Burt ease their way into U-21C Championship final with victory over Naomh Ultan

A clinical and composed Burt side cantered through to the U-21 C final with the minimum of fuss over an outgunned Naomh Ultan at icy Glenfin. 

Burt 2-11     

Naomh Ultan 0-3 

The victors were supreme in all departments, bigger, stronger and fitter with loads of players who are so comfortable on the ball.

Keith McColgan and minor star Shayne Gallagher - who bagged two goals -  were also very impressive for Mel O’Donnell’s men. Naomh Ultan were minus four injured players and only had one sub and this was their first defeat. 

But it was a most comprehensive one as, apart from the first 10 minutes of the second half when they outscored Burt by 0-2 to 0-1 -they were constantly under the cosh.  Well struck points from Gallagher, Liam Óg  McKinney and McColgan eased Burt into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead by the ninth minute. 

Gartland made it 0-4 to 0-0 and it was a full 15 minutes before the Dunkineely team managed to make an attack inside their opponent’s half. The left-footed McColgan was particularly accurate from placed balls, and he added four more points with Gartland also on target as Burt had a commanding 0-9 to 0-0 lead at the break. 

Naomh Ultan played with a lot more spirit on the resumption with Luke Gallagher pointing a free in the 32nd minute.  McColgan replied in kind for Burt from a free - but he was brilliantly denied a goal as Naomh Ultan corner-back Jamie Cunningham somehow managed to deflect his point-blank piledriver around the post for a 45. 

Gallagher hit a fine point for Naomh Ultan as the scoring rate dropped significantly coming into the final quarter. Burt sealed the deal with two very well finished goals from Gallagher in the 47thand 49th minute to send his side cruising into the final. 

Burt scorers: Shayne Gallagher 2-1; Keith McColgan 0-6, 3f; Conor Gartland 0-3,1f; Liam Óg McKinney 0-1.

Naomh Ultan scorers: Luke Gallagher 0-2,1f; Kyle Breslin 0-1; 

Burt: Shay Bowen; Ciaran Curran, Kevin Curran, Darren Bradley; Caolan McKinney, Oisin Kelly, Conor O’Donnell; Liam Óg McKinney, Gareth McElroy; Michael McElroy, Keith McColgan, Shane McMonagle; Paddy Curran, Conor Gartland, Shayne Gallagher. Subs; Leo Kelly for Ciaran Curran, James Donaghy for Gareth McElroy (42), Ciaran Porter for Caolan McKinney (52), Colm Toner for Shayne Gallagher (56). 

Naomh Ultan: Aaron O’Shea; Jamie Cunningham, Christopher Boyle, Pauric Cunningham; Matthew Huntley, Jack Boyle, Mark Hutchinson; Dara Gallagher, Lee Byrne; Charlie Blaine, Jack Bach, Seanie O’Shea; Shay Byrne, Kyle Breslin, Luke Gallagher. Subs; Tiernan Boyle for Charlie Blaine (50), Charlie Blaine for Jack Bach (55). 

Referee: Eoghan Doherty (Naomh Columba)