KILLYBEGS MAINTAINED their senior championship status thanks to an emphatic replay win over Glenfin at O’Donnell Park.
Killybegs 2-13 Glenfin 1-6
After letting a late lead slip in their first play-off last week, Gary Conaghan’s Killybegs made no mistake this time around, led by Hugh McFadden’s superb display.
McFadden scored 1-4, including a well-taken 48th minute goal. The game was long since over as a contest when McFadden, after combining with Eoghan Ban Gallagher, powered to the Glenfin net.
McFadden scored four fine points and could also be seen aiding his defence anytime Glenfin ventured forward.
Glenfin make the drop to the Intermediate Championship after eventually using up all of their lives having survived two League and two Championship play-offs in recent years.
Glenfin can have no complaints and the 10-point margin of victory was in no way flattering for Killybegs, who saw Evan Broderick score a goal late in the first half.
It all meant that Michael McGlynn’s late goal was rendered as little more than a footnote in the tale.
A week ago, Glenfin looked doomed when they trailed Killybegs by three points heading around towards the home straight.
But they, once again, showed an incredible refusal to accept that they’d been condemned as a trio of late points – from Conor McBride, Paddy O’Connor and Kevin McGlynn – gave Liam Ward’s team another crack at survival.
[adrotate group=”53″]It was the 25th minute before they managed a score, midfielder Michael McGlynn finding the range to break the duck , but they were down and out when Killybegs netted in added time at the end of the first half.
Hugh McFadden bore in on Liam O’Meara, but the Glenfin goalkeeper got down well to save, only for Broderick to tuck home the rebound.
McFadden, John Ban Gallagher and Christopher Murrin opened up an early advantage for a Killybegs side that was here intent not to let things slip a second time.
[adrotate group=”86″]McFadden hoofed over his second of the day to open up a four-point lead in the 20th minute, the Donegal panelist picking his shot to perfection from way out on the right.
Glenfin’s beginning was in marked contrast to the manner in which they’d finished the first game, seven days ago.
The An Gaeltacht Lár men were sloppy in possession in the final third and found well-organised Killybegs hard to break down.
At one stage, when his trailed by five points after Eoghan Ban Gallagher clipped over, Glenfin boss Liam Ward could only put his head into the palms of his hands.
[adrotate group=”83″]By the time he was making his way through the gates and into the dressing room at the break, Ward could have been forgiven for thinking that the game was up.
Points from McFadden and David McGuinness were followed by Broderick’s goal and, with the scoreboard having them 1-8 to 0-1 in front, it was very much advantage Killybegs at the changeover.
This time, there was no turnaround and, a senior championship sojourn that began following their Intermediate Championship success in 1979, continues.
Killybegs: Antoine O’Hara; Owen Gallagher (0-1), Ciaran Conaghan, Daniel O’Donnell; David McGuinness (0-1), Shane Molloy, Niall Carberry; Hugh McFadden (1-4), Daniel Breslin; Christopher Murrin (0-3), Eoghan Ban Gallagher (0-1), Christopher Cunningham; Daniel O’Keeney, John Ban Gallagher (0-1), Evan Broderick (1-2). Subs: Pauric Conaghan for O’Donnell (52), Mark Finnerty for O’Kenney (54), Dara McClean for Cunningham (56), Ryan Ward for McGuinness (60), Jack Behan for E.Gallagher (60).
Glenfin: Liam O’Meara; Martin O’Donnell, Gary Heron, Gary Dorrian; Stephen McGlynn, Frank McGlynn, Jason Morrow; Michael McGlynn (1-2), Stephen Ward; Daniel McGlynn, Paddy O’Connor (0-2), Stephen Carr; Conor McBride (0-2, 2f), Gerard Ward, Kevin McGlynn.
Subs: Hugh Foy for S.Ward (43), Ronan Carlin for Carr (43), Jason Marley for K.McGlynn (50), Shaun McGlynn for Dorrian (54), Ciaran Foy for D.McGlynn (56).
Referee: Seamus McGonagle (Aodh Ruadh).
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