EASTER MONDAY WAS a busy one with AllSportStore.com All-County Football League fixtures dotted around the county.
To catch up on everything – or even anything – check the results, reports and tables we compiled on Monday night. When you’re up to date, here’s a few talking points from Monday.
Photo caption: Leo McLoone on the ball for Naomh Conaill as Ciaran Gibbons and Caoimhinn Marley of Glenswilly close in in their AllSportStore.com All-County Football League Division 1 clash at Pairc Naomh Columba on Monday. Photo: Geraldine Diver
1 Naomh Conaill were impressive winners at Glenswilly
The county champions’ 2-15 to 2-10 victory against Glenswilly on Monday doesn’t really tell the tale of a fixture in which Naomh Conaill were dominant for 90 per cent of the contest.
At one stage the team managed by Martin Regan and Martin Doherty were nine points to the good in the second half and looked particularly impressive on their first outing of the season.
Anthony Thompson was run close for man of the match by John O’Malley, who kicked 10 points but aside that there’s no real weak spots on the Naomh Conaill team.
Their panel is filled with what we hear called ‘good club players’ without even factoring in Ciaran Thompson – who was absent on Monday – and Leo McLoone.
Glenswilly had younger faces in their starting line-up like 17-year-old Mark McAteer, Ciaran Gibbons and Ryan Diver and Michael Canning’s team did restore some face with two late goals – from Michael Murphy and Ethan Sweeney – which brought their deficit down to a point at one stage late on.
Murphy scored 1-6, with all but a point of that from placed balls. The Donegal skipper was very advanced but didn’t receive enough quality ball throughout.
However, despite giving Glenswilly a glimmer of hope, an excellent crafted and finished goal from Leon Thompson sealed a good away win for Naomh Conaill. AF
2 Conall Dunne’s re-positioning works a treat for St Eunan’s
At one stage towards half-time at O’Donnell Park, David McGinley’s first home game in charge of St Eunan’s looked like it was turning into something of a nightmare.
His side were 1-5 to 0-3 down against newly-promoted Bundoran having ballooned 11 balls short, while goalkeeper Aidan Simmons had seen Christy Keaney nick one of his kick-outs for a goal for the visitors’ on 25 minutes.
But McGinley kept his cool and took a look at some of the first half stats before making his way into the dressing room.
Conall Dunne had started in the centre-back berth a week beforehand in Mageragallon but he was bizarrely black-carded when it seemed as though Eamon McGee of Gaoth Dobhair was going to be the one sent to the line for flinging him to the ground. The game finished in a 3-14 apiece draw.
Against Bundoran, Dunne’s value to St Eunan’s in an attacking sense was there for all to see as the Letterkenny side possessed much more coordination after the break and run in winners on a scoreline of 2-13 to 1-8 with Dunne and Lee Monagle, in particular, standing out. AF
3 Termon go close but Gaoth Dobahir get the points
In Termon’s first game back in the top flight, they ended up losing to Gaoth Dobhair on a 0-8 to 0-7 scoreline at the Burn Road.
It was a useful win for the away team who had to plan without the a number of players including Neil McGee and the Donegal Under-21 contingent.
Fresh from his point against Dublin at Croke Park on Saturday, Eamon McGee kicking two more scores from the middle of the field.
Termon will be disappointed not to get something from the game, which was Francie Friel’s first ever in charge of the senior men having taken the club’s ladies to the All-Ireland SFC title in 2014.
Daire McDaid, who’d scored six out of Termon’s seven points hit the outside of the upright from an awkward 66th minute free to tie up the contest.
Termon will need to give McDaid more help in the scoring stakes as only Aidan Sweeney scored a point on Monday and Friel’s team only got one score in the entire second half. AF
4 – Kilcar are in an early groove under McHugh
Martin McHugh has been in the business long enough to know that there are no pots or prizes handed out in March – but the former Donegal player will be quite content with how his tenure at Kilcar has begun.
After an opening day 4-17 to 2-12 win over Bundoran, Kilcar defeated Dungloe on Monday, 1-20 to 2-5.
Patrick McBrearty posted ten points after hitting 1-8 the first day.
Kilcar have now scored 5-37 in two games, although the concessions column will be something McHugh and Kilcar will want to address.
The Championship draw has paired them in the ‘Group of Death’ alongside St Eunan’s, St Michael’s and Killybegs so the margin for error is wafer thin, there.
For now, the locals in Towney can be happy with their lot. CMN
5 – Division 2 – Derby days, early showers and maximum points
Last season, Four Masters were relegated to Division 2 and in their first home game there was considerable interest as St Naul’s were the visitors to Tirchonaill Park. A narrow 1-7 to 0-8 win sent those from Donegal town home happy with Dillon Muldoon scoring the only goal and Karl Lacey scoring a 45.
It’s interesting that in a 10-team division, of which there are six teams in the Senior Championship and four in the Intermediate, that the bottom four teams – Four Masters, Naomh Muire, Killybegs and Glenfin – are all in the senior bracket. Early days it is, though.
And from all of Monday’s fixtures, the one perhaps most talked about was Milford’s 1-9 to 0-6 victory at the Banks against Naomh Muire, where the Lower Rosses club’s shower facilities would’ve been almost as busy during the game than they were at its end.
Jimmy White sent off five players – three from Naomh Muire and two of Milford – over the hour. And with Eamon O’Boyle having to talk the likes of Oweney McGarvey back into the fold at Naomh Muire, the suspensions could hurt the club – especially since they’re away next to leaders Malin, who hammered Glenfin.
Cloughaneely struck late to defeat MacCumhaill’s and the other side on maximum points after two games are Naomh Columba, who would’ve been delighted with their victory at Killybegs. AF
6. Buncrana’s impressive start in Division 3
BUNCRANA lost the Intermediate final to Cloughaneely in 2014 and didn’t make an impression in the Championship last season, something that stuck in the teeth around The Scarvey.
The early indications are promising for 2016, though. Buncrana have won two-from-two now and that’s without Darach O’Connor and Bruce Waldron.
They’ll have to plod a while longer without O’Connor, who will be out until June as he recovers from a cruciate injury, but they’ve started well.
After defeating Downings on the opening day, they ground out a derby win over Burt on Monday, Oisin O’Flaherty’s early goal key in a 1-14 to 1-10 win at Hibernian Park.
For Naomh Colmcille, last year’s beaten Intermediate finalists, it’s been the opposite as a late, scrambled draw with Naomh Ultan was followed by defeat to Letterkenny Gaels on Monday. CMN
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