ARDARA POWERED into the semi-finals of the Michael Murphy Sports & Leisure Senior B Championship after seeing off Sean MacCumhaills in Letterkenny.
Ardara 1-22 Sean MacCumhaills 2-6
Stephen Gildea netted a late goal to put a gloss on what was an already comprehensive win for the south-west representatives.
David White bagged a pair of goals for Sean MacCumhaills in the second half, including one from a penalty, but Ardara, backed by the experience of the likes of Brendan Boyle, moved comfortably into the last four.
[adrotate group=”82″]MacCumhaills started off with a pair of frees by Padhraic Patton and White, but Ardara were soon in motion and they reeled off six points in a row, with Paul Watters, Brendan Boyle, Aaron Breslin and a brace by Martin Shovlin opening up a little daylight.
Ardara continued to pile on the pressure and, including spells between the half-time break, they scored the game’s next eight points after Patton swung over a free at the other end.
Ardara led 0-11 to 0-3 at the break with Tony Harkin, Peter McHugh, Watters, Martin Shovlin and Aaron Breslin pointing before the break. Breslin fired over after Gavin Doherty saved well from Ardara sub Simon Breslin.
Eight up at the break, Ardara roared from the traps, spurred by the experienced Brendan Boyle, the former Donegal player clipping a pair of points engineered by the player’s sheer guile.
Midway through the second half, MacCumhaills got the goal they needed as White steered past Patrick Gavigan from a penalty.
Just a minute later, Gavigan superbly saved from a driving effort by Chris Gallen to preserve an eight-point lead for the Pearse Park men.
After Stephen Gildea and Martin Shovlin point for Ardara, White blasted to the net for his and MacCumhaills’ second goal.
[adrotate group=”37″]MacCumhaills goalkeeper Gavin Doherty saved well from a blistering attempt by Brendan Boyle, but substutute Gildea found a way through late in the game to seal a 13-point win.
Ardara: Patrick Gavigan; Harry Hennigan, Eamon Breslin, Jonathan Shovlin; Daniel Breslin, Oisin O’Donnell, Tony Harkin (0-1); Francis Boyle, Stephen Boyle; Paul Watters (0-5), Brendan Boyle (0-5), Martin Shovlin (0-4); Aaron Breslin (0-3, 2f), Peter McHugh (0-3), Declan Gallagher. Subs: Simon Breslin for S.Boyle (19), Kelvin Slowey for J.Shovlin (24), Stephen Gildea (1-1) for A.Breslin (30), Johnny McGill for S.Breslin (40), Joe McLaughlin for D.Breslin (43), Liam Sweeney for Watters (57).
Sean MacCumhaills: Gavin Doherty; Douglas McDaid, Seamus McGinty, Oliver McGroarty; Ogilvy McGroarty, Pat McNulty, Karl Hughes; Paddy Hannigan, Carl Dunnion; Shane Duffy, Michael Lynch, Padhraic Patton (0-2, 2f); Mark O’Sullivan, David White (2-2, 1-0pen, 2f), Chris Gallen. Subs: James Beirne for Ogilvy McGroarty (30), Ryan Duffy for S.Duffy (half-time), Brendan McLaughlin (0-2, 1f) for Patton (half-time), Jack McGeehan for McDaid (48), Mark Dorrian for O’Sullivan (48), for Shaun Friel for Dunnion (55),
Referee: Kevin McGinley (Naomh Columba).
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