GAOTH DOBHAIR MAINTAINED their perfect start to the year as second-half goals by Gavin McBride and Kieran Gillespie secured a win over Four Masters in their opening game of the Michael Murphy Sports & Leisure Donegal SFC.
Gaoth Dobhair 2-12 Four Masters 1-9
The AllSportStore.com All-County Footbal League Division 1 table-toppers pulled away from the Donegal town side in the second half and Conal Sheridan’s team remain in the mood.
Five minutes into the second half, McBride finished off a move after Gaoth Dobhair made a quick transfer from defence to attack. Odhrán Mac Niallais gave the decisive final ball to McBride, who hammered past Ryan Haughey.
[adrotate group=”17″]Six minutes later, Gaoth Dobhair had copper-fastened the win with 20 minutes till remaining. This time, McBride was the architect and Gillespie, who made his debut for the Donegal senior team this year, applied the finish.
That put Gaoth Dobhair 2-9 to 0-6 in front.
The Maghergallon men had led 0-5 to 0-3 at half-time. They flexed their muscles for a goal chance as early as the third minute, but a superb save by Haughey kept Mac Niallais at bay after the Donegal player was fed by Eoin Ward.
McBride and Conor McMonagle exchanged early points before McBride boomed Gaoth Dobhair into a 12th minute lead they’d hold to the finish.
A superb 60-metre run by Micheál Carroll resulted in a score on 21 minutes before Kevin Cassidy found the range from a difficult angle.
A long range point from the ever-green Barry Monaghan was followed by an excellent conversion from 40 metres by four-time All-Star Karl Lacey, but Ward had Gaoth Dobhair two ahead at the changeover.
The two goals in quick succession knocked the stuffing out of Four Masters, who had early scores in part two from Lacey, McMonagle and Monaghan.
Cassidy could have had a third Gaoth Dobhair goal, but a stinging shot was deflected over by Dylan Kennedy.
Three points by McMonagle kept Four Masters in it and McMonagle then drilled a penalty – won by sub Michael Doherty – past Chris Sweeney with two minutes remaining, but Gaoth Dobhair finished with Ward and Mac Niallais on target.
[adrotate group=”40″]Gaoth Dobhair: Chris Sweeney; Gary McFadden, Neil McGee, Jamie Reynolds; Cian Mulligan, Kieran Gillespie (1-0), Eamon McGee; Peter McGee, Micheál Carroll (0-2); Niall Friel, Odhrán Mac Niallais (0-3, 1f), Kevin Cassidy (0-3); Eoin Ward (0-2), Gavin McBride (1-2, 1f), Naoise Ó Baoill. Subs: Daire Ó Baoill for Friel (30), Ciaran Ferry for Mulligan (48).
Four Masters: Ryan Haughey; Darren Walsh, Kevin Breslin, Dylan Kennedy; Daire Quinn, Karl Lacey (0-2), John Boyle; Kevin McBrearty, Sean O’Kennedy; Darren Doherty, Conor McMonagle (1-5, 1-0pen, 3f), Caolan Loughney; Barry Monaghan (0-2), Dillon Muldoon, Leo McHugh. Subs: Conor McDaid for Doherty (46), Patrick Reid for Loughney (48), Michael Doherty for Walsh (53).
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