Dungloe goals pave the way for derby win over Naomh Muire 

Dungloe bagged the league points and the bragging rights in their Division 2 all-Rosses clash with Naomh Muire, Lower Rosses in a sundrenched Rosses Park, this afternoon.

It was the locals’ ability to conjure up  goals that proved the winning of this low octane encounter before a large and expectant crowd.

In all Dungloe scored five goals and spurned a couple other three point chances.

Cianan McDaid, one of last year’s minor crop that has stepped up to senior this season raised, the first of the green flags. 

That was on six minutes when the flying corner-forward got on the end of a sweeping upfield move to give Declan Ward no chance from ten metres.

Shaun McGee and Patrick O’Donnell struck the other first half goals to send Conor O’Donnell and his men in at the half-time whistle 3-5 to 0-8 in front. 

McGee struck on 22 minutes as he cut in from the left after good play from Ryan Connors and Conor Diver. 

And O’Donnell added the third three pointer on the half-hour mark when he palmed a Barry Curran lob into the Naomh Muire goalmouth to the back of the net. 

There was a hint of a square ball about the goal but after consulting with his umpires referee Cathal Boland allowed the goal. 

Naomh Muire played with the advantage of the diagonal wind that blew down the field in the opening half hour.

And thanks to a master class in the art of long range free taking from Harry Harden they led 0-6 to 1-3 at the 20 minute mark.

Veteran corner forward Harden, who scored four two point frees in total struck two of them in the opening half. 

He also pointed two close in frees to bring his first half tally to six points. 

Joe Gillespie and Daniel Devlin scored the other two Naomh Muire’s opening half points. 

Conor Diver, Darren Curran, Ryan Connors and  Daire Gallagher scored the first half Dungloe points.  

Dungloe introduced county panel men Aaron Ward and Karl Magee for the start of the second half. 

Harden, with another of his 2 point frees and a fine ,from the busy Shaun Burns cut the Dungloe half time lead to three points. 

But two Dungloe goals in the space of a minute turned the tide in favour of the locals as they opened up a nine points lead, 5-5 to 0-11 just eight minutes into the new half.

Darren Curran posted the first goal after a great fetch in the middle of the field from Noel McBride and quick lay-off to Ryan Connors. Connors quickly found his midfield partner running down the middle and the number eight duly obliged with an unstoppable shot. 

Lively wing-forward Luke Clerkin won possession from the kickout and after taking the ball in from the side he found Aaron Ward at the far post who had the simple task of palming home from close range.

Now nine points to the good and through a combination of sloppy play and giving away possession Dungloe did not score again until into the first minute of injury.

Naomh Muire, through points from Fee, Declan Ward, Harden and Paul ‘Yank’ Boyle outscored Dungloe by six points to two for a nervous ending for Dungloe supporters. 

The win, Dungloe’s sixth on the trot, sees them lep afrog Naomh Muire, in the Division Two table. 

They are just two points behind Aodh Ruadh with a game in hand on the Ernesiders. 

It is a first defeat in seven outings for Naomh Muire who had been on a six game unbeaten run. 

Dungloe scorers: Cianan McDaid, Darren Curran 1-1 each; Shaun McGee, Patrick O’Donnell, Aaron Ward 1-0 each; Ryan Connors 0-3,3f, Conor Diver, Daire Gallagher 0-1 each. 

Naomh Muire: Harry Harden 0-10, 4tpf, 2f; Paul Yank Boyle 0-2, tp; Joe Gillespie, Daniel Devlin (f), S Burns, Cathal Fee, Declan Ward (‘45) 0-1 each.

Dungloe: Danny Rodgers; Patrick O’Donnell, Jason McBride, Conor Diver; Aaron Neely, Conor O’Donnell, Luke Clerkin; Darren Curran, Ryan Connors; Daire Gallagher, Barry Curran, Matthew Ward; Cianan McDaid, Noel McBride, Shaun McGee.

Subs: Karl Magee for C McDaid, Aaron Ward for C Diver (both h/t); Cianan McDaid for N  McBride (52); Conor Greene for L Clerkin, Daniel Ward for A Neely (59).

Naomh Muire, Lower Rosses: Conor White; Conor Cannon, Ferdia Doherty, Tuathail Lunny;Jack O’Donnell, Fintan Doherty, Darragh Doherty; Patrick Gillespie, Adam O’Brien; Joey Gillespie, Paul ‘Yank’ Boyle, Shaun Burns; Harry Harden, Daniel Devlin, Cathal Fee.

Subs:  Paddy McCafferty for D. Doherty (40); Patrick Rodgers for T Lunny (52). 

Referee: Cathal Boland (Ardara)