Donegal SFC holders Naomh Conaill get off on the right foot in Killybegs

A masterful midfield display from Leo McLoone pushed Donegal SFC holders Naomh Conaill to an emphatic win over Killybegs in Fintra.

Killybegs 1-5 Naomh Conaill 3-12

Two goals in the first half from Charles McGuinness and Eunan Doherty were the key scores for the winners, who effectively had this tie sealed at the break.

And they brushed aside an early bizarre goal from Hugh McFadden to set their relentless seal on a most one-sided affair.
The game had a pretty sensational opening when a long ball from Ryan Cunnigham was fielded by Killybegs full-forward Hugh McFadden.

He leisurely stepped inside his man and appeared to mishit the ball which gently struck the bottom of the right-hand post and skidded cross the goals into the Naomh Conaill net in the fourth minute. It was just the start the underdogs needed.

But Naomh Conaill gradually grew into the game and Ciaran Thompson got them off the mark in the eighth minute.
Killybegs responded with a well-taken Jack McSharry point in the tenth minute-but they could only score one more point for the remainder of the half.

The county champions, inspired by McLoone at midfield, were winning the breaks. McLoone and Kevin McGettigan pointed in the 15th and 17th minutes and then they had a stunning move from McLoone, McGuinness to Anthony Thompson who hit the point of the half to level matters in the 20th minute.

But, a very crucial score arrived, as Naomh Conaill hit the net in splendid style when Odhran Doherty’s high ball was well fielded by full-forward McGuinness who used his height to good advantage in rounding his marker and slamming the ball to the Naomh Conaill net.

Jeaic MacCeallbhuí then added a fine point when he judged the breeze and the relatively low uprights perfectly to put Naomh Conaill ahead by 1-5 to 1-2.

Hugh McFadden replied with a pointed free for Killybegs, before they were hit with another killer goal, just before the break.
A high ball from Odhran Doherty was not dealt with by Killybegs keeper Corey Byrne and Eunan Doherty was on hand to scramble the ball to the Killybegs net to give the county champions a healthy half-time lead of 2-5 to 1-2.

It did not get much better for the home side in the second half, as Naomh Conaill ran their bench and John O’Malley added a third goal.

Killybegs scorers: Hugh McFadden 1-2f; Jack McSharry 0-2; Eoghan Ban Gallagher 0-1.
Naomh Conaill scorers: Charles McGuinness 1-3,1f; John O’Malley 1-1; Eunan Doherty 1-0; Leo McLoone 0-3; Kevin McGettigan 0-2; Ciaran Thompson 0-1, 1f; Anthony Thompson anf Jeaic MacCeallbhuí 0-1;

Killybegs: Corey Byrne; Niall Carbury, Cillian Gildea, Ryan Carr; Kevin Boyle, Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Cathal Breslin; Rory Colyer, Evan Broderick; Michael Callaghan, Ryan Cunningham, Jack McSharry; John Ban Gallagher, Hugh McFadden, Conor Cunningham. Subs: Paul Cunningham for Jack McSharry (45), Callum Quinn for Evan Broderick (53), Christopher Cunningham for Charlie Breslin (55).
Naomh Conaill: Stephen McGrath, Jason Campbell, AJ Gallagher, Ultan Doherty; Kevin McGettigan, Anthony Thompson, Ethan O’Donnell; Leo McLoone, Ciaran Thompson; Eunan Doherty, Jeaic MacCeallbhuí, Ultan Doherty; Brendan McDyer, Charles McGuinness, John O’Malley. Subs; Eoin Waide for Anthony Thompson, Seamus Corcoran and Keelan McGill for Anthony Thompson, Ciaran Thompson and Odhran Doherty (41), Dermot Molloy for Brendan McDyer (54), Marty Boyle for Ultan Doherty (58).
Referee: Mark Dorrian (Gaeil Fhanada)