Naomh Conaill hold on to win in Glenfin
Naomh Conaill got an away win against Glenfin, but they were made to work hard until the final whistle by their neighbours to seal the two points
Naomh Conaill bagged their second brace of league points following Sunday’s hard-fought local derby clash with Glenfin in Páirc Taobhoige.
Just three separated the sides at the finish after Glenfin mounted a late challenge after going six down early in the second half. But in the end, Naomh Conaill held on thanks to late points from Neil Francis Boyle and Eoghan McGettigan.
Glenfin, who were bidding for a third league win, started on the front foot and playing with the aid of the breeze, rattled off four points in the opening eight minutes to lead 0-4 to 0–0. Oisin McGlynn, and Shaun and Stephen Ward landed the points for the locals.
Naomh Conaill supporters had to wait until the 11th minute for their first score, fisted over the bar by midfielder Seamus Corcoran.
And with Odhran Doherty, Tiarnan Ward, and Neil Francis Boyle moving well, Naomh Conaill quickly added 1-3 to Glenfin’s single point to lead 1-5 to 0-5 by the 22nd minute mark.
The elusive Daniel Gildea struck for the goal after Corcoran’s initial shot was blocked in a crowded goalmouth.
That was 21 minutes into the game, and three minutes later, Tiarnan Ward got on the end of a good move to rattle the Glenfin net for the second time and to send Naomh Conaill in four points to the good at half-time at 2-7 to 0-9.
Gildea and Eoghan McGettigan stretched the Naomh Conaill lead out to six points in the early minutes of the second period.
But with their renowned never-say-die attitude, Ciaran Brady, Daniel Marley, and second-half replacement Odhran O’Connor cut the Naomh Conaill lead to three points by the end of the third quarter.
And the fat was in the fire two minutes from the end of normal time when Daniel McGlynn was quickest to act when Ciaran Brady broke a high ball into the Naomh Conaill goalmouth to find the back of Stephen McGrath’s net. It was now a one-point game, 2-13 to 1-15.
But the craft and experience of Naomh Conaill saw out the game in the three minutes of injury time to claim the two precious league points.
Glenfin scorers: Shaun Ward 0-4,2tp; Daniel McGlynn 1-0; Daniel Marley 0-3,1f; Ciaran Brady, Luke McGlynn (1f) 0-2 each; Oisin McGlynn, Stephen Ward, Seaghan McCormack, and Odhran O’Connor 0-1 each.
Naomh Conaill scorers: Tiarnan Ward 1-3,1tp; Daniel Gildea 1-2; Neil F Boyle 0-3; Eoghan McGettigan and Anthony Thompson 0-2 each; Seamus Corcoran and Odhran Doherty 0-1 each.
Glenfin: Jamie Doherty; Frank McGlynn, John Harkin, Daniel Harkin; Jack Long, Daniel McGlynn, Oisin McGlynn; Shaun Ward, Stephen Ward; Darragh Quigley, Daniel Marley, Gerard McGlynn; Seaghan McCormack, Ciaran Brady, Luke McGlynn.
Subs: Odhran O’Connor for D Quigley (ht); Callum Long for O McGlynn (47); Ross Marley for F McGlynn (55).
Naomh Conaill: Stephen McGrath; Daithi Molloy, Hugh Gallagher, AJ Gallagher; Jack McGlynn, Mark McDevitt, Kevin McGettigan; Keelan McGill, Seamus Corcoran; Daniel Gildea, John Molloy, Odhran Doherty; Tiarnan Ward, Neil F Boyle, Eoghan McGettigan.
Referee: Mark Dorrian (Gaeil Fhánada).