Termon reach Division 1 final with convincing win over Buncrana

Termon reached the Division 1 final with a convincing nineteen-point win over a relegation battling Buncrana at the Burn Road. 

With the wind to their backs, the hosts raced into an early lead and hit goals through Ciaran Cassidy and Daire McDaid to lead by twelve at the break.

They hit a third goal through Ryan McFadden as McDaid brought his tally to 1-7.  

The Inishowen side ended with 14 men as Ryan Bradley received a red card, while James McSharry hit a fourth goal in added time. 

As Naomh Conaill lost to St Michael’s, the win for Termon means they are guaranteed to be in the league final in their first season back in Division 1, where they will play Four Masters, Naomh Conaill or St Eunan’s. 

Termon began quickly and Daire McDaid had three points in three minutes, first from a two point free and another from closer in.

A curler from Jack Alcorn and a close-range point from Patrick Fegan had them five up early on but Buncrana had a lot of possession over the next 15 minutes.

Liam Jordan opened their account and John Campbell fired over on the turn before they almost hit the net.

It came as Oisin O’Flaherty played a ball into Sean Masterson who punched towards goal but Oisin Cassidy was on the line to keep it out.

Sean McLaughlin hit the next Buncrana point who had been wasteful against the wind, notching six wides in the first half.

And Termon got back in control with a McDaid free, quickly followed by a goal as they won the kick out and the ball came forward to Ciaran Cassidy, whose shot deflected into the net.

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McDaid for a first score from play before he struck for goal, Ricky Gallagher overturning possession and quickly finding Ryan McFadden, who played in McDaid on the right and he spun and fired into the far corner. 

Alcorn pointed next after another quick break, while John Campbell eased the pressure with a score at the other end.  

But Termon finished the half string, Gallagher and Alcorn pointing to give them a 2-10 to 0-4 lead at the break. 

Despite being against the wind in the second half, the hosts continued to dominate and Alcorn’s shot for goal, beating Adam Harrigan but Cathal McNutt was on the line to block it for a point. 

They wasted no time in getting a third goal however as Oisin Harkin found Alcorn on the left, who played a quick 1-2 with Ciaran Cassidy before finding McFadden who fired low into the net. 

Buncrana had a chance at goal of their own afterwards, Michael Bernard McLaughlin playing the ball across to Oisin O’Flaherty who poked the ball off the ground just over the bar.

Oisin Harkin and a McDaid free put the Burn Road men even further ahead, while Buncrana substitute Donal Óg O’Brien fisted over at the other end.

Both sides went down to 14 men for ten minutes as Ryan McFadden and John Paul McKenna were black carded, while Fegan and McDaid added further scores. 

Buncrana hit back with two scores from Sean McLaughlin, one from a ‘45 and the other from a free, but they lost Ryan Bradley to a red card after a foul on Conor Cassidy. 

And Caolan McDaid went to the bench for subs, bringing on Gary McGettigan and James McSharry, McGettigan getting their final point before McSharry hit the net after being played in by Alcorn. 

Kevin Treacy ended the scoring with a point on the turn, but the result was certain by that point as Termon will play the league final, while Buncrana can at best finish in the relegation play-off with a game to go. 

Termon scorers: Daire McDaid 1-7,1tpf,3f; Jack Alcorn 0-4; Ciaran Cassidy, Ryan McFadden and James McSharry 1-0 each; Patrick Fegan 0-2; Ricky Gallagher, Oisin Harkin and Gary McGettigan 0-1 each. 

Buncrana scorers:Sean McLaughlin 0-3,1f,1'45; John Campbell 0-2; Liam Jordan, Oisin O'Flaherty, Donal Óg O'Brien and Kevin Treacy 0-1 each  

Termon: Emmett Maguire; Cormac Brady, Cormac Gallagher, Oisin Cassidy; Patrick Fegan, Conor Cassidy, Ricky Gallagher; Oisin Harkin, Kevin McGettigan; John James Sweeney, Ryan McFadden, Evan Coleman; Daire McDaid, Jack Alcorn, Ciaran Cassidy. 

Subs: James McSharry for Coleman (38), Aaron Reid for Brady (46), Steve McDaid for Fegan (50), Gary McGettigan for McFadden (56) Caolan Gallagher for Cormac Cassidy (58)

Buncrana: Adam Harrigan; Cathal McNutt, Darragh Corry, Sean Doherty; William McLaughlin, Billy Duffy, John Paul McKenna; Peter McLaughlin, John Campbell; Oisin O’Flaherty, Sean McLaughlin, Liam Jordan; Michael Bernard McLaughlin, Sean Masterson, Aaron Cleary. 

Subs: Donal Óg O’Brien for W McLaughlin (ht), Ryan Bradley for Campbell (40), Kevin Treacy for M McLaughlin (51).

Referee: Mark Dorrian (Gaeil Fhánada)