Setanta come from seven down in the wind to post valuable SHC win over Burt

Two late points from Gerry Gilmore and Josh Cronolly McGee took both points for Setanta in a hard-fought affair with youthful Burt at Hibernian Park in round three of the Donegal SHC.

Burt had been beaten in the second round by St Eunan’s, while Setanta scraped a draw against the Letterkenny side on opening night. And it was Burt who made the early running to lead by seven points, only to end up on the wrong side of the scoreline.

Friday’s was a game dominated by a strong breeze, which made good hurling challenging, but both sides produced quite a battle with Setanta’s edge in experience proving crucial.

READ NEXT: Donegal's Shane O'Donnell nominated for PwC Football Player of the Month for June

Burt will rue their total tally of nine wides to their opponent’s six over the hour in a game they led for 55 minutes.

The home side had the benefit of the wind in the opening half, but it was Cronolly McGee who had the first point for the visitors. But the outstanding Conor Gartland then landed three points in a row-two from frees to put them into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead by the sixth minute.

Kevin Curran from play and another pointed free from Gartland made it 0-5 to 0-1 as Aidan McKinney made it a five- point game with a similar effort in the 15th minute.

Burt looked hungrier but would regret some hasty shooting in this wind-assisted half.
But it looked good for Enda McDermott’s men when Kevin Curran and Fiachra Gill put them into a 0-8 to 0-1 lead.

In a rare breakaway, Setanta’s Oisin Marley broke through, but his shot cannoned off the crossbar in a real let-off for the home side.

Burt replied with a brilliant side-line cut that Gartland converted. But they missed a few easy chances coming up to half as Setanta replied with two vital points from Bernard Lafferty and a Gilmore pointed free as Burt led by 0-9 to 0-3 at the break.

Given the strength of the wind, it did not seem enough as Gilmore reeled off two pointed frees-one of them looked wide, to leave Burt leading by 0-9 to 0-5 just three minutes into the second half.

The scoring rate dropped a bit before Oisin Marley pointed for the men from the Cross.
Cronolly McGee and Gilmore broke through, but both tried for goals which were nullified when easy points looked on.

Setanta were gradually eating into the Burt lead, even though Gartland pointed a free to leave his side ahead by 0-10 to 0-5. Gilmore from a free and Danny Cullen from play left just two points between the sides, 10 minutes from time.
The Burt defence was under a lot of pressure by this stage as the hits went in as both sides fought for the points and Burt hit a few wides into the strong wind.

Gilmore pointed a free to leave just a point between the sides and Lafferty levelled matters five minutes from time. Burt battled hard but Gilmore and Cronolly McGee got the vital scores for a hard-earned victory over their old rivals.

Burt scorers: Conor Gartland 0-6,4f; Kevin Curran 0-2; Fiachra Gill 0-1; Aidan McKinney 0-1.
Setanta scorers: Gerry Gilmore 0-6,4f; Bernard Lafferty and Josh Cronolly McGee 0-2; Danny Cullen and Oisin Marley 0-1.
Burt: Paul Burns; James Donaghey, Ciaran Bradley, Oisin Kelly; Kevin Curran, Oisin Kerr, Fiachra Gill; Stephen Gillespie, Dara Grant; Jack Gallagher, Conor Gartland, Paddy Curran; Kyron McColgan, Jack Lavery, Aidan McKinney. Subs: Christopher McDermott for Jack Gallagher (25), Callum Porter for Oisin Kerr (44), Adam Nelson for James Donaghey (56).
Setanta: Kevin Campbell; Ruairi McLaughlin, Justin McBride, Mark Callaghan; Dean Harvey, Sean Ward, Ryan Callaghan; Gerry Gilmore, Conor McGettigan; Danny Cullen, Oisin Marley, Ruairi Campbell; Bernard Lafferty, Ryan Coyle, Josh Cronolly/McGee.
Referee: Aidan McAleer (Naomh Padraig).