Glenswilly have eight points to spare on Downings at home in Pairc Naomh Columba

Glenswilly chalked up their third win of the All-County League Division 1 season with an eight-point victory over a spirited Downings side on Saturday night in Páirc Naomh Columba.

Mark Bonner, Dáithí Gildea, Shane Tinney, Conor Kelly, Pauric Devine and Reid Kelly were all in fine scoring form for the Gary McDaid-managed side.

Johnny McGroddy was the scorer-in-chief for Downings, accounting for all but one of their nine points, while Ronan Gallagher scored the goal for Maxi Curran’s team.

The winners led by a point, 0-8 to 1-4, at half-time after a flying start that saw them register the game’s opening six points to lead 0-6 to 0-1 by the ten-minute mark.Gildea, Devine, Bonner, with the first of his two points, and Reid Kelly kicked the Glenswilly scores.

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McGroddy posted Downings' first point nine minutes in, and two minutes later the men from Rosguill were up and running after Gallagher converted from the penalty spot.

McGroddy had been pulled down by Glenswilly goalkeeper Caolan Kelly for the penalty.

With the Glenswilly lead trimmed to two points, Downings enjoyed a strong second quarter, and driven on by Gallagher, they outscored the locals by three points to two.

They resumed the second half brightly, with a McGroddy two-pointer putting them 1-6 to 0-8 ahead.

Though Glenswilly responded with two quickfire points, Downings - despite the loss of Ronan Gallagher, their main driving force in midfield, to injury just before half-time - hung on bravely.

The big turning point in what was an evenly contested tie, played at a lightning-fast pace, came on 40 minutes when Conor Kelly first-timed to the back of the net after the ball broke in the Downings goalmouth.

Now leading 1-10 to 1-9, the locals kicked on in the final quarter and outscored Downings by seven points to two to claim the precious league points.

Glenswilly scorers: Shane Tinney 0-5, 1tp; Conor Kelly 1-1; Dáithí Gildea 0-4, 1pt; Mark Bonner 0-4, 1 2pt; Pauric Devine 0-2, Reid Kelly 0-1.

Downings Scorers: Johnny McGroddy 0-8, 2 2pt); Ronan Gallagher 1-0, 1pen; Gary Bán McClafferty 0-1.

Glenswilly: Caolan Kelly; Cormac Callaghan, Jake Kelly, Seán Collum; Darragh Enright, Donal Gallagher, Liam McGinley; Mark Bonner, Jamie McCauley; Reid Kelly, Oisín McGrenra, Pauric Devine; Shane Tinney, Dáithí Gildea, Conor Kelly.

Subs: Jack Gallagher for Enright (ht), Oisín Crawford for McGrenra (39), Mikey Toner and Gary McFadden for L. McGinley and R. Kelly (both 56).

Downings: Jordan Nugent; Hugo Davis, Oisín Boyce, Dylan McGlone; Paddy Shields, Alan Pasoma, Pádraig McGinty; Ronan Gallagher, Paul McGroddy; Callum Cullen, Johnny McGroddy, Ethan Cullen; Conor Boyce, Paddy McElwee, Gary Bán McClafferty.

Subs: Ronan Pasoma for R. Gallagher (29, inj), Lorcan Connor for G. Bán McClafferty (ht), Tiarnán McBride and Shane Coll for P. McGinty and L. Connor (both 50)

Referee: Séamus McGonagle (Aodh Ruadh).