St Eunan's College MacLarnon Cup winners of 2000 enjoy reunion in Letterkenny
On St Patrick's Day 2000, St Eunan's overcame St Columb's from Derry 1-11 to 1-9 at Casement Park in Belfast, with Colm McFadden's goal two minutes from the end proving vital
Members of the St Eunan's College panel who won the MacLarnon Cup 25 years ago enjoyed a reunion in Letterkenny on Saturday night at Blake's Bar.
On St Patrick's Day 2000, St Eunan's overcame St Columb's from Derry 1-11 to 1-9 at Casement Park in Belfast, with Colm McFadden's goal two minutes from the end proving vital.
The St Michael's forward scored 1-8 on the day in a man of the match performance as Damien McClafferty of St Eunan's captained the school to their first victory in the competition since 1979 and only their third ever, having also won in 1968.
Despite a bright start, Neil Gordon and Paddy Tunney's St Eunan's saw a seven-point lead evaporate and needed McFadden's late goal to get back on track.
McClafferty, McFadden and David O'Herlihy scored early points to put St Eunan's 0-7 to 0-0 in front with Rory Kavanagh and Aidan Callaghan dominating midfield.
Mark Lynch, Liam Fleming and Adrian Devine eventually got the Derry side moving but they still trailed 0-8 to 0-3 at half-time. They kept that forward momentum going in the second half and when Ronan Barkey managed to score a goal, there was only one in it. Martin Donaghy then levelled and when Barkey scored again, St Columb's were in front for the first time on the day.
"Some going wasn't it?," captain Damien McClafferty told the Donegal Democrat afterwards. "They gave us a real scare in the second half. Anything that comes our way now will be bonus".
McFadden added: "It's unbelievable. We were under pressure in the second half but we held on for a deserved win."
"Words escape me," team manager Gordon said. "The boys deserve this title with all the effort they've put in."
In the All-Ireland B semi-final two weeks later at Parnell Park in Dublin, McFadden scored 1-9 and St Eunan's were defeated 1-17 to 1-11 by St Augustine's from Waterford.
The St Eunan's panel was made up of Danny Sheridan, Kieran Sharkey, Barry Canning, Michae Boyle, Ronan McHale, Damien McClafferty, Colin Mclntyre; Aidan Callaghan, Rory Kavanagh; David O'Herlihy, Seamie Friel, John McClafferty, Ruairí Kelly, Colm McFadden Peter O'Doherty, Barry Devine, Neil Gallagher, Niall McClafferty, Brian McGinley, Sean McNulty, Paul Crossan, Ciaran O'Sullivan, Barry McNelis.