Gaoth Dobhair 2-11
Kilcar 4-10
Kilcar recorded a superb five-point victory over Gaoth Dobhair in Magheragallon on Sunday afternoon.
The Towney side impressed for the majority of this encounter and led by 15 points as we entered the final 10 minutes.
A spirited Gaoth Dobhair battled back in the closing stages but the deficit was too significant and the visitors left with the twopoints.
The opening stanza of this contest was a stop-start affair, with seven minutes of additional time being played as a result of it.
Kilcar commenced the game with purpose and kicked the first score through Jack Hegarty after just 15 seconds of play before the same man converted a free to leave his side two ahead.
Gaoth Dobhair got off the mark after 10 minutes as Daire Ó Baoill burst through and fired the ball over the bar.
Three minutes later, the visitors found a key score in the form of a major.
Eoin McHugh fielded a direct ball from Ryan O’Donnell and laid it off to the on-rushing Brian O’Donnell who made no mistake in hitting the back of the net.
Ryan McHugh (45’) and Michael Roarty exchanged the next two scores of the contest before the Towney residents began to find their groove, kicking the last five points of Act One.
This fruitful spell was started by a fine score from Ciaran McGinley after being fed by Ryan McHugh.
This was followed by further points courtesy of Jack Hegarty (free), Brian O’Donnell and Ryan McHugh (two-pointer) to give the visitors a nine-point cushion at the break.
Like the opening half, it was Kilcar who got Act Two’s scoring underway and it was through the same man as Hegarty landed his fourth point of the afternoon.
But Ronan Mac Niallais’s men responded well and hit back with two points in quick succession through a Seán Pól O Gallchóir placed ball and a well-taken score from substitute Joey Coll.
However, with just under 20 minutes left on the clock, the visitors found the back of the net for the second time.
Jack Hegarty drove towards goal before laying it off to Conor O’Donnell who looped the ball to the back post where Oran Hegarty was on-hand to palm home.
Shortly afterwards, Kilcar’s Michael Gallagher saw the white flag raised for his effort to leave them 12 ahead as we entered the closing quarter.
On 49 minutes, the Towney outfit landed their third major as an attempted point from Stephen McBreary hit the underside of the crossbar and ended in the back of the net, leaving them with a 15-point advantage.
Three minutes later, the home side pulled a goal back as Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhride broke through and rifled the ball past Kilcar goalkeeper Seanie Boyle.
Gaoth Dobhair kept the scoreboard ticking after this by landing three successive two-pointers through Daithi Roberts (free), Eamon McGee and Seán Pól O Gallchóir (free) to reduce the arrears to six points late on.
However, Kilcar replied with their fourth goal shortly afterwards. An effort from Michael Gallagher hit the post but the ball fell into the arms of Ryan McShane who slotted home.
The Magheragallon men added late scores through a Cronan McFadden point and a Dallan Ó Baoill major but it was the Towney men who secured the league win.
Teams
Gaoth Dobhair: Daithi Roberts (0-2,1tpf); Dallan Ó Baoill (1-0), Gary McFadden, Jamie Ó Gallachoir; Cathal Rua Ó Gallachoir, Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhride (1-0), Cathal Mac Aoidh; Michael Roarty (0-1), Cian Mac Giolla Bhride; Liam Breatnach, Daire Ó Baoill (0-1), Cathal Doherty; Seán Pól O Gallchóir (0-3,1tpf,0-1f), Eamon McGee (0-2,1tpf), Sean Ó Baoill. Subs: Joey Coll (0-1) for Doherty (32 mins), Cronan McFadden (0-1) for Cian Mac Giolla Bhride (38 mins), Padraig Mac Giolla Bhride and for Tiarnan Ó Misteal for Breatnach and Sean Ó Baoill (54 mins).
Kilcar: Seanie Boyle; Eamonn Byrne, Pauric Carr, Ryan O’Donnell; Ryan McHugh (0-3,1tp,0-1 45’), Brian O’Donnell (1-1), Daniel Byrne; Ciaran McGinley (0-1), Liam McLaughlin; Conor O’Donnell, Jack Hegarty (0-4,0-3f), Oran Hegarty (1-0); Ben Rafferty, Eoin McHugh, Michael Gallagher (0-1). Subs: Stephen McBrearty (1-0) for Eoin McHugh (45 mins), Ryan McShane (1-0) for Rafferty (53 mins).
Referee: Anthony Finn (Naomh Colmcille).