Impressive Gaoth Dobhair heap more SFC semi-final misery upon St Michael’s 

Gaoth Dobhair are back in the Donegal Club SFC decider after a clinical takedown of St Michael’s in O’Donnell Park, Letterkenny. 

In what’s been an otherwise chaotic championship to date, Ronan Mac Niallais’ outfit has been the exception to all of that as they again showed real fluidity and purpose in bagging what was a thoroughly impressive six-point win. 

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For St Michael’s, their semi-final hoodoo continues with Saturday’s defeat their sixth last-four stumble since their 2011 decider loss to Glenswilly. 

A Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhride goal in injury time at the end of the first period was hugely impacting as it meant the teams departed level at 1-5 to 0-8.

And while St Michael’s did open brightest on the restart, once Gaoth Dobhair got into that methodical rhythm of theirs, they deservingly went on to claim the victory. 

St Michael’s, with the breeze, were intent on making that initial advantage count as they looked to accumulate as many two-pointers as possible. 

Michael Langan and Colin McFadden were both on the mark inside the opening quarter, although St Michael’s also posted four wides in between. 

Stephen McFadden had Gaoth Dobhair off the mark on eight minutes to reduce the early deficit to three. 

Colin McFadden took the lower risk option soon after, down the other side, and with McFadden landing his and his side’s second, 0-5 led 0-2 at the end of the first quarter. 

With St Michael’s continuing to attempt to make the most of their wide-assisted half hour, Langan ambitiously took on a shot at goal from 20m but that effort took a deflection off a stray Gaoth Dobhair hand and went behind for a ‘45. 

The same player boomed over that opportunity as the difference momentarily stretched to four. 

McFadden continued to be Gaoth Dobhair’s premier threat in front of the posts as he landed a third point. 

Daniel McLaughlin then added a third score from outside the arc for St Michael’s on 20 minutes to leave it 0-8 to 0-3. 

However, a huge last ten minutes from Gaoth Dobhair saw them claw matters back to an even keel on the stroke of half-time. 

Eoin De Burca and Fionnan Coyle both lobbed points but it was Mac Giolla Bhride’s goal deep into added time that really tipped the scales at the changeover. 

St Michael’s needed to start fast on the resumption and the initial signs were good as joint player/boss Daniel McLaughlin registered and Eddie O’Reilly quickly followed that up with a clipped free. 

Eoin De Burca got Gaoth Dobhair motoring once more on 36 minutes before a sweeping passage of play, where Odhran Mac Niallais, McFadden and De Burca were all involved, seemed destined to engineer a second goal for their side. 

With McFadden squaring across goal and De Burca lurking with real intent, Jamie Hunter somehow scrambled across and managed to hook it off the St Michael’s goalline. 

Still, Gaoth Dobhair were in the midst of building up a real head of steam at this point and a De Burca two-pointer again edged his side from one down to one in front. 

McLaughlin did manage to square it one last time, nearing the end of the third quarter, but they’d trouble the scoreboard operator just twice more prior to the end. 

Micheál Roarty’s two-pointer left it 1-10 to 0-11 and with Eamonn Colm then making it a three-point game, you could sense that the pendulum was finally beginning to rest their side’s direction. 

Ciaran Kelly’s stray leg did divert a loose ball towards the Gaoth Dobhair net but it was easily dealt with by Padraig Mac Giolla Bhride. 

And the same player was then blocked down when quick-thinking Carlos O’Reilly’s ‘tap-and-go’ again produced a glimpse of goal. 

Langan booted over the resulting ‘45 but from a St Michael’s perspective at least, that was that. 

Harkin, who had been well marshalled up until that point by Michael Cannon, finally opened his account with a two-point free. 

And a ‘three-up’ breach by an unravelling St Michael’s on 59 minutes gifted the same player another point from the close-range free. 

In injury time, Odhran MacNiallais and the returning Niall Friel, in off the bench, raised late white flags. 

And even though McLaughlin brought the curtain down on the scoring, it’s Gaoth Dobhair that power through to the final. 

Gaoth Dobhair scorers: Eoin De Burca 0-4,1tp; Ethan Harkin 0-3, 1tpf, 1f; Stephen McFadden 0-3; Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhride 1-0; Micheál Roarty 0-2, 1tp; Odhran Mac Niallais, Fionnan Coyle, Eamonn Colm and Niall Friel 0-1 each. 

St Michael’s scorers: Daniel McLaughlin 0-5, 1tpf, 1f; Michael Langan 0-3, 1tp, 1’45; Colin McFadden 0-3,1tp; Edward O’Reilly 0-2,1f. 

Gaoth Dobhair: Padraig Mac Giolla Bhride; Neasan Mac Giolla Bhride, Gary McFadden, Eamonn Mac Giolla Bhride; Seaghan Ó Fearraigh, Domhnaill Mac Giolla Bhride, Ethan Harkin; Stephen McFadden, Adam Mac Iomhair; Fionnan Coyle, Daire Ó Bhaoill, Micheál Roarty; Eoin De Burca, Odhran Mac Niallais, Eamonn Colm. 

Subs: Niall Friel for S Ó Fearraigh (41); Fiachra Coyle for A Mac Iomhair (47); Aodhan Breathnach for F Coyle (52); Cathal Gillespie for E Colm (53); Neil McGee for E Mac Giolla Bhride (59).

St Michael’s: Mark Anthony McGinley; Kyle McGarvey, Liam Pól 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: Martin McElhinney for M Roarty (43); Antoin McFadden for  Doak (50); Paul Johnston for E O’Reilly (55). 

Referee: Mark Dorrian (Gaeil Fhánada).