MacCumhaills just about withstand late St Michael’s comeback to take SFC win

St Michael’s came within a whisker of clawing back a 12-point deficit at home to MacCumhaills on Sunday and, on reflection, will surely rue a desperate start in this opening SFC encounter at the Bridge.

Gary Wilson’s visitors led 0-11 to 0-1 at the changeover and, entering the final ten minutes, were out to a 0-17 to 0-5 lead.

However, Martin McElhinney and Daniel McLaughlin’s hosts finally decided to show up and a grandstand finish almost salvaged a share of the spoils.

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With less than a minute of normal time left on the watch, Carlos O’Reilly rattled the net to cut matters to just two points.

And while the hosts did manage to turn over possession and enter two-point territory, they failed to work the opportunity and squandered the chance to level things up right at the death.

Back at the outset, it was MacCumhaills that started like they really meant business. With no Oisin Gallen or Michael Langan present, it was the Twin Towns men who fared much better without their respective county star.

With the elements not as prevalent as they usually are at the Bridge, the visitors, with what wind was in it, ran up a ten-point lead as the hosts failed to register a single score inside the opening half hour.

They did finally breach the MacCumhaills posts at the end of added time to trail 0-11 to 0-1 heading for the changing rooms.

To be fair to St Michael’s, they did crack the woodwork with two efforts on goal, including a Daniel McLaughlin penalty that came back off the butt of the post.

But this one really needed to be a game of two halves if the hosts were to find an avenue back into contention.

Jamie Keegan opened the scoring early on Sunday while Sean Martin and Conor McGinty soon added back-to-back two-pointers as a five-point gap was opened up inside the first seven minutes.

And, exiting the opening quarter, that upper hand was out to eight as Keegan, Kevin McCormick and the impressive Martin all registered.

Michael’s were then handed the chance to jump right back into contention when Carlos O’Reilly’s effort on goal was adjudged to have been blocked down by a foot and a spot kick was awarded.

McLaughlin’s connection was sweet as the goalkeeper guessed the wrong way but the strike smacked off the post.

To compound the hosts’ misery inside that first period, MacCumhaills’ next score was gift-wrapped after Oisin Cannon took too long with a dispatch, handing McCormick the easiest of opportunities.

Luckless St Michael’s then saw Ciaran Kelly drive through the middle only to see his drilled effort also rebound off the woodwork.

Before the break, Conor McGinty and McCormick rounded off the scoring for Gary Wilson’s outfit while Michael’s broke their duck right on the whistle through O’Reilly.

Michael’s got the accelerated start to the second stanza they desired as McLaughlin clipped a two-point free.

But MacCumhaills’ response was instant as Joe Boyle went right down the other side and severed that headway.

Keegan then nailed a double, one from play and one from a free, and the scoreboard read 0-14 to 0-3.

McLaughlin grabbed another St Michael’s free but Marty O’Reilly matched that for MacCumhaills. And with Chad McSorley and Keegan leaving it 0-17 to 0-5 on 44 minutes, this one appeared over.

But throwing caution to the wind or, in this case, shots at the posts, Michael’s suddenly began to finally make some headway.

McLaughlin landed another free but it was a Carlos O’Reilly two-pointer that really put the smelling salts under home noses going into the last ten minutes.

Ciaran Kelly clipped another St Michael’s point from play and immediately followed that up with a two-pointer as 0-11 now chased down 0-17.

McCormick then landed MacCumhaills’ first score in close to ten minutes of action but another O’Reilly strike from outside the arc reduced arrears to five.

O’Reilly’s green flag did set up a frantic finish to matters but MacCumhaills just about held on for the win.

St Michael’s scorers: Carlos O’Reilly 1-5, 2 tp; Daniel McLaughlin 0-5, 1 tpf, 2f; Ciaran Kelly 0-3, 1tp.

MacCumhaills scorers: Jamie Keegan 0-5, 1f; Sean Martin 0-3, 1tp; Kevin McCormick 0-4, 2f; Conor McGinty 0-3, 1tp, 1f; Joe Boyle, Marty O’Reilly and Chad McSorley 0-1 each.

St Michael’s: Oisin Cannon; Oisin Langan, Liam Pól Ferry, Jamie Hunter; Patrick McGinley, Stephen Doak, Michael Cannon; Colin McFadden, Ciaran Kelly; Max Roarty, Daniel McLaughlin, Michael McGinley; Carlos O’Reilly, Kyle McGarvey, Packie O’Neill.

Subs: Edward O’Reilly, Hugh O’Donnell and Paul Johnston for Roarty, K McGarvey and Kelly (all 43).

MacCumhaills: Eoin Gallen; Ruairi Callaghan, Conor Griffin, Fionn McGinty; Cian Mulligan, Sean Martin, Fintan Griffin; Luke Gavigan, Joe Boyle; Chad McSorley, Jamie Keegan, Conor McGinty; Kevin McCormick, Aaron Kelly, Marty O’Reilly.

Subs: Rory Mulligan for Kelly (40), Sean Breen for Griffin and Shaun McMenamin for McSorley (both 57).

Referee: Cathal Boland (Ardara).