Odhrán MacNiallais goal helps Gaoth Dobhair overcome MacCumhaill's

Not even a man of the match display from MacCumhaill’s Oisin Gallen was enough to prevent an impressive Gath Dobhair side from an emphatic Donegal SFC victory at breezy Magheragallon. 

Gaoth Dobhair 1-16 Sean MacCumhaill’s 0-11 

Gallen hit nine of his side’s 0-11, but Gaoth Dobhair welcome back second half sub Micheal Carroll for his first appearance this year, who had an immediate impact on the game and hit two fine points. 

Cian Mulligan was another major figure on the score sheet and the ageless McGee brothers Eamon and Neil had a big influence. The match opened at an explosive pace and we had four points on the board in the opening three minutes. 

Gallen opened the action as he tore through the centre of the Gaoth Dobhair defence like a freight train and arrowed over a fine point after 40 seconds.  But this was quickly cancelled by a wonderful left-footed point from Odhran MacNialllais. 

Eamon McGee gave the home side the lead with a fine punched point. However, Marty O’Reilly clipped over the equaliser in the fourth minute. 

The McGee brothers did a double act with Neil McGee putting the home side ahead by 0-4 to 0-3.  However, it took a really smart save from Gaoth Dobhair's keeper Daithi Roberts as he got down well to smother Jack Duffy’s point blank after the latter was out through with a peach of a pass from Gallen in the eighth minute. 

The pace slowed a tad as Seaghan O’Fearraigh, the man who scored the point that won Gaoth Dobhair the Ulster club championship in 2018, increased his side’s lead and Ethan Harkin made it 0-6 to 0-2 as we entered the second quarter. 

But the home side’s momentum dipped and MacCumhaill’s clawed their way back, mainly due to the accuracy of Gallen. He judged the treacherous wind perfectly and flighted over a great point from the sideline and added three more well-taken efforts in the run-up to half-time. 

However, Gaoth Dobhair had a great chance of a goal in the 25th minute when Cian Mulligan broke through but his bullet was well saved by the wandering MacCumhaill’s keeper Eoin Gallen. 

And, for all their dominance the home side were only a point up at the break as they led by 0-7 to 0-6. They turned over with the wind at their back and Cian Mulligan increased their lead with a well-struck point. 

Carroll was then sprung from the bench and his natural athleticism and pace had an immediate impact on the game. He landed two points-but it was Odhran MacNaillais’s sublime goal that was the real clincher when the languid midfielder strolled through the Twin Towns side’s defence and hit a glorious left-footed shot to the net. That clinical strike put Gaoth Dobhair into a 1-11 to 0-7 lead. 

Gallen continued to lead the charge and the visitors also lost Steven O’Reilly to a late red card as Gaoth Dobhair cantered home. 

Gaoth Dobhair scorers: Ethan Harkin 0-5, 5f; Odhran MacNiallais; 1-2; Cian Mulligan, Eamon McGee and Micheal Carroll 0-2; Seaghan O’Fearraigh, Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhríde and Neil McGee 0-1.
Sean MacCumhaill’s scorers: Oisin Gallen 0-9, 7f; Joel Bradley Walsh 0-1,f; Marty O’Reilly 0-1.

Gaoth Dobhair: Daithi Roberts; Gary McFadden, Neil McGee (0-1) James O’Baoill; Niall Friel, Aodan Breathnach, Neasan McBride;Odhran MacNiallais, Michael Roarty; Seaghan O’Fearraigh, Stephen McFadden, Cian Mulligan; Ethan Harkin, Eamon McGee, Cian McEntee.  Subs; Micheal Carroll for Cian McEntee (35), Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhríde for Nessan McBride (42), Eoin De Burca for Seaghan Ferry (44), Peter McGee for Eamon McGee (58), Nessan McBride for Gary McFadden (60+2). 
Sean MacCumhaill’s: Eoin Gallen; Andrew McCloskey; Sean Martin, Jack Duffy; Cian Mulligan, Gary Dunnion, Jamie Keegan; Joe Boyle, Oisin Gallen; Shane McMenamin, Joel Bradley Walsh, Steven O’Reilly; Ruairi Callaghan, Marty O’Reilly. Chad McSorley. Subs: Conor McGinty for Jamie Keegan (32), Adam Lynch for Jack Duffy (40). 
Referee: Kevin McGinley (Naomh Columba)