A GARY MOLLOY goal proved to be the tuning point as Kilcar opened their Division 1 defence with a useful win over Naomh Conaill in Glenties.
Naomh Conaill 0-9
Kilcar 1-8
It came as the team from Towney were 0-96 to 0-6 down and had kicked five successive wides. However, Molloy got a punch on an effort from Aodhan McGinley that was dropping short and suddenly the teams were level.
Naomh Conaill, who had Ciaran Thompson red carded in the first half, lost their way and Can McGinley and Ashley Carr scored late points to give Kilcar the win.
The home team were 0-4 to 0-3 in front when they lost Thompson on 25 minutes for a striking offence on Brian O’Donnell. Brendan McDyer and Leo McLoone had both popped over a couple of points for the hosts, while Patrick McBrearty at that stage had mustered all Kilcar’s scores.
Eamonn McGinley, the Kilcar goalkeeper, had also made a decent save to deny Kevin McGettigan.
Naomh Conaill, that one point up at the break, held onto their lead when McLoone made a super clearance off his own goalline from Carr, who had shot from an angle on 32 minutes.
By the 40th minute, Naomh Conaill’s one-point lead was intact, this time at 0-6 to 0-5. Eunan Doherty and Dermot Molloy had added scores, while McBrearty and Eoin McHugh kept the visitors in touch.
However, Molloy added two more Naomh Conaill scores and with Eoin Waide also on the mark, it made for a 0-9 to 0-6 advantage. But it was far from over and Kilcar’s late salvo was enough to set themselves off for the season on the right foot.
Naomh Conaill: Stephen McGrath; Aaron Thompson, Jason Campbell, Ultan Doherty; Marty Boyle, Kevin McGettigan, Eoin Waide (0-1); Ciaran Thompson, Ciaran Gallagher; Eunan Doherty (0-1), Leon Thompson, Ethan O’Donnell; Brendan McDyer (0-2), Leo McLoone (0-2, 2f), Dermot Molloy (0-3, 1f). Sub: John O’Malley for L Thompson (47).
Kilcar: Eamonn McGinley; Daniel Lyons, Conor McShane, Pauric Carr; Brian O’Donnell, Barry Shovlin, Oran Duggan; Ciaran McGinley (0-1), Stephen McBrearty; Matthew McClean (0-1), Eoin McHugh (0-1), Aodhan McGinley; Ashley Carr (0-1), Patrick McBrearty (0-4, 3f), Gary Molloy (0-1). Subs: Dermot McGinley for Lyons (half-time), Ryan O’Donnell for Carr (60).
