Glenswilly win comfortably against Naomh Conaill in the Burn Road

This victory for youthful Glenswilly against Naomh Conaill was as emphatic as the scoreline suggests at a chilly, wet and windy Burn Road.

And it is a long time since the county champions have suffered such a comprehensive defeat.

Of course, Naomh Conaill are missing a shoal of county players and a raft of regulars for a bit of context.

But that does not detract from a most impressive display from a Glenswilly team with fourteen of the starting fifteen under the age of 23.

Jack Gallagher was imperious for them at centre back, while Kealan Dunleavy, Daithi Gildea and Mark Collum were particularly outstanding in a fine team display.

For an outgunned Naomh Conaill, Odhran Doherty and the darting Mark McDeviit tried hard to rally their troops, but they were stymied by a well-organised and mobile Glenswilly defence.

Glenswily had the benefit of the breeze in the opening half.

Matthew Enright, Daithi Gildea and Naomh Conaill’s ageless Brendan McDyer exchanged points before Sean Collum hoofed over a great two-pointer with the outside of the boot to put the home side into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead by the 12th minute.

Meanwhile, Naomh Conaill felt that Keelan McGill earned a penalty when he seemed to be brought down in the square, but referee Ryan Walsh disagreed.

Scores were scarce for the next ten minutes before Glenswilly’s Eoghan Scott hit another two-pointer, and Enright added a single point before Brown responded with a pointed free for the visitors.

Gildea tagged on another two-pointer with the wind, and Jack Gallagher ended the scoring as Glenswilly led by 0-9 to 0-2 at the break.

Naomh Conaill turned over with a wind that died a bit, but it was Glenswilly who took up where they had left off, repeatedly stretching the Naomh Conaill defence.

Towering midfielder Dunleavy clipped over a fine effort into the wind as Brown replied for Naomh Conaill.

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Dunleavy repeated the dose two minutes before this one-sided affair was effectively settled when Mark Collum was on the end of a sweeping move to palm the ball to the net.

Glenswilly were leading by 1-13 to 0-3 as both sides began to run their benches.

Enright and Mark McDevitt swapped scores, and Collum made it 1-15 to 0-4.

Mark Collum added a few more points for the winners.

McDevitt and John O’Malley finished the scoring for the visitors as Glenswilly came away with two impressive points.

Glenswilly scorers: Mark Collum 1-3; Daithi Gildea 0-4,1tp; Kealan Dunleavy 0-3; Matthew Enright 0-2; Eoghan Scott 0-2tp; Sean Collum 0-2tp; Mark Bonner 0-1.

Naomh Conaill scorers: Danny Brown 0-2,1f; Mark McDevitt 0-2; John O’Malley 0-1; Brendan McDyer 0-1f.

Glenswilly: Donnacha Gallagher; Liam McGinley, Jake Kelly, Dylan McAteer; Sean Collum, Jack Gallagher, Pauric Devine; Caolan Dunleavy, Mark Bonner; Shane Tinney, Eoghan Scott, Gary Kelly; Mark Collum, Daithi Gildea, Matthew Enright.

Subs: Oisin McGrenra for Shane Tinney (20), Oisin Crawford for Matthew Enright (49), Oisin McDevitt for Dylan McAteer (54), Paddy Ward for Gary Kelly (56).

Naomh Conaill: Jordan O’Donnell; Daithi Molloy, Sean Roarty, Hugh Gallagher; Seamus Corcoran, Odhran Doherty, Jack McGlynn; Keelan McGill, AJ Gallagher; Brendan McDyer, Mark McDevitt, Daniel Gildea; John O’Malley, Neil Francis Boyle, Danny Brown. 

Subs: Tiarnan Ward for Daniel Gildea (39), Anthony Thompson for Seamus Corcoran (43), Shane McDevitt for Brendan McDyer (53).

Referee: Ryan Walsh (Realt na Mara).