St Michael’s through to last eight as Naomh Conaill destined for scenic route

Two goals in a wind-assisted second half helped propel St Michael’s into the quarter finals of the SFC after they went away to Naomh Conaill and took a huge scalp. 

Edward O’Reilly and Daniel McLaughlin grabbed the all-important goals in the 39th and 46th minutes and the visitors also landed a few fine two-pointers as well to carve out a deserved win.

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Glenties are never easily beaten at home and a Dermot “Brick” Molloy goal helped push them to a 1-10 to 0-7 interval lead.

They managed to hit 0-7 into the breeze in the second half but it was not enough against the Gaeltacht men, who tacked on 2-11, which was the ultimate difference between the sides.

Naomh Conaill started with the aid of a big breeze, but it was the visitors who went into a 0-4 to 0-0 lead in the first ten minutes.

St Michael’s had the bulk of possession and McLaughlin opened the scoring for the visitors after just 48 seconds.

The impressive Carlos O’Reilly doubled that tally as wing back Michael Cannon and O’Reilly, again,  made it 0-4 to 0-0 lead.

Veteran Brendan McDyer got Naomh Conaill off the mark and Molloy made it a one-point game when he converted a two-point free after he was fouled.

Finnbarr Roarty levelled matters after a sweeping move and the lively Shay Malone made it 0-5 to 0-4 after 13 minutes.

Naomh Conaill had momentum and McDyer hoofed over a fine two-pointer as O’Reilly responded with a St Michael’s point to leave Naomh Conaill leading by 0-7 to 0-5 after 17 minutes.

A Michael Langan shot went off the upright and over the bar to leave the minimum margin between the sides before Malone restored a two-point advantage for the home side.

But Naomh Conaill struck for a goal when towering midfielder Kieran Gallagher, who had a great battle with Langan, powered through and found Molloy who was pulled back but still managed to scramble the ball to the net to put Naomh Conaill into a 1-8 to 0-6 lead.

Langan landed a free for St Michael’s as Malone converted a fine two-pointer to put the home side into a 1-10 to 0-7.

McLaughlin hit two early points for the men from Cresslough/Dunfanaghy as Odhran Doherty and Eoghan McGettigan responded for Naomh Conaill.

Max Roarty and Malone then swapped points as the home side led by 1-14 to 0-11 by the 39th minute.

But they were only to score four more points as an increasingly confident St Michael’s, urged on by a very vocal bench, grew into the game.

It was then that the alert Edward O’Reilly first timed the ball to the Naomh Conaill net after a turnover to narrow the gap to a goal.

Colin McFadden, and a fine two-pointer from veteran Michael McGinley, levelled matters as both sides began to run their benches.

But St Michael’s hit what was to prove the clinching score when Naomh Conaill defender Kevin McGettigan spilt the ball and McLaughlin profited by sweeping it to the Glenties net.

That put Michael’s in front by 2-14 to 1-14 as McGettigan hit back with a point for Naomh Conaill.

But St Michael’s countered with a priceless two-pointer from Oisin Langan with the outside of the boot.

Odhran Doherty narrowed the gap to a goal as McFadden and Malone swapped points before a final Langan free sealed the deal for St Michael’s.

Martin Regan's side will now face Killybegs in the preliminary round quarter-finals.

Naomh Conaill scorers: Shay Malone 0-6,1tp; Dermot Molloy 1-2, 1tp; Eoghan McGettigan 0-3,1f; Brendan McDyer 0-3,1tp; Odhran Doherty 0-2; Finbar Roarty 0-1.

St Michael’s scorers: Daniel McLaughlin 1-4,1 tp; Edward O’Reilly 1-0; Michael Langan 0-3, 1f; Carlos O’Reilly 0-3; Michael McGinley 0-2, 1tp; Oisin Langan 0-2, 1tp; Colin McFadden 0-2; Michael Cannon and Max Roarty 0-1 each.

Naomh Conaill: Stephen McGrath; Ultan Doherty, AJ Gallagher, Kevin McGettigan; Mark McDevitt, Finnbar Roarty, Ethan O’Donnell; Kieran Gallagher, Neil Francis Boyle; Brendan McDyer, John O’Malley, Odhran Doherty; Shay Malone, Dermot Molloy, Eoghan McGettigan. 

Subs: Anthony Thompson, Jason Campbell and Seamus Corcoran for Dermot Molloy, Neil Francis Boyle and Mark McDevitt (all 45).

St Michael’s: Mark Anthony McGinley; Kyle McGarvey, Liam Paul Ferry, Jamie Hunter; Oisin Langan, Stephen Doak, Michael Cannon; Michael Langan, Ciaran Kelly; Daniel McLaughlin, Colin McFadden, Michael McGinley; Edward O’Reilly, Carlos O’Reilly, Max Roarty. 

Subs: Antoin McFadden and Paul Johnston for Oisin Langan and Daniel McLaughlin (all 57), Packie O’Neill for Ciaran Kelly (60).

Referee Anthony McCallig (Naomh Ultan).