Kilcar up and running with first league win at home to Naomh Muire

In what is an historic year for Kilcar, hosting the Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta, they got their season up and running with a good win in their first home game in Towney against Naomh Muire.

It was Naomh Muire’s first game in the league as they had a bye in round one while Kilcar had a draw against Dungloe last weekend. The host club also used their first home game to launch a special Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta fund-raising draw.

Kilcar had the advantage of the strong wind in the opening half and for much of the half held the upper hand.

They had the opening two points from a Matthew McClean free and Ryan McShane from play. Michael Gallagher added a third point before Naomh Muire got on the mark through Eoin Martin on six minutes.

But from there until two minutes from half-time it was all Kilcar as they took advantage of the wind advantage.

Brian O’Donnell got the scoreboard going again for the home side with a two pointer and the scores began to flow.

Ryan McShane, Conor Doherty and a Matthew McClean free had Kilcar ahead  by 0-8 to 0-1 by the 15th minute.

Further points followed from Seanie Boyle, Liam McLaughlin, another McClean free and two frees from Jack Hegarty to stretch the lead to 0-13 to 0-1 by the 25th minute.

However, Naomh Muire gave themselves a lifeline with three points before the break to trail by 0-13 to 0-4.

But disaster struck at the start of the second half when a Matthew McClean free from 30m crept in under the bar. McClean stretched the Kilcar lead to 1-14 to 0-6 before Naomh Muire hit back with a Joey Gillespie goal and a two point free from Eoin Martin and a two pointer from play from Jack O’Donnell and the lead was down to four points with 11 minutes left at 1-15 to 1-11.

However, Kilcar finished the game strongly with six unanswered points from McClean (2), Ryan McShane, Michael Gallagher, Stephen McBrearty and Gary Molloy.

Kilcar scorers: Matthew McClean 1-7,1-0f,4f; Ryan McShane 0-3; Brian O’Donnell 0-2,tp; Jack Hegarty 0-2,2f; Michael Gallagher 0-2; Conor Doherty, Seanie Boyle, Liam McLaughlin, Stephen McBrearty, Gary Molloy 0-1 each.

Naomh Muire scorers: Eoin Martin 0-4,1tpf; Joey Gillespie 1-1; Jack O’Donnell 0-2,tp; Cathal Fee 0-2; Shaun Burns, Harry Hardon 0-1 each.

Kilcar: Eoghan O’Donnell; Ciaran O’Donnell, Eoin Cormack, Ryan O’Donnell; Conor Doherty, Brian O’Donnell, Gary Molloy; Ryan McShane, Pauric Love; Matthew McClean, Conor O’Donnell, Jack Hegarty; Liam McLaughlin, Seanie Boyle, Michael Gallagher.

Subs: Stephen McBrearty for McLaughlin; Pauric McShane for Jack Hegarty.

Naomh Muire: Martin Mannion; Conor Cannon, Patrick Rodgers, Corrthaidh Doherty; Daniel Gallagher, Fintan Doherty, Tuathal Lunny; Patrick Gillespie, Adam O’Brien; Jack O’Donnell, Daniel Devlin, Darragh White; Joey Gillespie, Cathal Fee, Eoin Martin.

Subs: Shaun Burns for Daniel Gallagher; Harry Harden for Patrick Rodgers; Darragh Doherty for Patrick  Gillespie; Seosamh Doohan for Darragh White

Referee: Cathal Boland (Ardara)