Sean MacCumhaills up and running with an opening day win over Glenswilly

Sean MacCumhaills got the new All-County League Division 1 off to a winning start with a hard fought four point win over Glenswilly at the Burn Road in Termon on Saturday evening. 

Kevin McCormack top-scored for the winners with six points, four of them from placed balls for the winners who led the tie from the first whistle. 

And in a highly competitive encounter throughout and in windy conditions, Joe Boyle, Thomas McNulty, Luke Gavigan, Marty O’Reilly, Jamie Keegan, Jack Duffy, and Dylan Doherty also scored for the winners, who had nine different scorers over the 60-plus minutes. 

Mark Bonner led the scoring charge for Glenswilly, who were having their first competitive outing under new manager Darren McGinley. McGinley replaced Gary McDaid in the close season. 

Bonner posted four points, all from play and all in the second half, as Glenswilly stormed back into the game to trim the lead of the Twin-Towns men from six points at half-time to three, setting up a grandstand finish. 

Kealan Dunleavy, Daithi Gildea, Philip O’Donnell, Mark Collum, Patrick Ward and Matthew Enright were also among the Glenswilly scorers.

Sean MacCumhaills, under the management of Damian Devaney and Luke Gavigan this season, played with a strong wind in their backs, and thanks to a good opening ten minutes, they opened up a 0-5 to 0-1 lead, and with a strong closing ten minutes to the half, they led 0-11 to 0-5 at half-time.

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And courtesy of good play from Jack Gallagher, Dunleavy, and Mark Bonner, Glenwilly enjoyed their best spell in the middle ten minutes of the half. Jake Kelly, Dunleavy, Philip O’Donnell, and Mark Collum all scored to cut the MacCumhaill advantage to two points at one stage. 

McCormack (two) traded points with Patrick Ward and Gildea on the resumption before Gavigan extended the MacCumhaills' lead out to 0-14 to 0-7 at the end of the third quarter.

But Glenswilly did not throw in the towel, and three quick-fire Bonner points, one from outside the arc, along with white flags from Matthew Enright and Gildea, set up a grandstand finish. 

In the end, the winners held on for a deserved win and two league points. 

The game was a home game for Glenswilly due to reseeding work at Pairc Naomh Columba. 

Glenswilly scorers: Mark Bonner 0-4,1tp, Kealan Dunleavy 0-2,1tp, Daithi Gildea 0-3, Philip O’Donnell  0-1,‘45, Mark Collum, Patrick Ward and Matthew Enright 0-1, each.

Sean MacCumhaills scorers: Kevin McCormack 0-6, 4f, Thomas McNulty 0-4,1tp, Luke Gavigan 0-3,1tp; Joe Boyle, Marty O’Reilly, Jamie Keegan and Jack Duffy 0-1 each.

Glenswilly: Philip O’Donnell; Liam McGinley, Jake Kelly, Dylan McAteer; Sean Collum, Shay McDaid, Jack Gallagher; Kealan Dunleavy, Patrick Ward; Oisin McGrenra, Mark Bonner, Pauric  Devine; Shane Tinney, Mark Collum, Daithi Gildea.

Subs: Jack  Doherty for O McGrenra, Matthew Enright for P Ward (both 41); Mikey Toner for S McDaid (59).

Sean MacCumhaills; Eoin Gallen; Alan Sproule, Christopher Gallagher, Philip McGinty; Fintan Griffin, Joe Boyle, Darragh Boyle; Adam Byrne, Luke Gavigan; Cian Gallen, Jamie Keegan, Jack Duffy; Thomas McNulty, Marty O’Reilly, Kevin McCormack.

Subs: Oisin McGlinchey for M O’Reilly(45); Dylan Doherty for T McNulty (60).

Referee: Pat Barrett (Milford)