U-21 champions Gaoth Dobhair deliver early statement of intent against Termon

Reigning U-21 champions Gaoth Dobhair were the better team for much of this affair but they had to withstand a spirited second-half comeback from Termon at the Burn Road.

Termon 0-6 Gaoth Dobhair 1-9 

It took extra-time to separate these two sides when they met in last year’s county final but in this group stage tussle,  the Gaeltacht men had the decided edge for much of this encounter. 

Despite that dominance, Termon will rue five second-half wides from scorable shots and full-forward Gary McGettigan had a late chance to tie matters but he was smothered by the Gaoth Dobhair defence. 

And, in the next play, Gaoth Dobhair’s Cian McBride rifled the ball to net to copper-fasten their superiority. 

A composed looking Gaoth Dobhair had a very good start and Johnny McBride arced over a fine point after just three minutes.

The visitors had all of the openig play and the elegant Fionnan Coyle and ‘Player of the Match’ Aodan Breathnach made it 0-3 to no score by the eighth minute. 

Termon were trapped in their own half in this period as Gaoth Dobhair added further points from McBride and Coyle to put them into a five-point lead by the 16th minute. 

In a rare counter, Termon hit back through a surging solo run from midfielder Jamie Grant, but his rasper flew across the goal and just wide. They did get off the mark in the 26th minute from a Mark Gallagher free. 

But Termon were gradually growing into the game and the excellent Cian McMenamin hit a fine effort to leave Gaoth Dobhair leading by 0-5 to 0-2 at the break. 

However, they also lost corner back Aaron McGee to a black card just before the 20-minute mark.

When play eventually resumed, Eoin De Burca stretched Gaoth Dobhair’s lead, their first score in 16 minutes. 

Termon were slowly getting a bit of a grip around midfield but it took a superb save from their keeper Emmet Maguire to deny Gaoth Dobhair’s’ powerful midfielder Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhríde a certain goal. 

Breathnach then made it 0-7 to 0-2 after a brilliant six man move before Termon shook themselves. McMenamin struck a superb point and this was followed by a soaring effort from Jack Alcorn. 

McBride and Walsh stretched Gaoth Dobhair’s lead to 0-9 to 0-4 as McMenamin missed two scorable chances as Termon saw more of the ball. 

Alcorn and Gary McGettigan narrowed the gap to a goal as the home side finished strongly. There was just those three points between the sides as time ebbed away when McGettigan found himself clear on goal. 

There was a half chance, but the Gaoth Dobhair defence regrouped around the towering full-forward and the ball was eventually swept to safety. 

And in the last attack, Gaoth Dobhair found the net through substitute Cian McBride to seal a deserved win and send out a clear signal that the reigning champions will still be the side to beat this year. 

Termon scorers: Cian McMenamin 0-2,1f; Jack Alcorn 0-2; Mark Gallagher 0-1,1f; Gary McGettigan 0-1. 

Gaoth Dobhair scorers: Cian McBride 1-0; Aodan Breathnach 0-3; Johnny McBride 0-3,1f; Fionnan Coyle 0-2; Eoin De Burca 0-1. 

Termon: Emmet Maguire; Conor Cassidy, Conor Gallagher, Emmet McGettigan; Cian McMenamin, Kevin McGettigan, Conor Brady; Jack Alcorn, Jamie Grant; Kevin Keown, Oisin Harkin, Patrick Fegan; Mark Gallagher, Gary McGettigan. Aaron Reid.

Subs; Luke McGarvey for Aaron Reid (8), John James Sweeney for Kevin Keown (53), Conor Black for Patrick Fegan (54). 

Gaoth Dobhair: Daithi Roberts; Aaron McGee, Sean Gallagher, Aodan Breathnach; Johnny O’Donnell, Dara Ó Fearraigh, Adam McGeever; Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhríde, Stephen McFadden; Cian McEntee, Fionnan Coyle, Johnny McBride; Cathal De Burca, Eoin De Burca, Jamie Gallagher. 

Subs; Cian McBride for Cathal De Burca (47),  Dara McGee for Johnny O’Donnell (54). 

Referee: Seamus McGonigle (Aodh Ruadh).