Muff and Newtown must meet again 22.10.10
Busanna Feda Ó Donaill – Junior A Football Championship final

MUFF and Newtown must meet again to decide who will be Donegal Junior champions. The sides played out an entertaining draw in O’Donnell Park last Sunday, with 14 man Muff coming back from 0-9 to 0-7 down with five minutes of normal time remaining. Substitutes Dermot McColgan and Damian Diver pointed to do the business for Naomh Pádraig. However, Naomh Colmcille spurned two good chances in injury time to win the title. Barry O’Hagan won a 63rd minute free for a jersey tug that was moved closer to goal for dissent. O’Hagan has been Naomh Colmcille’s top scorer in the championship to date, but he pulled his free to the right and wide. Moments later O’Hagan set up Mark Callaghan but the substitute hit wide with a point there for the taking.

The sides must meet again next on Sunday (throw-in 3pm) as the winners will play either Killyman (Tyrone) or Corduff (Down) in the Ulster Junior Club championship the following Sunday. Muff dominated the opening exchanges and opened the scoring just 18 seconds in when Declan McLaughlin slipped a pass to Eunan Keaveney and the captain stroked over the bar from 35 metres out. Mark Duffy doubled Muff’s lead on five minutes and points from Aiden Lynch and a long range free from Colm McColgan had Naomh Pádraig 0-4 to 0-0 clear by the eighth minute. Naomh Colmcille slowly got into the game with Joe Donaghey deployed as an extra defence, Richie Clarke impressing at midfield and wing half backs Gerard Curran and Thomas McKinley joining the attack at every opportunity. O’Hagan converted a difficult free from the right wing to get them off the mark in the 14th minute and points from corner forwards Ciaran Callaghan and Ryan McErlean had reduced the deficit to the minimum by the 19th minute.

Oisin McColgan edged Muff two clear, but Newtown responded with Ciaran Callaghan pointing after Thomas McKinley had rescued a ball that looked to be going wide. Aiden Lynch was controversially dismissed on 29 minutes after linesman Paddy McBride drew referee Ian Molloy’s attention to a mistimed tackle on Thomas McKinley. Video replays available in the press box suggested that the Muff man was somewhat hard done by – think John Cunningham and that sending off in the 1992 Ulster final against Derry.

Two injury time points from the lively McErlean and one from Ryan McKinley from close range pushed Naomh Colmcille clear, but Mark Duffy soloed through to hit a 33rd minute equaliser that saw the teams enter the half time break tied at 0-6 apiece. Naomh Colmcille hit the first two points of the second half, with O’Hagan tapping over a close range free after having his jersey tugged and Thomas McKinley blasting over the bar when he might have goaled after Ryan McErlean had held off two tackles to set up the county U21 star. At the other end, keeper Marty Callaghan, a veteran of Newtown’s last championship win in 1994, pulled off a magnificent save at the feet of Colm McColgan who had drifted unmarked into the danger area. Muff reduced the deficit again on 48 minutes when Eunan Keaveney volleyed over after substitute Dermot McColgan had broken down a Colm McColgan 45. Richie Clarke picked up a misplaced quick free from defence and split the posts to put Newtown two clear again but Muff refused to lie down.

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