Sunday May 25th Home and Away. Four Provinces 3-07 Leitrim 1-08 In a repeat of the county final of 2007, Four Provinces used the same script to repeat their victory over close rivals Leitrim in an exciting game of football at Gaelic Park yesterday. They withstood an early bombardment that produced 1-01 for their challengers with Dan Doona rifling the ball to the net for the three pointers. They replied with two fantastic goals of their own in the first half with Mike Higgins teaming with former teammate from St Jarlaths Michael Donnellon for the first and Liam O'Donnell snatching the second soccer style after a mix-up in the Leitrim rearguard. With points from Donnellon Higgins and O'D they forged a five point half time lead and controlled the game despite a furious comeback attempt by their opponents in the second half. The long meandering solo runs of Michael Donnellon were a huge part of the win for his new team. He arrived into town as a sixty day sanction for 4P's and already he was stamping his class on the proceedings. Mike Higgins accounted for 1-03 over the hour as he gave a torrid time to three different markers who could not control his early runs. Defensively David Doyle and the wing back combo of Rory O'Connor and Ciaran Haggerty time and again intercepted Leitrim passes and set out to find their own players on the rebound. A second half scoring spree when Leitrim narrowed the gap to 3-06 to 1-08 after four unanswered points but they had opportunities for more but were denied by the woodwork from a Donal Hartnett penalty, and a brilliant save from James Cannon on Mike Creegan, after Robbie Moran drove his screamer over the bar. This was all in a ten minute period in the middle of the stanza and Four Provinces weathered the storm and added a point to their total before the end. An undoubted statement by the champs as they look to go back to back in NY. Four Provinces Liam O'Donnell (2-02) Mike Higgins (1-03) Liam McGrourty (0-01) Michael Donnellon (0-01) Leitrim Dan Doona (1-02) Mike Creegan (0-02) Donal Hartnett (0-02) Shane Russell (0-01) Robbie Moran (0-01) Referee Sean Jones (Fermanagh) Man of the Match Michael Donnellon (Four Provinces) Kerry has it easy. Kerry 1-17 Derry 0-07 It was all too easy for the Kingdom in the main event on Sunday at the Park as they had far too many weapons for an under strength Derry outfit that tried their best but was always swimming against the current. A five point outburst to open the game. Another after Derry had their first point put paid to the feeble challenge as Kerry made a statement that they will certainly be a part of the chase for the title this year at the senior level. Their strength despite the scoring remains in the backline. Niall Corbett, Eoghan O'Mahoney, Anthony Glacken and Declan Griffin are a boanafide foundation top build upon. Corbett did a huge amount of off the ball running in this encounter and if his shooting boots had been on he could have had three points himself. He was an open man to find constantly. Dermie Foley was tremendous and even without his scoring contribution of 0-05 he was a constant option in attack. The returning Bingo Driscoll from Annuscaul will only get better as the timing comes back as he looks for the ball throughout. Derry had little to offer in defense against the onslaught except for the point scoring of Conor Downey who was brilliant. Brian Cullinane in goal also had a decent outing and could not be faulted with Paul Mulhearne and Joe Bell also battling wholeheartedly. Kerry Ross Donavan (0-06) Dermie Foley (0-05) Bingo Driscoll (0-03) Conor Ryan (1-00) Steven Lynch (0-01) Sean Kelly (0-01) Declan Griffin (0-01) Derry Conor Downey (0-05) John Williams (0-01) Darren Doherty (0-01) Referee Tommy Fahey (Waterford) Man of the Match Dermie Foley (Kerry) Saints alive for the win. St Barnabas 2-08 Donegal 1-09 In a game that was not for the faint of heart, St Barnabas took the points after a hard fought win over a game Donegal outfit that fought to the end. With not fewer than thirteen players on view with American birthplaces it was fantastic to see the talent that has come up through the ranks have big parts to play in the contest and also the outcome of it. Adrian Clarke who lined out at centerfield for the Saints was a livewire throughout and covered acres of ground for his team. His point came at a critical time when Donegal had drawn within one and his open play showed pronounced fire. The game was tied on six occasions in the first half before the saints nudged into the lead at the break with a Sean Roche free. Ray Keenan's goal fifteen minutes in was a delightful score when he teamed with Brendan Moran and Ciaran Moyles to take the lead back at that juncture. Darren Petit was very unlucky to have missed a goal himself when he hit the post but he reacted well and tapped the rebound over. The teams swapped goals to open the second half with Brendan Moran getting the first when he dived to fist home after a four player move that involved Ronan Garvey, Jason Clarke and Keenan. It was immediately cancelled out by a well struck penalty by Sean Twomey after Kevin O'Connor was pulled to the ground. A Benjie Moran point on the restart gave the Woodlawn lads the lead for good as precarious as it was and they went point for point to secure the win in the dying moments. Donegal CJ Molloy (0-05) Kevin Lilly (0-03) Sean Twomey (1-00) Kevin O'Connor (0-01) St Barnabas Brendan Moran (1-02) Ray Keenan (1-01) Sean Roche (0-02) Adrian Clarke (0-01) Thomas McGovern (0-01) Darren Petit (0-01) Referee Paddy Gormley (Leitrim) Man of the Match Adrian Clarke (St Barnabas) Tweet

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