THE GROUP STAGE of the Michael Murphy Sports & Leisure came to a close at the weekend with eight teams now advancing to the quarter-finals – and our panel have selected the Aura Leisure Centre Team of the Week.
Nine clubs are represented this week with Glenswilly having three players included and two each from Naomh Conaill, St Eunan’s, Malin and Termon.
The quarter-final draw was conducted in Ballybofey last night. Click here to see how the weekend’s action panned out and see here for the quarter-final pairings.
Picture caption: Michael Murphy, who returned to action for Glenswilly on Sunday against Bundoran. Picture by Geraldine Diver.
The Team of the Week is chosen in association with the Aura Leisure Centre.
Tomorrow evening, we will have our latest Anthony Conaghan Cars Player of the Week poll.
- Ciaran Sharkey (Dungloe)
THE fairytale moment of the weekend came at Rosses Park in Dungloe on Sunday afternoon. The home side trailed by nine points at one stage against Ardara and their hopes of progression were dangling from a string, But just like last year – when Dungloe came from eight down to pip Ardara – on Sunday Tony Boyle’s side came back from the brink to lead by two in injury time. However, it took a dramatic penalty save from Ciaran Sharkey to deny Gareth Concarr and seal a 0-17 to 2-7 win.
- Aaron Thompson (Naomh Conaill)
THE champions are full of ruthless promise again as Naomh Conaill put Gaoth Dobhair to the sword by 2-18 to 0-11 on Saturday. Corner-back Thompson, brother of Anthony and Leon, who have both lined out for Donegal, has emerged as a key player in the last couple of seasons at Davy Brennan Memorial Park. Delivered a typically sticky defensive display and managed to venture forward to kick a score too.
- Eamonn Ward (Glenswilly)
GLENSWILLY’S defence held Bundoran to just seven points on Sunday, allowing them in for just two second-half points. Ward was a rock for Glenswilly at full-back, curbing the advances of Jamie Brennan and company. The experienced Monaghan native has been instrumental for Glenswilly since his arrival five years ago and is showing no signs of letting up.
- Conor Parke (St Eunan’s)
RELIABLE as ever as St Eunan’s made sure of a place in the last eight with a win over St Michael’s at The Bridge. It is a source for some at O’Donnell Park that Parke wasn’t given extended game time by Donegal earlier this year, but his showings for his club suggest that his time will come soon enough.
- Paul McLaughlin (Malin)
CAME so close to a goal in the second half of Sunday’s win over Glenfin, but the Malin wing-back was denied by Glenfin goalkeeper Liam O’Meara. McLaughlin’s attacking edge was a real feature in Malin’s success as they topped their group. McLaughlin hit five points in the second half from wing-back and the Inishown men head for the quarter-finals with purpose.
6. Ricky Gallagher (Termon)
IF ever a player’s season mirrored that of his team, then it’s Ricky Gallagher and Termon. The centre-back goaled before suffering a broken collarbone against Noamh Conaill in May before the county champions came back to win comfortably. Gallagher remained sidelined then since, till last weekend but helped his side to vital wins over Gaoth Dobhair and Four Masters to reach the last eight for a third year in a row.
- Adi O’Gara (Naomh Muire)
IT WAS a real shame that six sendings off took the spotlight off the actual football at MacCumhaill Park on Sunday. Naomh Muire might’ve lost to Sean MacCumhaills, but Adi O’Gara delivered a display of real substance. Was denied by a good save by Chris Patton late in the game with a goal chance and it was only then that Martin O’Reilly finally got freed from his shackles to net a MacCumhaills goal. O’Gara had kept him in check for the most part until then and also kicked three glorious points.
Neil Gallagher (Glenswilly)
ANOTHER towering performance at centrefield by Gallagher, who scored a point in Glenswilly’s win. Glenswilly are a different animal with the Gallagher-Murphy axis leading the way and the big midfielder provided the impetus for a season-turning win for Michael Canning’s team.
- Steven O’Reilly (Sean MacCumhaills)
AFTER serving a suspension against Glenfin the previous week, the MacCumhaills captain was back to show the way during Sunday’s win over Naomh Muire. Landed one wonderful point and also netted one of his team’s goals, but his overall contribution was tireless and influential.
[adrotate group=”37″]
- Daragh Gallagher (Naomh Conaill)
GALLAGHER is enjoying a good spell in the blue and white these days. Hit 1-4 in Naomh Conaill’s destruction of Gaoth Dobhair at Davy Brennan Memorial Park on Saturday evening. His goal was finished well in the 18th minute, after good approach work by Ciaran Thompson, Eoin Waide and Eunan Doherty. Gallagher’s scores and form will be vital in Naomh Conaill’s hopes of retaining Dr Maguire.
- Stephen McBrearty (Kilcar)
KILCAR romped to the top of Group B with a 17-point win over their neighbours Killybegs in Fintra on Sunday. Stephen McBrearty, who was second in last week’s poll for Anthony Conaghan Cars Player of the Week, was excellent again for the side managed by Martin McHugh. Mcbrearty kicked six points from play, eight in all, as Kilcar confirmed a last eight berth.12. Enda McCormick (Termon)
[adrotate group=”37″]
Last month at Croke Park, Enda McCormick scored a wonderful goal for Donegal in their All-Ireland Minor semi-final against Galway. On Saturday evening against Four Masters in the club colours of Termon, the teen scored five points and every time he got on the ball there was an infusion of pace that helped his team overcome a four-point interval deficit to win 2-13 to 2-11.13. Conall Dunne (St Eunan’s)
St Eunan’s certainly hit the ground running in Dunfanaghy on Sunday, racing into a 3-3 to 0-2 lead after only 17 minutes. Conall Dunne scored two of those goals to give the Letterkenny side a foothold. He slapped past Mark Anthony McGinley for the opening goal following fine approach play from Niall O’Donnell and added his second when he was the only player alive to a ball that cannoned down off the St Michael’s upright after Peter Devine’s shot.
- Michael Murphy (Glenswilly)
MURPHY made a dramatic return from injury at Gaelic Park on Sunday as Glenswilly scored an emphatic 3-12 to 0-7 win over Bundoran to top their group. Murphy netted a goal from a penalty and was central to Glenswilly’s win. The Donegal captain had appeared set for an eight-week absence, but was in fine fettle here as Glenswilly got back in the groove.
- Seamus Houghton (Malin)
HOUGHTON’S goal late in the first half gave Malin the edge on Glenfin and the Inishowen team ran out ten-point winners. Houghton scored 1-4 for Terence Colhoun’s team, including that goal when he fired hight to the roof of the net. Houghton was heavily involved in many of Malin’s other scores too.
Tags:
