Comórtas junior title brings delight to hosts Naomh Muire against Gaoth Dobhair

Naomh Muire collected their third Donegal Gaeltacht junior championship title with victory over Gaoth Dobhair.

Naomh Muire 3-10 Gaoth Dobhair 1-13

The final margin does not tell the story as Naomh Muire were on fire at the end of the first half and again at the start of the second to go 15 points ahead - 3-9 to 0-3.

They would not score again until the 57th minute as Gaoth Dobhair staged a comeback that never really looked bridging the gap. But credit to them, they made a contest of it and Naomh Muire will have plenty to think about in the review of the game.
There was a lightning opening this junior final with points from Daniel Devlin for the home side and Adam McGeever for Gaoth Dobhair inside a minute.

Tuathal Lunny added a second for Naomh Muire from distance and Eoin Martin converted a long range free on 10 minutes.
Steven McFadden replied with a free for Gaoth Dobhair but Martin added a second free on 20 minutes.

Eamon McBride cut the lead to the minimum on 24 minutes but by the time the half-time whistle was sounded Naomh  Muire were in control, adding 1-4 in that time. Jack O'Donnell, Harry Harden (2) and Adam O'Brien had the points but the big score came on 28 minutes when Fintan Doherty finished to the Gaoth Dobhair net.

Half-time: Naomh Muire 1-8, Gaoth Dobhair 0-3

Naomh Muire added 2-1 inside three and a half minutes of the restart to close out the game, or so they thought.
Goals from Jack O'Donnell and Eoin Martin and a Martin point put them 15 points ahead, but they would not score again for 24 minutes.

In between Gaoth Dobhair found their feet with substitute Cathal Gillespie to the fore. Gillespie hit 1-5 with the other points from Steven McFadden, Cian McEntee and Padraig Winters.

They cut the lead to six points with seven minutes left and Naomh Muire also had to call on 'keeper Declan Martin to make a point blank save from Adam McGeever midway through the half. But the home side held on with Harry Harden getting their final score in the 57th minute.

Naomh Muire scorers: Eoin Martin 1-3,2f; Jack O'Donnell 1-1; Fintan Doherty 1-0; Harry Harden 0-3,1f; Tuathal Lunny, Adam O'Brien, Daniel Devlin 0-1 each.
Gaoth Dobhair scorers: Cathal Gillespie 1-5,4f; Steven McFadden 0-2; Adam McGeever, Eamon McBride, Steven McFadden, Cian McEntee, Padraig Winters 0-1 each

Naomh Muire: Declan Ward; Conor Cannon, Ferdia Doherty, Tomas O'Donnell; Sean O Baoill, Padraig McCafferty, Sean Byrne; Tuathal Lunny, Adam O'Brien; Fintan Doherty, Harry Harden, Jack O'Donnell; Joey Gillespie, Daniel Devlin, Eoin Martin. Subs: Michael Mac Grianna, Jack Doherty.
Gaoth Dobhair: Dylan Clift; Aidan Walsh, Roan Turc, Cian McEntee; Michael Doherty, Dara O Fearraigh, Cathal de Burca; Adam McGeever, Steven McFadden; Cian McBride, Padraig Winters, Lee McBride; Eamon McBride, Chris Roarty, Mark McFadden. Subs: Johnny O'Donnell, Cathal Gillespie, Mark McFadden.
Referee: Mark Dorrian (Gaeil Fhánada)