Glenswilly turn it on in second half to beat Naomh Columba to Division 2 title

Glenswilly are returning to the top flight of the All-County Football League as Division 2 champions following their final win over Naomh Columba in Glenties.

Glenswilly 1-14 Naomh Columba 0-9

Level at 0-5 each at half-time Glenswilly turned the screw in the second half. Thanks to a Gary McFadden goal and points from Michael Murphy, Kealan Dunleavy, Jack Gallagher and Caoimhin Marley raced into a 1-11 to 0-5 by the 50th minute. McFadden palmed home the goal after Shaun Wogan’s fisted effort from a Donal Gallagher centre came back off the crossbar.

The goal was a hammer blow for Naomh Columba, who had taken the fight to Glenswilly in the opening 30 minutes.
Naomh Columba were without county U-20 Eric Carr, who was on holidays, and the injured duo of Lanty Molloy and Oisin McGinley. Regular full-back Stephen Jones, carrying a knock, did not start but was introduced from the bench in the second half.

Though looking down the barrel of a defeat Naomh Columba battled to the end. Aaron Doherty kept the scoreboard ticking and the men from Pairc Na nGael had a number of goal chances including an injury-time penalty. But Doherty got under the ball on the spot and drove over Kealan McFadden’s crossbar.

Man of the match Marley and Oisin Crawford scored late points for Glenswilly.

There was little between the sides in the first half as they traded score for score and were level five times.

Glenswilly scorers: Gary McFadden 1-2, Michael Murphy 0-4 4f, Caaomin Marley 0-3, Kealan Dunleavy 0-2, Cormac Callaghan, Jack Gallagher and Oisin Crawford 0-1 each.
Naomh Columba scorers: Aaron Doherty (0-5, 3f, 1 '45', 1 pen) Philip Doherty 0-2; Liam Boyle (m( and Kevin McNern 0-1 each.

Glenswilly: Kealan McFadden; Jake Kelly, Mark McAteer, Caolan Kelly; Cormac Callaghan, Shane McDaid, Donal Gallagher; Caoimhin Marley, Shaun Wogan; Sean Collum, Kealan Dunleavy, Daithi Gildea; Gary McFadden, Michael Murphy, Jack Gallagher. Subs: Oisin Crawford for S Collum (25); Shane McDevitt for D Gildea (55), Christopher McMonagle and Mark Bonner for G.McFadden and K Dunleavy (59), Jamie Mccauley for D. Gallagher (62)

Naomh Columba: Shane O'Gara; Barry Carr, Stephen Callaghan, Philip Doherty; Darragh Cunningham, Aaron Doherty, Ronan Hegarty; Pauric Ward, Paddy Byrne; Paul O'Hare, Michael Callaghan, Sean Hardy; Liam Boyle, Ronan O'Hare, Kevin McNern. Subs: Stephen Jones for L Boyle (43); Joseph Lyons for P O'Hare (50; Cian Gillespie for B.Carr (58), Jamie McNern for M Callaghan (62), Tomas Byrne for D Cunningham (62).

Referee: Pat Barrett (Milford).