Na Dúnaibh finish strong to defeat Gaeil Fhánada in Division 2

Na Dúnaibh picked up their first win of the Division 2 campaign with a strong end against Gaeil Fhánada in a very wet and windy Páirc na nDúnaibh.

The home side had a slow start, but a couple of impressive two pointers from Patrick McElwee had them ahead before Patrick Carr’s penalty meant the visitors led by 1-4 to 0-6 at the break.

Owen Bamforth replied with a goal for the hosts, and with the game level going into the final quarter, Downings burst ahead with three points from McElwee and a goal from Paidin Shiels to take the victory.

In brutal conditions, with the wind going across the pitch, Fanad won possession from the start and patiently built, eventually pointing after three and a half minutes through Carr after a 1-2 with James Kerr.

Seamus Friel got a second point for the visitors out on the right after a quick free, and Shaun Kerr got a third from a similar position just inside the arc.

Downings, after a couple of efforts dropped short, got going as McElwee pointed out on the left outside the arc, and another effort from the full forward was almost punched into the goal by Oisin Boyce, but he just missed the ball.

McElwee levelled the game from a free, and Paidin Shiels had a shot at goal, which went just wide, but Friel responded at the other end with a simple free to restore the lead.

A two-point free from McElwee had Kevin Gallagher’s men ahead, but just before half-time, Fanad got a penalty as Liam McGrenaghan’s shot at goal was blocked by Paidin Shiels, with Daniel Carlin deeming it to be a foot block.

Carr stepped up and fired low into the bottom left corner, just evading Kyran Gallagher, who dived the right way.

And just on the 30-minute mark, Kyle McFadden pointed to make it 1-4 to 0-6 in favour of the away side.

The hosts had a great start to the second half as they hit the net after an effort from distance came off the crossbar, and Owen Bamforth poked in.

Fanad wasted a few frees, but on the fourth attempt, McGrenaghan split the posts, and Friel did similarly soon after to level the game.

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But that would be the last score of the game for the away side.

The final quarter was one-way traffic as the hosts dominated, a McElwee free and a point from play by Oisin Boyce put them two ahead, and McElwee doubled that lead with a superb two-pointer.

And from that kick out, Downings won possession and Boyce broke forward, leaving the space for Shiels to fire in.

There were still eight minutes left but that was the final score of the game and a fitting way to end it as Downings got their first points of the season following their relegation from Division 1.

Na Dúnaibh scorers: Patrick McElwee 0-8,2tp,1tpf,2f; Owen Bamforth and Paidin Shiels 1-0 each; Kyle McFadden and Oisin Boyce 0-1 each.

Gaeil Fhánada scorers: Patrick Carr 1-1,1-0 pen; Seamus Friel 0-3,2f; Shaun Kerr 0-1; Liam McGrenaghan 0-1f.

Na Dúnaibh: Kyran Gallagher; Alex Gerwatowski, Tiarnan McBride, Ronan Pasoma; Dylan McGlone, Paidin Shiels, James Lee McBride; Shane Coll, Ronan Gallagher; Kyle McFadden, Oisin Boyce, Aodh McBride; Stephen Shevlin, Patrick McElwee, Owen Bamforth.

Subs: Gary McClafferty for Shevlin (ht)

Gael Fhánada: Eoin McGonigle; Calum McAteer, Ronan McAteer, Eoin Logue; James Coyle, Odhran Shiels, Liam McGrenaghan; Shaun Carr, Oisin Shiels; Shaun Kerr, Seamus Friel, Patrick Carr; Darragh O’Doherty, James Kerr, Eoghan Carr.

Subs: Mark McAteer for O’Doherty(40), Cormac Dunleavy for J Kerr (53), Ciaran Sweeney and Caolan McElwaine for S Kerr and Coyle (60)

Referee: Daniel Carlin (Naomh Pádraig, Lifford)