Buncrana outgun Naomh Muire at the Banks to finish top of IFC group stage

Buncrana proved too strong for Naomh Muire in the Intermediate Football Championship at the Banks on Sunday.

Naomh Muire 0-10 Buncrana  2-14 

The Inishowen men have finished top of the pile while Naomh Muire must now plan for a relegation play-off. 

Seanie McLaughlin and Caolan McGonagle scored the goals while McLaughlin also chipped in with five points, John Campbell with three and Oisin Crawford two. 

Daniel Devlin, Ultan Boyle and Harry Harden, two each, carried the main scoring threat for Naomh Muire on a day they were outclassed by a bigger and stronger Buncrana.

The writing was on the wall for the locals as early as half-time as they trailed by seven points, 1-8 to 0-4. 

Buncrana, who were powered by Caolan McGonagle and Peter McLaughlin around the middle third, got off to a whirlwind start with a Seanie McLaughlin inside 40 seconds. 

McLaughlin bobbed and weaved his way through the Naomh Muire defence to give Declan Ward no chance from close range. 

Two minutes later, Michael Bernard McLaughlin drove over from out on the left wing to increase the early advantage to four. 

And while Daniel Devlin and Joe Gillespite posted two quick points for Naomh Muire, there was no stopping the winners. 

Campbell, Seanie McLaughlin, Oisin Crawford and Kevin Treacy all landed successive points. With Naomh Muire struggling, Buncrana were five to the good by the end of the first quarter. 

And any faint hope of a  Naomh Muire recovery were dashed when McGonagle powered through from the throw-in for his team's second goal 41 seconds into the new half.

Now all of a sudden the margin was out ten points and with Seanie McLaughlin, Crawford and Campbell continuing where the left half at the end of the first half the scores continued to flow for the winners. 

They were 2-11 to 0-7 up by the end of the third quarter and with manager Gary Duffy using his subs bench the game filtered out in the final quarter. 

To their credit, Naomh Muire battled to the finish with Adam O’Brien, Harden and Devlin posting late points. 

Naomh Muire scorers: Daniel Devlin, Harry Harden, Ultan Boyle 0-2 each, Joey Gillespie, Eoin Martin, Sean Burns, Adam O’Brien 0-1 each. 

Buncrana scorers: Seanie McLaughlin 1-5,1 '45, Caolan McGonagle 1-0,  John Campbell 0-3,1f, Oisin Crawford 0-2, Kevin Treacy, John Bernard McLaughlin, Oisin O’Flaherty, William McLaughlin 0-1 each.

Naomh Muire: Declan Ward; Conor Cannon, Fiachra Doherty, Tommy O’Donnell; Tuathal Lunney,  Daniel Gallagher, Fintan Doherty; Adam O’Brien, Ultan Boyle; Harry Harden, Paddy McClafferty, Shaun Burns; Joey Gillespie, Daniel Devlin, Eoin Martin. 

Subs: Jack O’Donnell for D Gallagher (48); Darragh White for J Gillespie (50). 

Buncrana: Adam Harriigan; Evan McCallion, Sean Doherty, Aedan Stokes;  JP McKenna, William McLaughlin, Michael Bernard McLaughlin; Caolan McGonagle, Peter McLaughlin; John Campbell, Oisin Crawford, Sean McLaughlin; Liam Jordan, Kevin Treacy, Oisin O’Flaherty.

Subs: Aidan McColgan for L Jordan (51); Oisin Hegarty for K Treacy (52);  Adrian Dohetry for O O’ Flaherty (58).

Referee; Martin Coll (Gaoth Dobhair)