Our seniors welcomed St. Eunan's to Pairc Naomh Ultan on Sunday, August 15th in round 8 of their league. Hoping to bounce back from a defeat last weekend things didn't go according to plan in the opening half, Eunans got ahead with two close range frees in the opening ten minutes. Naomh Ultan didn't get on the scoreboard until the 13th minute of the game, Joe Alvey pointing from the left hand side of the posts. This was matched almost immediately by Eunans who got their first score from play. Cian Kennedy free'd but again it was matched by the opposition with another score from play. Alan Lyons got a score as we approached the water break but yet again Eunans were able to cancel it out getting the final score of the quarter.

St. Eunan's were gifted a goal minutes after the restart, a poor kickout fell kindly to the Eunans full forward who just had to stroke the ball into the Naomh Ultan net. That put them well in the lead and they added further to it on 23 minutes with another point to put them seven in front on a scoreline of 1-7 to 0-3. Naomh Ultan had plenty of work to do and it was Daragh Murrin and Dermot Gallier who got on the ends of two attacks to finish over the bar. An attack then from each side resulted in a score, firstly St. Eunan's from play and then it was Naomh Ultan's turn, this one another free from Kennedy. It was St. Eunan's that had the last say in the half, they pointed in the fifth minute of added time to bring them in deserved leaders at the break. Half time - Naomh Ultan 0-7 Naomh Adhamhnáin 1-9

There was a favourable breeze blowing towards the south end of Pairc Naomh Ultan and the men from Dunkineely were going to make this work to their advantage, James Byrne pointed from distance straight off the bat to get things moving for them. That resurgence was short lived as the ball was quickly worked up the field by Eunans, catching Naomh Ultan on the hop and finishing off with their second goal of the afternoon. Back to the drawing board for Naomh Ultan who found themselves in a seven point deficit, but they had time on their hands and a good breeze on their backs. Gallier got his second on 34 minutes, Kennedy then got two quick scores to shorten out the lead. After Kennedy's second, Eunans pointed almost immediately after, again working the ball up the field fast. Byrne stepped up with a score on 41 minutes before the score that turned the game came. The ball was pumped in high to Lyons who was living off scraps thus far in the game, he collected well and finished the ball in the net to bring it back to a 1 point game. Ref Connie Doherty called for the second water break to set us up for a potentially grandstand finish.

Naomh Ultan had a spring in their step for the first time in the game, and it was midfielder Gallier that got on the end of a well worked move to level the game up. Ten minutes remained and this one could have gone either way, St. Eunan's had a goal chance stopped and paid the price for not finishing it when captain Lyons pointed from distance on 24 mins to give the lead to the Dunkineely men for the first time. Minutes later St. Eunan's had another opportunity at goal, this time they walloped the crossbar. From that lucky break Naomh Ultan worked the ball up the field and in similar fashion to the first goal they lorried the ball in high, this time substitute Shaun White palmed the ball in basketball style to give Naomh Ultan a four point advantage. There were two long stoppages in this half meaning there would be plenty of time added, the second coming after Eunans yet again had a goal opportunity denied on the line.

St. Eunan's were beginning to rue their missed goal opportunities, with the clock ticking and them four down they eventually managed to get the ball over the Naomh Ultan goal line after bombarding it on 33 minutes. Back to a point with minutes remaining, Eunans put on the squeeze but Naomh Ultan broke free and broke well, countering up the field at pace to set up a one on one for Daragh Murrin who made no mistake at finishing. That Eunans squeeze continued and it was like déjà vu when the men from Dunkineely broke fast and got the ball to Murrin again, who this time on the right flank opted to put the ball over the bar to give Naomh Ultan a very hard earned five point victory.

Full time - Naomh Ultan 3-15 Naomh Adhamhnáin 3-10

1. Daniel McGlynn
2. Mark Hutchinson
3. Christopher Boyle
4. Jack Boyle
5. Joe Alvey (0-1)
6. Daniel Gallagher
7. Aaron Kyles
8. Dermot Gallier (0-3)
9. Cian Kennedy (0-3, 2f)
10. Peter Alvey
11. Patrick White
12. James Byrne (0-2)
13. Jonathan Bach
14. Alan Lyons (1-4)
15. Daragh Murrin (1-2)

Substitutes -

Shaun White (1-0) for Peter Alvey

Aiden Duddy for Jonathan Bach

Michael Breslin for Daniel McGlynn