Gildea hits eight points as Glenswilly post fine Division 1 win at St Eunan's

Glenswilly laid the foundations in the first half before doing what was needed in the second to post an encouraging victory at St Eunan’s in Division 1 of the All-County Football League. 

The wind gusting towards the River End certainly helped a little in the opening period, although you had to admire the kicking abilities of Daith Gildea of Glenswilly, who put over 0-8, including three two-pointers - two of which came from play.

As the teams headed off for the interval, it was Glenswilly in charge, leading 0-11 to 1-2 with Darragh Mulgrew netting for St Eunan’s.  Glenswilly knew they’d face a much different challenge in the second half.

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However, despite St Eunan’s being driven on by Niall O’Donnell and getting another goal through Oisin Scanlon, it was Kealan Dunleavy’s two points and an Oisin McGrenra clincher that would prove vital. 

After 15 minutes, the away team were 0-6 to 0-0 in front, with Dunleavy and Jack Gallagher posting, as well as the first of Gildea’s from outside of the arc, as well as ones from a free and play.

St Eunan’s finally got on the board 16 minutes in, when Mulgrew toe-poked in from close range. 

O’Donnell had played Philip Doherty in down the Glenswilly right and Doherty went for goal, striking the inside of Donnacha Gallagher’s post and rebounding into the mixer. Glenswilly didn’t manage to clear and Mulgrew won the race.

Noah Barrett and a fine individual point from O’Donnell meant the hosts had got back to just the one down, 0-6 to 0-5. 

But Glenswilly soon found their groove again, with Gildea stylishly putting over two more two-pointers, the first of which came on the outside of the foot from the shadow of the Dr James McDaid stand. Eoghan Scott’s point was the last of the half, leaving six in it.

Darren McGinley’s first game in charge was a 0-13 to 0-7 loss against MacCumhaill’s, with Kieran Donnelly’s maiden outing with the Letterkenny side ending up in a 2-8 to 0-14 share of the spoils at Four Masters.

Niall O’Donnell’s free on 38 minutes was the first score of the second half and Noel O’Donnell scored two minutes later, to leave St Eunan’s 0-11 to 1-4. 

The O’Donnell Park pitch was in perfect condition after a weekend of floods and Storm Dave doing the rounds, although the players were tested when the sunshine hid behind the clouds and a heavy shower of sleet swept through. 

By the 45-minute mark, St Eunan’s had halved their deficit, with Niall O’Donnell also weaving through for a point before Dunleavy was on the money for Glenswilly at the other end.

With 13 to play, Glenswilly were 0-12 to 1-5 ahead, but again, Glenswilly were left to rue the concession of a goal they might’ve avoided. A dropping ball from Niall O’Donnell was grasped by Jordan O’Dowd, who swivelled and shot, only for Pauric Devine to make a brilliant block. As in the first half, though, it was St Eunan’s who seized on the rebound and Scanlon was the goalscorer. 

That put St Eunan’s onto 2-5, to Glenswilly’s 0-12, with 52 gone. 

Dunleavy, for the second time, showed the way for Glenswilly and pierced over a settler for Glenswilly, showing it wasn’t all one-way traffic for a lead of two. And although Niall O’Donnell’s fourth point took St Eunan’s back to just one down, Oisin McGrenra sealed it with a fist.

St Eunan’s scorers: Niall O’Donnell 0-4, Darragh Mulgrew and Oisin Scanlon 1-0; Noah Barrett and Noel O’Donnell 0-1
Glenswilly scorers: Daithi Gildea 0-8, tpf, 2tp;  Kealan Dunleavy 0-3; Jack Gallagher, Eoghan Scott and Oisin McGrenra 0-1

St Eunan’s: Ronan McGeehin; Peter Devine, Eamonn Doherty, Mark Galvin; Noah Barrett, Caolan Ward, Darragh Mulgrew;  Noel O’Donnell, Conor O’Donnell Snr;  Oisin Scanlon, James Kelly, Jordan O’Dowd; Philip Doherty, Niall O’Donnell, Pauric Boyle. Subs: Evan Daly for Mulgrew (35), Cormac Finn for Doherty (49)

Glenswilly: Donnacha Gallagher; Liam McGinley, Jake Kelly, Dylan McAteer; Sean Collum, Jack Gallagher, Pauric Devine;  Kealan Dunleavy, Mark Bonner; Shane Tinney, Eoghan Scott, Gary Kelly; Mark Collum, Daithi Gildea, Matthew Enright. Subs: Ryan Diver for G Kelly (half-time), Oisin Crawford for Devine (57), Oisin McGrenra for Enright (60+3), Paddy Ward for M Collum (60+5)

Referee: Martin McCormick (Glenfin).