Realt na Mara edge St Naul’s in a thriller in Gaelic Park

Realt na Mara secured a priceless brace of league points with a very hard fought victory over St Naul’s. Both teams were in serious need of points and it showed throughout as they gave everything in a very entertaining encounter. 

The visitors, playing with the aid of the wind, started brightly with the impressive Stephen Griffin opening his account with a free and then adding a 2 pointer soon after.

The deficit was soon cut to a point with a Gary Clancy free and a fine effort from the lively Kyle McNulty. A brilliant move which began in the Bundoran defence saw Oisin Walsh and Matthew Duffy exchange several passes before Duffy blasted to the net.

Griffin and Clancy then exchanged scores from frees and the sides were level by the midway stage of the half when Griffin and Stuart Johnston both found the range. There were further frees from Griffin and Clancy before Adam McGlone edged the home side ahead again on 20 mins.

St Naul’s regained the lead almost immediately though with a wonderful 2 point effort from Ian Campbell. But the tit for tat nature of the game continued with the on parity again when Bundoran full back Johnny Boyle split the posts on 22 mins.

Clancy was on target again but a fine move from St Naul's was finished brilliantly by half-back Thomas White. Kyle McNulty looked like he had given Bundoran the half-time lead but Ian Campbell had different ideas with another booming 2 point effort to send his team in leading by a point. 

Half-time Realt na Mara 1-8 St Naul's 0-12

Bundoran got the scoreboard ticking early in the second half when Michael McEniff finished well.The St Naul's men felt the full benefit of having their county goalkeeper available despite him being in Donegal’s named 26 the previous day when Gavin Mulreany kicked a fantastic 2 pointer but Michael McEniff came straight back up to shoot over to leave a point between the sides once again. 

The visitors then went four points up with another Griffin free and another 2 excellent efforts from Campbell. Clancy again reduced the margin on 42 mins. Corner forward Joe Campbell cut in from the townside to increase the lead out to four again.

The home side looked in trouble at this stage but amazingly were level within 60 seconds when Cian McEniff blasted an unstoppable effort to the net and Clancy tagged on his sixth score of the day.

Bundoran now had all the momentum and a wonderful individual effort from Adam McGlone were he evaded two St Naul's defenders before slotting his effort into the corner of Mulreany's net .

Amazingly the sides were level again a minute later when Bundoran felt they were harshly penalised and the resultant quick free was finished superbly by Joe Campbell to leave the game all square again with 10 mins remaining. A Cian McEniff point put the Seasiders back ahead but once again the visitors responded with that man Griffin again hitting two points, one from play and the other from a free .

A long kickout from Conor Carty found its way to Oisin Walsh who spotted Mulreany off his line and in a scene reminiscent of Paddy Cullen's famous scramble back to his net against Kerry in the All Ireland final in 1978, he was unable to keep it out.

That score put the homeside two up but almost immediately Griffin hit another brilliant point to leave the minimum between the sides.Then in an absolutely frantic finish the visitors had a wonderful chance to win it when Griffin had the goal at his mercy but Lady Luck deserted him when he turned his ankle as he tried to execute his finish and Bundoran held on to gain a very valuable brace of league points in their bid to avoid relegation. 

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Realt na Mara scorers: Gary Clancy 0-6,3f, Adam McGlone 1-1 Cian McEniff 1-1 Matthew Duffy 1-0 Oisin Walsh 1-0 Kyle McNulty 0-2 Michael McEniff 002 Johnny Boyle 0-1

St Naul's scorers: Stephen Griffin 0-10,1tp,5f; Ian Campbell 0-6,2tp; Joe Campbell 1-1; Gavin Mulreany 0-2,tp; Stuart Johnston 0-1,  Thomas White 0-1

Realt na Mara: Conor Carty; Matthew Duffy, Johnny Boyle, Lee Smyth; Oisin Walsh, Ryan Barrett, Ryan McGloin; Cian McEniff, Niall Carr; Matthew Ward, Michael McEniff, Darragh Hoey; Adam McGlone, Gary Clancy, Kyle McNulty.

Subs: Callum Tierney for M Ward (39); Shane McGowan for R Barrett (58)

St Naul's: Gavin Mulreany; Martin Breslin,  Niall Prendiville, Christian Ward; Jonathon O’Driscoll, Kyle Campbell, Thomas White; Barry Griffin, Lee McBrearty; Ian Campbell, Shane Conneely, Joe Campbell’ Stuart Johnston, Stephen Griffin, Declan Duignan.

Referee Cathal Boland (Ardara)