GLENFIN AGAIN SHOWED thier knack of surviving in play-offs to force a replay with Killybegs in the SFC relegation play-off at O’Donnell Park.
Killybegs 2-8 Glenfin 1-11
Glenfin scored the last three points of the game to get another bite at avoiding the trapdoor, with Kevin McGlynn scoring the equaliser for Liam Ward’s team.
It was a game that could have gone either way and neither side will be too disappointed to have to go at it again.
The game was blown up 30 seconds shy of the two minutes of added time at the end, but there weren’t too many voices of dissent as they parted ways,
This was the fifth relegation play-off in recent years having survived the drop twice in the League and twice in the Championship before today.
Last year, they were prime candidated to drop to Division Three of the All-County League, but overcame Burt at The Scarvey to stay up. Now, Burt are set to meet Milford in today’s Intermediate Championship final replay this evening.
The first half was lit up by a wonderful goal by Killybegs’ Eoghan Ban Gallagher in the 18th minute.
The Donegal senior panelist surged forward and, from outside the ‘D’ fired a magnificent effort beyond the reach of the Glenfin goalkeeper, Liam O’Meara.
Gallagher’s goal put Killybegs in front after Glenfin had moved the chips momentarily to their side of the table.
Glenfin bagged a well-worked goal of their own in the 14th minute. Stephen Carr and Kevin McGlynn created the chance and Gerard Ward applied the finish, slotting past Antoine O’Hara with ease.
Early points by Hugh McFadden (2) and Broderick had Killybegs off and running, but they needed Gallagher’s goal to regain the momentum and the lead.
Shane Molloy sailed over from distance and Daniel Breslin popped over to put Killybegs 1-5 to 1-3 ahead at the break.
[adrotate group=”38″]That came after O’Hara superbly saved from Jason Morrow, who found himself one-v-one with the Killybegs netminder.
Earlier in the contest, Killybegs’ Christopher Murrin fluffed his lines from close-range. Having held off Glenfin defender Martin O’Donnell, most of those inside O’Donnell Park came to the conclusion that Murrin had found the bottom corner, but instead he steered wide.
Three minutes into the second half, Broderick got on the end of a high ball into the mixer and batted past O’Meara for a four-point lead.
[adrotate group=”59″]At that stage, it seemed as if the Glenfin goose was cooked, but the An Gaeltacht Lár men put their fingers in the fire in an attempt to salvage the embers.
Kevin McGlynn clipped over a neat point and Conor McBride sailed over two from placed balls, one a free and the other a ’45.
Killybegs managed to stay at an arms’ length out of Glenfin’s reach with David McGuinness and Shane Molloy on the mark.
With five minutes remaining, Glenfin gave themselves a big chance. Frank McGlynn set up McBride and Paddy O’Connor stroked over a free.
[adrotate group=”53″]Broderick could have wrapped it up, but O’Meara made the save and Glenfin hit back to draw with McBride, O’Connor and, finally, Kevin McGlynn raising the white flags.
Killybegs: Antoine O’Hara; Christopher Cunningham; Ciaran Conaghan, Daniel O’Donnell; David McGuinness (0-1), Shane Molloy (0-2), Niall Carberry; Hugh McFadden (0-2, 1f), Pauric Conaghan; Christopher Murrin, Eoghan Ban Gallagher (1-0), Daniel Breslin (0-1); Daniel O’Keeney (0-1), Jon Ban Gallagher, Evan Broderick (1-1). Subs: Owen Gallagher for Carberry (30), Ryan Ward for P.Conaghan (50).
Glenfin: Liam O’Meara; Martin O’Donnell, Gary Herron, Shaun McGlynn; Stephen McGlynn, Frank McGlynn, Jason Morrow; Michael McGlynn, Stephen Ward (0-1); Daniel McGlynn (0-1), Paddy O’Connor (0-2, 2f), Stephen Carr (0-1); Conor McBride (0-3 1f 1 ’45), Gerard Ward (1-0), Kevin McGlynn (0-2). Subs: Gary Dorrian (0-1) for M.McGlynn (half-time), Ciaran Foy for Stephen McGlynn (44).
Referee: Robbie O’Donnell (Naomh Muire).
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