Stranorlar scoring burst sets up Donegal Markey Cup final

Danske Bank Markey Cup semi-final
St Columba’s Stranorlar 3-16 St Patrick’s Keady 2-10
The seven minutes after the break at Garvaghey yesterday evening sorted final opponents for Carndonagh CS in this entertaining Danske Bank Markey Cup semi-final.
St Patrick’s Keady had been the more enterprising team during the opening half and a 22nd minute goal from Pearse Hughes separated the teams at the break 1-7 to 0-7.
However within seven minutes of the re-start St Columba’s Stranorlar had taken charge and, with the wind also picking up, an all-Donegal final was looming large.
Oisin Gallen, scorer of five of the seven first half points, opened the second half with a point and Corrie-Lee Bogan quickly added a second. Darragh McMenamin fielded the kick out and laid the ball off neatly for Bogan to break the cover and shoot to the Keady net.
Joe McGill then tagged on a point before a long ball from defence found Oisin Gallen and the All-star rounded his marker for goal number two.
At 2-10 to 1-7, the game was drifting from Keady but they rallied with three of the next four scores, points each for Reece Butter, half-back Jim Shortt and Michael King.
However Gallen and McGill with two points each stretched Stranorlar’s lead so that when Reece Butter despatched a 58th minute penalty, the gap was still at six points.
There was still time though for impressive midfielder Paddy Dolan to seal the issue with his first score, a 61st minute goal, that sets up the north-east Donegal final with Carndonagh for the middle of next week.
St Columba’s : Oisin Gallen (1-9, 0-4 frees), Corrie-Lee Bogan (1-3), Paddy Dolan (1-0), joe McGill (0-3), Jamie Keegan (0-1).
St Patrick’s : Reece Butter (1-3, 1-0 pen, 0-2 frees), Pearse Hughes (1-1), Jim Shortt (0-2), Seán óg McGuiness (0-1), Shane McIlveen (0-1), Louis Hughes (0-1), Michael King (0-1).
Referee : Martin Conroy (Tyrone)