Naomh Muire find the goal-den touch in IFC to see off  Milford 

Naomh Muire are looking forward to an IFC semi-final following Sunday’s quarter-final win over Milford at a wet and windy Dunfanaghy. 

The men from the Lower Rosses had seven points to spare at the final whistle with their ability to find the back of the Milford net the big difference between the sides. 

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Joey Gillespie, Jack O’Donnell and Daniel Devlin scored the goals for the Danny O’Donnell-managed side. 

Gillespie and O’Donnell scored their three pointers in the opening quarter to get their side off to a dream start and a 2-3 to 0-2 lead after 16 minutes. 

Eoin Martin (2) and Patrick Rodgers posted the points for the dominant Naomh Muire. Eoin O’Donnell had the game’s opening two-point score for Milford. 

Naomh Muire had been much the better side in those opening exchanges and were in total dominant mode as Milford struggled to get a hand on a ball in the middle third. 

But a Kane Barrett 16th-minute point seemed to get Milford up and running and when two minutes later Cathal McGettigan split the posts with a two-point free the Naomh Muire lead was back to four points.

And with the experienced McGettigan adding a further three points Naomh Muire’s lead was down to a single point as the teams headed for the changing rooms at half-time. 

Naomh Muire led 2-5 to 0-10 at half-time. 

And while Barrett tied up the game within four minutes of the restart, Naomh Muire, who were now playing with the wind and driving rain in their back, reasserted themselves again.

From the moment Harry Harden with his first touch after being introduced, kicked the Lower Rosses men back in front with a close-in free on 42 minutes, they were never headed.

Daniel Devlin sank the dagger when he got a flick to a Joey Gillespie centre for goal number three.

Devlin’s goal on 43 minutes extended the Naomh Muire lead out to three points, 3-6 to 0-12 lead.

Naomh Muire, one of the championship favourites, kicked on and Martin turned the screw with three quick points, including a two-point free.

And by the time Cathal McGettigan converted from the penalty spot four minutes from the end of normal time, the Naomh Muire lead was out to seven points and Danny O’Donnell and his team were on their way to a place in the last four of the championship. 

Naomh Muire, Lower Rosses scorers: Eoin Martin 0-9,1 tpt, 1tptf, 2f, Joey Gillespie  1-1, Jack O’Donnell 1-0, Daniel Devlin 1-0, Harry Harden 0-2,2f, Patrick Rodgers, Cathal Fee 0-1 each.

Milford scorers: Cathal McGettigan 1-7,2tpf,1f,1 '45’, Eoin O’Donnell 0-2,tpt, Kane Barrett 0-2, Darragh Black, Christopher Barrett 0-1 each.

Naomh Muire, Lower Rosses: Declan Ward; Conor Cannon, Ferdia Doherty, Patrick Rodgers; Jack O’Donnell, Fintan Doherty, Tuathal Lunny; Patrick Gillespie, Adam O’Brien; Shaun Burns, Padraig McCafferty, Daniel Devlin; Joey Gillespie, Cathal Fee, Eoin Martin.

Subs: Harry Harden for Jack O’Donnell (h/t); Paul Boyle for S Burns (46); Darragh Doherty for P Gillespie (53); Darragh White for F Doherty (57).

Milford: Shea McBride; Anthony Curran, Peter Curran, Ronan Docherty; T J Evesson, Eoin O’Donnell, Dylan Dorrian; Joseph Curran, Lorcan Friel; Rory O’Donnell, Darragh Black, Shane Black; Matthew McLaughlin, Cathal McGettigan, Kane Barrett.

Subs: Christopher Barrett and Kyle Black (h/t); Killian McBride for M McLaughlin (49). 

Referee:  Cathal Gallagher (Glenswilly).