GLENFIN just hung on to deny St Naul’s a comeback victory this afternoon.
Glenfin 1-9 St Naul’s 0-11
By Charlie Collins at Pairc Taobhóighe
The home team looked comfortable at the half-time break after they had built a six point lead at the interval.
However they were made to work very hard for a one point victory as St.Nauls outscored them by 0-8 to 0-3 in the second-half led by Peadar Mogan.
Karl McGlynn gave Glenfin the perfect in the third minute, taking Frank McGlynn’s pass and hammering a cracker of a shot past Gavin Mulreany.
Daniel Meehan, who got all three of the visitors first-half scores replied quickly, but a fisted effort a minute later from Ciaran Brady restored Glenfin’s three point lead.
Meehan added two more points, Gerard Ward split those with a fine effort to leave it 1-2 to 0-3 after 20 minutes.
Glenfin ended the half in style with four points in a row. Odhran McGlynn scored from distance, Jason Morrow, Stephen Carr and Daniel McGlynn all added good scores from play and at the break Glenfin led by 1-6 to 0-3.
St.Nauls needed and got a good start to the second-half with points by Peadar Mogan and a stylish one by Stephen Griffin off the outside of his right boot.
They then had a big let-off when Odhran McGlynn burst through several tackles and when his goalbound shot beat keeper Mulreany, Brendan McCole somehow got back to block it on the goal line.
Mogan, sub Cathal Lowther who tapped Mogan’s long range attempt over and Griffen from a free made it five in a row for for the visitors and just a point between them, 1-06 to 0-08.
Aaron McGlynn and Jason Morrow points settled Glenfin somewhat, although Karl McGlynn receiving a black card didn’t help their cause.
Daniel Meehan kicked his fourth of the game to narrow the gap to two points again but a super score by Gerard Ward from way out on the right side made it 1-09 to 0-09 as we reached the end of normal time.
Peadar Mogan pointed from play and then from a free to leave just one in it but there wasn’t enough time for St.Nauls who will rue the concession of those four late points at the end of the first-half.
After losing to Naomh Conaill in their opening game this was an important victory for Glenfin.
Glenfin: Andrew Walsh; Martin O’Donnell, John Harkin, Gary Herron; Odhran McGlynn (0-1), Frank McGlynn; Ross Marley (0-1), Stephen Carr (0-1), Jason Morrow (0-1); Karl McGlynn (1-0), Stephen Ward, Aaron McGlynn (0-1), Ciaran Brady (0-1), Gerard Ward (0-2), Daniel McGlynn (0-1). Subs: Conor Ward for Stephen Ward (46), Stephen McGlynn for Ciaran Brady (52), Gary Dorrian for Aaron McGlynn (56).
St Naul’s: Gavin Mulreaney; Conor McBrearty, Barry Griffin, Brendan McCole; Dermot Gallagher, Kyle Campbell, Thomas White; Stephen Griffin (0-2), Stuart Johnston; Martin Breslin, Ian Campbell, Michael Coughlan; Daniel Meehan (0-4), Peadar Mogan (0-5), Shane Conneely. Subs: Cathal Lowther for Conor McBrearty (43), John Relihan for Ian Campbell (54).
Referee: Shaun McLaughlin (Malin)