MICHAEL MURPHY WAS back in the saddle as Glenswilly emphatically defeated Bundoran to seal top spot in Group A of the Donegal SFC at Gaelic Park today.
Bundoran 0-7 Glenswilly 3-12
Murphy picked up what appeared to be a serious knee injury two weeks ago in Glenswilly’s All-County Football League Division 1 loss against St Michael’s and sat out his side’s championship win over Dungloe last Sunday.
Photo caption: Michael Murphy returned to the Glenswilly side in their win over Bundoran today. Photo: Geraldine Diver
[adrotate group=”59″]However, there had been whispers in the week saying the Donegal skipper would return in the do-or-die final group fixture for Michael Canning’s team against Bundoran. Murphy played and played well, scoring 1-1.
Glenswilly enjoyed comfortable wins over Bundoran in the SFC in 2013 and 2014 but this afternoon all four teams in the group – Dungloe and Ardara completing the foursome – had a win and loss to their name before a ball was thrown into the air.
Glenswilly got a seventh minute goal to set them on their way. Gary McFadden punched past Conor Carty after a cross-shot from Murphy deceived the Bundoran goalkeeper before coming back off the crossbar.
However, the hosts’ response was a good one as they fired over four successive points – two from Christy Keaney and one apiece from Tommy Hourihane and Peter McGonigle – to move 0-4 to 1-0 in front.
But three pointed free from McFadden, a vintage Murphy score from the flank and a Neil Gallagher point meant that on 24 minutes, Glenswilly were 1-5 to 0-5 up.
Then, in the last minute of the first half Murphy slammed home a penalty after Christopher McMonagle, the Glenswilly blood sub, had been fouled by Carty. Glenswilly were two goals up, 2-5 to 0-5, at half-time.
Then, three minutes into the second half, Darren McGinley added a third goal for Glenswilly. Caolan kelly provided the bloodline for the goal, breaking from deep and exchanging passes with both Ryan Diver and McFadden, who saw his shot blocked. McMonahle picked up the pieces to set up McGinley for his goal.
[adrotate group=”53″]Glenswilly were rampant and reeled off six points in succession – two from Oisin Crawford and then one for Joe Gibbons, McFadden, Brian Farrelly and Diver.
On 52 minutes, Bundoran finally scored the first point of the second half when Johnny Boyle knocked over a free. Glenswilly’s McFadden and Michael McEniff for Bundoran traded late scores. Another man who returned to the fold for Glenswilly was Shaun Burke, who has been in Australia for seven years.
[adrotate group=”45″]Glenswilly’s win was impressive and maybe it’s a case of writing them off at your peril.
Bundoran: Conor Carty; Matthew Ward, James Keaney, Pauric Rooney; Peter McGonigle, Paul Brennan, Johnny Boyle; Michael McEniff, David Stuttard; Shane McGowan, Tommy Hourihane, Darragh Hoey; Jamie Brennan, Niall Dunne, Christy Keaney. Subs: Diarmuid McCaughey for Hoey (half-time), Paul Delaney for Dunne (40), Barry McGowan for C Keaney (42), Niall Carr for Hourihane (49), Timmy Govorov for Brennan (53).
Glenswilly: James Gallagher; Cormac Callaghan, Eamonn Ward, Patrick McFadden; Aidan McDevitt, Ryan Diver (0-1), Joe Gibbons (0-1); Neil Gallagher (0-1), Caolan Kelly; Ciaran Gibbons, Cathal Gallagher, Brian Farrelly (0-1); Darren McGinley (1-0), Gary McFadden (1-5, 3f), Michael Murphy (1-1, 1-0 pen). Oisin Crawford (0-2) for McDevitt (12), Caoimhin Marley for Murphy (26), Shaun Burke for Marley (53, black card), Philip O’Donnell for N Gallagher (56).
Referee: Michael McShane (Kilcar).
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