ANYONE was at at the Burn Road last year when Termon sneaked into the quarter-finals of the RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta SFC would’ve got a flashback this afternoon in Towney.
Kilcar 3-12 Termon 1-8
Twelve months ago Termon overcame Gaoth Dobhair and having won the head-to-head, the score difference was irrelevant – although that took some time to confirm.
This afternoon in Kilcar, Termon knew they had a 13-point cushion over Naomh Muire on score difference and two points more on the board with a win and a draw under their belt thus far.
But with Michael Molloy’s Kilcar one of the favourites to claim the Dr Maguire, Termon opted to sit tight and play on the break. It was a policy that worked well initially, with their attacks carrying menace it was 0-2 to 0-2 apiece after 15 minutes.
Kilcar, though, have a fleet of potential match-winners and were lining out today without three Donegal panellists – Patrick McBrearty, Ciaran McGinley and Eoin McHugh.
In the second quarter, the hosts began to flourish. Stephen McBrearty, scoring twice, and Mark McHugh whipped over from distance before Aodhan McGinley popped over twice to establish a 0-7 to 0-4 lead, with Daire McDaid scoring three times for Termon.
Paddy McDaid, the Termon player-manager, would’ve been reasonably content with that but could only watch on in horror as his side conceded a goal in the 30th minute of the first half.
After good approach play from Ryan McHugh and Mark Sweeney, Cormac Cannon’s shot was deflected past Noel O’Donnell by the hands of the unfortunate Steven McElwaine, who had tried to block. With Termon’s heads’ spinning, Sweeney pointed for Kilcar to put them 1-8 to 0-4 at half-time.
Termon had plenty on their own plate but could at least be a little more reassured with the news that Naomh Muire trailed Killybegs 1-3 to 0-5 at the break at the Banks.
Kilcar continued to flex their muscle at the start of the second half, kicking the first two scores – through Stephen McBrearty and Sweeney – as Termon kicked three wides.
Daire McDaid popped over a point for the away team before their chances took a considerable boost.
After Daire McDaid shot cannoned down off the upright on 42 minutes, substitute Paddy McDaid picked up the loose change and fed Ollie Doherty, who shot was saved by Kilcar goalkeeper Kevin Campbell only to deflect back off the Termon midfielder and into the net. Kilcar’s lead was down to five, 1-10 to 1-5.
However, if Termon thought they were in any sort of comfort zone they were mistaken as Kilcar goaled with their next two attacks. Stephen McBrearty scored the first of those when he rampaged through the centre of Termon’s defence and blasted past O’Donnell as the visiting bench squealed for over-carrying.
Then, from the resultant kick-out from O’Donnell, McBrearty snapped up possession and after another direct run, set up Conor Doherty to shoot into the empty net. Kilcar were 3-10 to 1-5 up or Termon were 11 down as Naomh Muire moved in front in their match.
Termon rallied, unsure as to what their predicament was and at one stage Naomh Muire’s lead went out to five. At the same time, Termon had kicked eight second half wides.
Ryan McHugh pointed and then smashed a shot off the underside of the crossbar. Kilcar claimed for goal but referee Martin Coll shook his head.
Two points from Christy Connaghan gave Termon hope as Enda McCormick, who had been introduced for the black-carded Daire McDaid, also scored.
But Patrick McBrearty, a late substitute, flashed Kilcar into an 10-point lead in the last minute.
After Coll’s final whistle, it was all ears to the Banks. Naomh Muire defeated Killybegs 0-14 to 2-5 to get the points and dissolve the 13-point differential. But when the ‘points for’ it was Termon who eked into the last eight by 40 to 37.
Kilcar: Kevin Campbell; Patrick Gallagher, Barry Shovlin, Pauric Carr; Andrew McClean, Ryan McHugh (0-1), Mark McHugh (0-2); Michael Hegarty (0-1), Aodhan McGinley (0-2, 1f); Mark Sweeney (0-1), Stephen McBrearty (1-4, 2f), Cormac Cannon (1-0); Matthew McClean, Conor Doherty, Darragh O’Donnell. Subs: James Cunningham for M McClean (36 black card), Patrick McBrearty (0-1) for O’Donnell (55).
Termon: Noel O’Donnell; Fintan O’Flynn, Declan O’Donnell, Kevin McElwaine; Austin Marron (0-1), Johnny McCafferty, Kevin McDaid; Ollie Doherty (1-0), Jimmy Gallagher; Nathan McElwaine, Steve McElwaine, Ricky Gallagher; Daniel Connaghan, Daire McDaid (0-4, 2f), Christy Connaghan (0-2, 1f). Subs: Daireann Gibson for K McElwaine (35), Paddy McDaid for D Connaghan (36), Enda McCormick (0-1) for McDaid (46 black card), Joe English for Gallagher (54), Lee Doherty for McCafferty (56), Trevor Alcorn for S McElwaine (58).
Referee: Martin Coll (Gaoth Dobhair).
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