Declan Bogue Reports from Healy Park

Errigal Ciaran 0-12

St Eunan’s 0-10

IT IS AN indisputable fact that the only side from Tyrone to win  an Ulster club title are Errigal Ciaran.

And yet, as their manager Enda McGinley said in midweek, their record in this competition could not be described as ‘dazzling’, despite the two Seamus McFerrans.

For long spells here they looked like they were going out. St Eunan’s were a dogged outfit who restricted the Canavan brothers to a single point from play and they had Shane O’Donnell in brilliant form.

But when there was five minutes left on the clock and an exit seemed likely, up popped midfielder Ben McDonnell with three consecutive points to put them into the next round against Antrim champions Eire Óg Cargin, where McGinley will be acquainted once more with the McCann Clann, his brothers in law.

The Donegal champions came with a side laced with talent. No fewer than six of the team starting have seen gametime with Donegal’s senior county team. The figure would have been seven only that Niall O’Donnell was left off the starting grid.

As impressive as that was, Errigal’s team featured eleven players that have played for Tyrone, most having long and illustrious careers in the white and red.

In the early stages it looked as if Errigal were fresh looking as they raced into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead. There appeared to be a defensive mix-up in the very first minute as Ciaran McGinley was double-marked, leaving Ruairí Canavan entirely free. Naturally he collected a simple pass and opened the scoring.

This was soon cancelled out by Conor O’Donnell junior, who pointed a free after referee Noel Mooney spotted an infraction ahead of the play.

Peter Harte restored the lead and a Ruairí Canavan free opened up a gap.

But while Errigal were looking to get some rock ‘n’ roll football going through some long range passing through the Canavans, they were badly misfiring, hitting six wides, a shot dropped short while they also passed up a penalty when Joe Oguz was upended in the square; Peter Harte’s fierce shot kept out by a strong wrist from Shaun Patton as he guessed the side correctly.

Meanwhile, St Eunan’s clawed back the deficit and took the lead with a trio of unanswered points, a double from Shane O’Donnell and an excellent flighted shot from elegant midfielder James Kelly to lead 0-5 to 0-4 at the break.

The Tyrone champions picked up just after the break with opening scores from Odhran Robinson and Harte. Eunan’s in the meantime had given themselves a leg up by bringing on Niall O’Donnell and his contributions were badly lacking in the first half as he scythed through for a point to add to Conor O’Donnell’s successful free kick as they held the after the third quarter.

Two consecutive points from Shane O’Donnell looked to put St Eunan’s in a strong position, until up popped McDonnell for his game within a game, and substitute Thomas Canavan to seal it.

Scorers for Errigal Ciaran: Ben McDonnell 0-3, Ruairí Canavan 0-3 (1f, 1x’45’), Peter Harte 0-2, Peter Óg McCartan, Odhran Robinson, Mark Kavanagh, Thomas Canavan 0-1 each.

Scorers for St Eunan’s: Shane O’Donnell 0-4, Conor O’Donnell junior 0-3 (2f, 1x’45’), Conor O’Donnell, James Kelly, Niall O’Donnell 0-1 each.

Errigal Ciaran: Darragh McAnenly; Cormac Quinn, Aidan McCrory, Ciaran Quinn; Peter Óg McCartan, Niall Kelly, Tiarnan Colhoun; Ben McDonnell, Joe Oguz; Padraig McGirr, Peter Harte, Ciaran McGinley; Darragh Canavan, Odhran Robinson, Ruairí Canavan

Subs: Thomas Canavan for McGirr (39), Mark Kavanagh for Robinson (45), Dermot Morrow for Quinn, Ryan Ward for Colhoun (both 58)

St Eunan’s: Shaun Patton; Aaron Deeney, Conor Morrison, Caolan Ward; Darragh Mulgrew, Conor O’Donnell, Kieran Tobin; Eoin Dowling, James Kelly; Ciaran Moore, Shane O’Donnell, Oran Winston; Eoin McGeehin, Kevin Kealy, Conor J O’Donnell

Subs: Niall O’Donnell for Winston (HT), Pauric Boyle for McGeehin (47), Lee McMonagle for Conor O’Donnell junior (60)

Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan)