Milford down Ardara at Pearse Memorial Park to pick up opening league win

Milford travelled to Ardara for their opening All-County League Division 2 outing and came away with full points thanks to Cathal McGettigan's decisive early three-pointer. 

Just six minutes in, the visitors landed the blow that would ultimately prove to be decisive when McGettigan’s lob in from distance somehow dipped, clipped the inside of the post and ended up in the back of the net. 

With Shane and Peter Curran previously kicking the game’s first two points, Milford were already five clear. Ardara got on the scoreboard on eight minutes through Callum Malley but with Anthony Curran responding, five remained the gap at the end of the first quarter. 

Paul Walsh did grab a second for Ardara but Cathal McGettigan, from a free, stroked that headway out as 0-7 led 0-2. A Paul Watters free trimmed it back slightly while five minutes out from the brak Kevin Whyte made it a three-point game. 

Another Paul Watters free as well as a second Malley over, meant that a single point split the sides at the midpoint at 0-6 to 1-4. 

TJ Evesson and Kevin Whyte swapped points in the resumption and, on 46 minutes, home substitute Niall McCrossan landed a free to level the game up at 0-8 to 1-5. McGettigan again nudged the away team ahead with ten to go. 

McCrossan again squared it with his second but four minutes out from the end Milford broke on the counter and Dylan Dorran, one one-on-one with Gareth Concarr, blazed over the crossbar. 

Ardara would squander a number of chances before the whistle to snatch a draw. 

Ardara scorers: Paul Watters 0-2,2f; Callum Malley 0-2; Kevin Whyte 0-2; Paul Walsh 0-1; Niall McCrossan 0-2,2f. 

Milford scorers:  Cathal McGettigan 1-2,1f; Shane Black 0-1; Peter Curran 0-1; Anthony Curran 0-1; TJ Evesson 0-1.

Ardara: Gareth Concarr; Charlie Bennett, Joe Melly, Shane Mooney; Danny Wlsh, Oisin O’Donnell, Johnny McHugh; Conor Classon, Darragh Hannigan; Callum Malley, Paul Watters, Owen Gallagher; Paul Walsh, Kevin Whyte, Jamie Elliott.

Subs used: Niall Crossan and Cian Sweeney. 

Milford:  Shea McBride; Anthony Curran, Conor Coll, TJ Evesson; Dylan Dorrian; Peter Curran, Shaun Coffey, Eoin O’Donnell; Conor McHugh, Peter McCleary; Cathal McGettigan, Shane Black, Killian McBride; Darragh Black, Gavin Grier.   

Referee: Shane Murrin (Killybegs).