McKinney drives Burt to victory over MacCumhaill's in Donegal SHC

Burt eventually prevailed against MacCumhaill’s in the Donegal SHC but they had to pull off a late surge to overcome a gritty hosts in miserable conditions in Ballybofey.

Sean MacCumhaill’s 2-9 Burt 2-15

The final score-line flatters the winners slightly as an injury-time goal from super sub, Kieran Brady put a gloss on matters. For with just 12 minutes to go, a well-taken Anthony Patton point put the home side in front by 2-9 to 1-9.

But they just did not have the composure or fitness to close the game out as Burt, inspired by the accuracy of Liam McKinney, scored 1-6 without reply in a game where four minutes of injury time was played. McKinney scored 1-12 in all.

For MacCumhaill’s, the vastly experienced Lee Henderson was the driving force, hitting 2-7 of his side’s total of 2-9 including two goals from frees.

On balance, Burt deserved this hard-fought victory but there were two significant issues for the home side in the second half. They lost the influential PJ Browne through injury along with Aaron Toner and strangely took off dual star Joel Bradley Walsh who made a big impact when introduced in the first half.

Burt badly missed the talismanic Ronan McDermott who will be out until next year with a cruciate injury, sustained in Donegal’s Nickey Rackard Cup final defeat to Wicklow a few weeks ago.

Burt’s half-time sub Kieran Brady hit 1-1 and was a constant threat to a tiring MacCumhaill’s defence in the final minutes.
A perfect minute’s silence was observed in memory of Colm Grant of Burt and Bernard Lafferty of MacCumhaill’s, who both passed away recently, before referee James Connors threw in the ball.

McKinney opened the scoring with a point from play and then added a goal when his speculative shot deceived the home side’s keeper Dylan Lafferty and hit the net to put Burt into a 1-1 to 0-1 lead. McKinney added another point before Henderson landed his first free for the home side.

Stephen Gillespie and Ciaran Bradley hit a great point to ease Burt into a 1-4 to 0-1 lead before Henderson narrowed the gap with another pointed free. And then he struck the first of his two goals when his long-range free went to the whole way to the Burt net to leave just two points between the sides after 20 minutes.

Burt hit back with two more McKinney points-but Henderson struck two pointed frees as Burt led by 1-6 to 1-4 at the break. They almost had a goal within 50 seconds of the restart, but cornerback Kyle Tourish made a brilliant block on McKinney’s goal-bound effort.

McKinney notched another free, but the Inishowen men were rocked when Henderson’s free went straight to the net again to level matters at 1-7 to 2-4. MacCumhaill’s had two good chances of points, but Jamie De Ward was narrowly off target as Bradley Walsh was making an impression on limited possession. The inevitable McKinney put Burt back in front before MacCumhaill’s hit their best patch.

Two points from Henderson Gavin Browne and sub Anthony Patton put them into a 2-9 to 1-9 lead 12 minutes from time.

But Burt’s greater legs and craft saw them through as McKinney landed the clinching points and Brady weighed in with a goal and a point to clinch the win in a most entertaining affair.

Sean MacCumhaills scorers: Lee Henderson 2-7, 7f; Gavin Browne andAnthony Patton 0-1;
Burt scorers: Liam McKinney 1-12,11f; Kieran Brady 1-1; Ciaran Bradley 0-1; Kevin Curran 0-1.

Sean MacCumhaill’s: Dylan Lafferty; Eoghan Wright, John Anthony Chambers Kyle Tourish; Pete Byrne, Fintan Griffen, Aaron Toner; P J Browne, Dean Hannigan; Dean O’Donnell; Lee Henderson, Conor Murphy; Shane McMenamin, Gavin Browne, Jamie De Ward. Subs; Joel Bradley Walsh for Aaron Toner (16), Anthony Patton for P J Browne (h-time), Fintan Griffen for Stephen McMenamin (45), Josh McGee for Dean Hannigan (50), Orin McDermott for Joel Bradley Walsh (56).
Burt: Paul Burns; James Donaghey, Stephen Gillespie, Ciaran Porter; Oisin Kelly, Ciaran Bradley, Christopher McDermott; Kevin Curran, Callum Porter; Caolan McDermott, Conor Gartland, Liam McKinney; Stephen Gallagher, Gavin McGrath, Jack Gallagher. Subs; Kieran Brady for Gavin McGrath (half-time), Callum Porter for Ciaran Porter (46), Dara Grant for Jack Gallagher (51).
Referee: James Connors (St Eunan’s)