hope it’s an omen in Letterkenny as in the year of their last success 49 years ago, they were double winners and next Sunday St Eunan’s take on Naomh Conaill in the Donegal SFC decider.

In the JHC final, there was an historic victory for Dungloe, who defeated Aodh Ruadh from Ballyshannon 2-14 to 1-13 to lift the trophy in only their second year in adult hurling.

ST EUNAN’S: C Hennessy; S Halvey, C McVeigh, N Flood; C Flood, S Doherty, B McIntyre; S McVeigh, R Hilferty (0-1) C O’Grady (0-1) K Kealy (1-0) R Forde (1-0); C Finn, D O’Maoileidigh (0-6, 6f) Matt Ahern (0-1).Subs; P O’Donnell for Forde (47), O Randles for Ahern (62) 

SETANTA: C Bellew; D Rowan, M Donoghue, M Callaghan (0-1); S Gallen, D Cullen, N Cleary (0-1); C McGettigan, R Kee; K Campbell, D Coulter (0-10, 10f), G Gilmore (0-2); B Lafferty (0-1), O Marley, R Campbell. Subs; D Flynn for McGettigan (23), B Tourish for Campbell (38), D Harvey for Kee (59).

Referee: A McAleer