McDonnell and Canavan points see Errigal Ciaran edge St Eunan's late in Ulster club SFC opener

November 02, 2024

St Eunan's Eoin Dowling tackles Joe Oguz of Errigal Ciaran ©INPHO/Leah Scholes

Late points from Ben McDonnell and Tommy Canavan moved Tyrone champions Errigal Ciaran into the last eight of the Ulster club senior football championship at the expense of Donegal counterparts St Eunan’s tonight.

It finished 0-12 to 0-10 at O’Neills Healy Park, where the Letterkenny side had led with two minutes left in normal time before a brace of points from McDonnell swung the hosts in front and Canavan ensured the victory in the third minute of injury-time.

In this airtight provincial first round clash, the score stood at 0-3 to 0-2 in favour of Errigal Ciaran when they were awarded a penalty midway through the first-half which Peter Harte had brilliantly turned around the post by Shaun Patton.

From there, the points of Shane O’Donnell (2) and James Kelly saw the Donegal side lead by 0-5 to 0-4 at the break and the teams would be level six times throughout the second-half in Omagh.

Conor J O’Donnell’s ‘45’ saw the visitors up by 0-10 to 0-9 in the 58th minute before McDonnell sent over from long range to tie things up once more in the first minute of the added on minutes.

The midfielder cut through in the next Errigal Ciaran attack to fist over Patton’s crossbar and substitute Canavan would send over what proved the insurance point to secure his team’s quarter-final berth against Antrim champions Cargin.


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