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Donegal's Rory Kavanagh. Cathal Noonan/INPHO
Last Four

Rory Kavanagh helps St Eunan's reach Donegal semi-final but replay on cards elsewhere

The first two Donegal senior football quarter-finals took place today.

ST EUNAN’S BECAME the first team to book their semi-final place in the RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta Donegal SFC with a comfortable victory over Four Masters tonight.

The Letterkenny side sauntered their way past the Donegal town outfit under the floodlights in Ballybofey, winning with unexpected ease, 2-10 to 0-7.

On 14 minutes, Rory Kavanagh’s raking ball into the Four Masters square wasn’t dealt with and Rory Carr shot beneath Paul Durcan for first goal of the evening.

Conor Gibbons knocked over four first half points for the St Eunan’s team managed by Maxi Curran, who had amassed 1-6 without reply prior to Four Masters finally scoring when Michael Doherty knocked two frees over in first half injury time.

The pattern of the first period spilled into the second and St Eunan’s, in third gear, kept things ticking over. Kavanagh, Conall Dunne, Kevin Rafferty and Donnacha Gallagher rubber-stamped the victory.

Four Masters took 49 minutes to score from play and Doherty scored all but one of their scant total. Mulgrew, when Dunne provided the pass, palmed home a second goal in the last minute.

All Square

In the afternoon at a blustery Donegal town, south-west neighbours Naomh Conaill and Ardara couldn’t be separated and will have to meet again on Wednesday.

Although Ardara levelled in injury time, they will still have been the team more disappointed with the 1-9 to 0-12 draw, having squandered a five-point lead – a huge advantage in the heavy conditions – in the second half.

Naomh Conaill were the firmer of the two teams in the first half and their lead of 0-5 to 0-3 flattered only their rivals. The Glenties side kicked eight wides in the first period as, despite dominating possession, failed to find their coordinates on the swirly afternoon.

That unpredictable wind billowed in Ardara’s sails right from the outset of the second half and the pattern of the match took a twist as Adrian Brennan’s side scored 1-4 in succession in just nine minutes.

Ryan Melly’s goal, which he tucked in after Kenneth Doherty’s pop at a point cannoned back down of the upright on 34 minutes, fuelled the fire of a potential upset. Ardara, from being two down at the interval, were 1-7 to 0-5 up.

It was Naomh Conaill’s experience that saw them gradually gnaw into their arrears. Dermot Molloy, who would score six points in all, was the focal point of their attacks. Marty Boyle equalised on 58 minutes before a smashing Anthony Thompson point fired Naomh Conaill in front in the last minute.

Ardara, though, scraped a replay when McNelis put over a close-range free that will take place on Wednesday night in Ballybofey. The winners of that will take on either reigning champions Glenswilly or Termon, who meet in Letterkenny tomorrow, Sunday, at 3pm.

St Eunan’s will be able to cast an eye on their possible last four opponents as St Michael’s from Dunfanaghy and Dungloe are to meet in Ballybofey at 7pm

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