Killybegs get it easy away to Red Hughs to open with two deserving points

Killybegs opened their Division 2 account with a comfortable five-point win over Red Hughs in Killygordon on Saturday evening. 

A late salvo of points from Calvin Bradley stripped three off the winners’ margin in a contest where the hosts’ failure to exit the starting blocks at the beginning of the second period cost them dearly. 

Matters had been delicately poised at the break with Killybegs 1-4 to 1-3 in front as Cathair Browne and Ryan Cunningham both raised green flags. 

Cunningham had also got Pauric Bonner’s men off the mark inside the first minute from a close-range free while the hosts opened their account on six minutes thanks to a Luke Kelly ‘45. 

In between, Kelly had to be alert to deny Jack McSharry who got through the middle and looked to find the net. Killybegs went back in front again on ten minutes when Jon Ban Gallagher’s effort just crept inside the post. 

Soon after though, the hosts stole a real march when Browne arrowed brilliantly to the bottom corner of the Fishermen’s net. On the quarter hour mark, Cunningham responded for the visitors as 0-3 chased 1-1. 

Bradley would double Red Hughs’ advantage ten minutes out from the break via a well-won mark. 

However, Killybegs’ route back into contention was then gifted on a plate as Kelly got his angles wrong from a dispatch and with Ban Gallagher intercepting, Cunningham was eventually on hand to plam in Paul Cunningham’s perfectly weighted square. 

Killybegs then went two clear at 1-4 to 1-2 when Cunningham was allowed to canter in from the left flank uninterrupted to easily post. 

A brilliant Bradley effort just before the half-time whistle would mean that a single point split the sides headed for the changing rooms. 

For some reason, the wind left Red Hughs sails in the second period and Killybegs were allowed to tag on 1-4, on the bounce, to effectively put this one to bed before the 50th minute. 

Seamus Óg Byrne, Jack McSharry, Ban Gallagher and goalkeeper Corey Byrne, from a free, all landed to leave it 1-8 to 1-3 on 47 minutes. 

And when replacement Eoin Mulligan raised a second green flag for the visitors soon after - eight points now split the teams. 

Red Hughs finally opened their second-half account on 50 minutes through a Bradley free and, before the end, the same player would notch another pair of efforts, again from dead balls, as the home side reeled the gap back into five at the final whistle. 

Red Hughs scorers: Cathair Browne 1-0; Luke Kelly 0-1,1’45; Calvin Bradley 0-5,1m, 3f; 

Killybegs scorers: Ryan Cunningham 1-3,2f; Jon Ban Gallagher 0-2; Seamus Óg Byrne 1-1; Corey Byrne 0-1,1f; Jack McSharry 0-1. 

Red Hughs: Luke Kelly; Luke Browne, Darragh McMenamin, Aaron McGlinchey; Jason Callaghan, James Gallagher, Ryan Callaghan; Ryan Kelly, James Doherty; Michael Devine, Michael McMenamin, Colm Melaugh; Cathair Browne, Calvin Bradley, Tiernan Kelly. 

Subs: Jack Bradley for Devine (ht), Thomas McMenamin for J Callaghan (38), Cian Gallagher for R Callaghan (42). 

Killybegs: Corey Byrne; Eoin McGing, Cillian Gildea, Ryan Carr; Charlie Breslin, Seamus Óg Byrne, Owen Gallagher; Rory Coyler, Mark Finnerty; Jon Ban Gallagher, Jack McSharry, Donal McGuire; Ryan Cuningham, Paul Cunningham, Michael Callaghan.  

Subs: Eoin Mulligan for Paul Cunningham (47), Jack O’Donnell for McGuire (50)

Referee: Mark Dorrian (Gaeil Fhánada)