NAOMH CONAILL RETAINED their Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta Tír Chonaill with victory over neighbours Ardara at Dave Brennan Memorial Park this afternoon.
Naomh Conaill 3-14 Ardara 3-6
Last year, the Glenties side went all the way to All-Ireland success in the competition, as well as winning the Donegal SFC, so winning the local competition provided a good foundation.
Today, with Martin Regan and Martin Doherty in charge, they had too much for Ardara, who did give as good as they got for spells but Naomh Conaill had just too much firepower and ran out comfortable winners on their home patch after a dominant second half.
There were four goals in the first half alone, after which Naomh Conaill led 2-7 to 2-3.
[adrotate group=”37″]Ethan O’Donnell finished off a move that saw Charles McGuinness play the final pass on eight minutes to put the hosts 1-3 to 0-1 up.
Ardara needed to get on the scoreboard and within a minute they forced a penalty when Gareth Concarr fed Peter McHugh and his progress was halted by a trip by Naomh Conaill goalkeeper Stephen McGrath, who was promptly black-carded by referee Robbie O’Donnell.
As well as that, a penalty was awarded and duly converted by Boyle, who shot past reserve netminder Tony Byrne.
John O’Malley kicked a couple of scores to put Naomh Conaill 1-5 to 1-2 up before Ardara got back on terms with a goal from the lively Concarr on 15 minutes.
Concarr then kicked a point to leave the team under the management of Seamus Gallagher ahead by a point.
However, Naomh Conaill finished out the half strongly and O’Donnell had to be content with a point when his stinging drive was touched over by Cathal Gallagher in the Ardara goal.
Then, on 21 minutes, Jason Campbell finished into the top corner neatly following Seamus Corcoran’s ball in for a second Naomh Conaill goal.
O’Malley kicked his third point of the half to leave his team 2-7 to 2-3 up at half-time, just before which there was a shower of biblical proportions (see video below).
It took Naomh Conaill a few minutes in the second half to move through the gears, having started slowly enough with two points in the opening 13 minutes from Dermot Molloy and captain Eoin Waide.
[adrotate group=”35″]During that spell, Ardara were held scoreless till Stefan Boyle scored a free. The strength of the Naomh Conaill panel was evident and 12 minutes from time, Leon Thompson rattled home a third goal for those in blue and white after being set-up by O’Malley.
Molloy and two points from Thompson closed out the victory. Ardara’s endeavours were rewarded late in the day with a belting goal from full-back Kenneth Doherty.
[adrotate group=”45″]Naomh Conaill: Stephen McGrath; Ultan Doherty, Jason Campbell (1-0), Kevin McGettigan; Marty Boyle, Aaron Thompson, Eoin Waide (0-1); Charles McGuinness, Ethan O’Donnell (1-1); Eunan Doherty (0-1), Anthony Thompson, Seamus Corcoran (0-1); Dermot Molloy, John O’Malley (0-3), Leon Thompson (1-4). Subs: Tony Byrne for McGrath (10) Dara Gallagher for Corcoran (half-time), Cathal Ellis for McGuinness (42), Leo McLoone for Anthony Thompson (52).
Ardara: Cathal Gallagher; Oisin O’Donnell, Kenneth Doherty (1-1), Joe Melly; Nicholas Maguire, Johnny Herron, Kevin Herron; Jimmy O’Connell, Declan Gavigan; Peter McHugh, Ryan Malley (0-1), Tomás Boyle (1-1, 1-0 pen); CJ Molloy, Gareth Concarr (1-1), Lorcan O’Donnell. Subs: Aaron Bennett for T Boyle (17), Stefan Boyle (0-2, 1f) for Gavigan (27), Kelvin Slowey for O’Connell (37), Stephen Molloy for McGettigan (47)
Referee: Robbie O’Donnell (Naomh Muire).
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