Malin off to a flier in Intermediate championship with derby win over Buncrana

Malin and Buncrana brought down the curtain on the first weekend of the Donegal club football championships by serving up a cracking contest in the late throw-in at Connolly Park on Sunday night.

The home side led by a point at half time and went three clear early in the second half, and while Buncrana hit a goal to draw level, this looked like being Malin’s night from a long way out.

Buncrana were boosted by the return to club colours of county star Caolan McGonagle, but despite his promptings and driving runs, they couldn’t match the intensity that Malin brought in front of a raucous home crowd.

Darragh Douglas, Josh Conlon, team captain Christy McLaughlin and teenage midfielder Ciaran O’Kane all starred for the home side who led by four points going into the final ten minutes.

Buncrana did rally late on with substitute William McLaughlin fisting over and then Caolan McGonagle kicking over a 45 to reduce the deficit to two heading into injury time.

However, in their eagerness to attack they failed to keep the requisite three defenders inside their own half, a transgression of the FRC’s experimental rules that was spotted by the officials with Malin benefitting from a 20m free that Josh Conlon tapped over.

McGonagle, who’d returned from holiday to line out with his club, made a lung-bursting length of the field solo run, exchanged a one-two with Bill McLaughlin and fired a powerful shot, but the Malin defence got in a block to prevent the concession of the goal.

Billy Duffy got onto the rebound and fired over what proved to be only a consolation point for Buncrana, with Malin holding on for another famous win over their Inishowen rivals.

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Incessant drizzle had dampened the contest in the first half.

Malin opened the scoring through Ryan McGeoghegan, and thought they’d scored a fifth minute goal when Paul McLaughlin’s attempt for a fisted point dropped short and struck the goalpost before going in-off goalkeeper Adam Harrigan’s leg. However, referee Anthony Finn ruled the effort out and Buncrana made the very most of the let off to sweep down the field where the impressive Oisin Crawford, recently returned from the United States, hit their opening score.

Buncrana were without their midfield mainstay Peter McLaughlin, and Malin had the better of the contest for kickouts throughout the first half. Ciaran O’Kane in particular made hay around the centre, ably assisted by midfield partner Taylor Bonner until he was forced off through injury.

Josh Conlon and Paul McLaughlin hit a point apiece around the tenth minute, but Buncrana responded through big Caolan from play and Sean McLaughlin from a free and the sides were tied at three points apiece in the 20th minute.

Christopher McLaughlin, who combined man-marking duties on Caolan McGonagle with some fine attacking play, hit Malin’s fourth point of the night but that was quickly cancelled out by Sean McLaughlin for Buncrana.

Oisin McGonagle and Sean McLaughlin exchanged points, but just when it looked like the sides would go into half time level up stepped midfielder O’Kane to curl over a fabulous two pointer.

McLaughlin, Buncrana’s top scorer on the night, rounded off the first half scoring with another point and Malin led by 0-7 to 0-6 at the short whistle.

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Two Josh Conlon frees had stretched Malin’s lead to three before Oisin Crawford burst through to hit the only goal of the game.

That should have sparked Buncrana into life, but instead it was Malin who reeled off five of the next six points with Darragh Douglas (2), Josh Conlon (a free), Ciaran O’Kane and Christy McLaughlin all on target, Fildara’s point a real beauty preceded by a series of dummies that flummoxed a phalanx of Buncrana defenders.

Only a free pointed by substitute John Campbell interrupted Malin’s flow, and indeed the home side might have been out of sight only for a brilliant save from goalkeeper Adam Harrigan after Josh Conlon was left unmarked close to goal.

Malin’s lead stood at four, 0-14 to 1-7, before Buncrana mounted that late rally centred on the efforts Bill McLaughlin and Caolan McGonagle, but the three-back breach cooked their goose and the night belonged to Malin.

Malin will play Muff in round two of the mini-Inishowen championship within a championship next Saturday, while Buncrana host neighbours Burt on Sunday.

Buncrana scorers: Oisin Crawford 1-1; Sean McLaughlin 0-4 (2f); Caolan McGonagle 0-2 (1 45); John Campbell 0-1 (1f); William McLaughlin 0-1; Billy Duffy 0-1.

Malin scorers: Josh Conlon 0-5 (4f), Ciaran O’Kane 0-3 (one 2pt); Christopher McLaughlin 0-2; Darragh Douglas 0-2, Oisin McGonagle 0-1; Ryan McGeoghegan 0-1; Paul McLaughlin 0-1

Buncrana: Adam Harrigan; Cathal McNutt, Sean Doherty, Darragh Corry; Andrew Davison, Michael Gallagher, JP McKenna; Aaron Cleary, Caolan McGonagle; Ryan Bradley, Sean McLaughlin, Oisin O’Flaherty; Michael Bernard McLaughlin, Oisin Crawford, Dylan Mulholland. Subs: John Campbell for R Bradley (half time); Billy Duffy for D Mulholland (46 mins); William McLaughlin for O O’Flaherty (53 mins).

Malin: Daniel Mullarkey; Cormac Cullinan, Ciaran Doherty, Daniel Green; Sean Byrne, Oisin McGonagle, Mac McLaughlin; Taylor Bonner, Ciaran O’Kane; Christy McLaughlin, Josh Conlon, Darragh Douglas; Ryan McGeoghegan, Paul McLaughlin, Seamus Houten. Subs: Ben Curley for T Bonner (20 mins); Sean O’Neill for R McGeoghegan (41 mins); Luke Rudden for D Douglas (54 mins); Gary Farren for C Cullinan (55 mins).

Referee: Anthony Finn (Naomh Colmcille)