Kevin O'Rourke on fire for Buncrana as they overcome Sean MacCumhaill's

Kevin O’Rourke was the star of the show as Buncrana edged out Sean MacCumhaill’s in an absorbing affair in Ballybofey. 

The winners led by 1-8 to 0-7 at the break mainly thanks to a lightning goal from Ruairi Doherty after just 30 seconds which gave them the perfect start. 

Dylan Duffy added a point, but MacCumhaill’s hit back with four points on the trot from Lee Henderson (three frees and one from play) which tied matters at 1-1 to 0-4 after 10 minutes. 

O’Rourke edged the visitors in front by a point and they then went on to hit the next five points with three from O’Rourke-Duffy and Declan McCarron to put Buncrana into a 1-7 to 0-4 lead. 

Fintan Griffin landed a point for MacCumhaill’s with Henderson notching two more from play with Tom Clare making sure the visitors led by 1-8 to 0-7 at the break. 

Henderson posted three frees for MacCumhaill’s and Caolan O’Neill drove a penalty over the bar at the other end. 

O’Rourke and Ciaran McLaughlin pointed for Buncrana as Henderson nailed a penalty for MacCumhaill’s to leave Buncrana leading by 1-11 to 1-10. 

O’Neill and Henderson (0-2) made it 1-12 to 1-12 with time ticking away. 

Chad McSorley gave the home side the lead for the first time, but O’Neill countered with a point from a placed ball. 

Noah Griffin Reid got MacCumhaill’s last point and O’Rourke finished out the scoring with two fine points. 

Sean MacCumhaill’s scorers: Lee Henderson 1-11, 8f, 1 pen; Fintan Griffin, Chad McSorley, and Noah Griffin Reid 0-1 each. Buncrana scorers: Kevin O’Rourke 0-7, 1f; Caolan O’Neill 0-4, 4fs; Ruairi Doherty 1-0; Dylan Duffy 0-2; Ciaran McLaughlin, Declan McCarron, and Tom Clare 0-1 each. 

Sean MacCumhaill’s: Dylan Lafferty; Conor Murphy, Kyle Tourish, Davitt Bradley Flynn; Riain McBrearty, John Anthony Chambers, Sean Brady-Devenney; Chad McSorley, P J Browne; Shane McMenamin, Fintan Griffin, Dean Hannigan; Lee Henderson, Anthony Patton, Patrick Bradley. 

Buncrana: Alan Lynam; John Vaughan, Paul Tourish, Ruairi Scott; Cathal Óg Wilson, Conor Grant, Ruairi Doherty; Peter Grant, Declan McCarron; Caolan O’Neill, Dylan Duffy, Tom Clare; Kevin O’Rourke, Ciaran McLaughlin, David Carey. 

Referee: Aidan McAleer (Muff)