Gaoth Dobhair come good in second half to defeat Realt na Mara

A well-taken Niall Friel goal midway through the second half finally broke the home side’s resolve to give Gaoth Dobhair a comfortable victory in a sunny Gaelic Park. 

Both sides were short a lot of regulars but served up an entertaining encounter for those in attendance.  

Adam McGlone got the scoring started but it was immediately cancelled out by Ethan Harkin.  

A well-taken Micheal Roarty effort edged the visitors ahead on six minutes but an excellent reply from Anton Govorov levelled matters soon after.  

Bundoran played their best football over the next 10 mins and went two ahead from the boot of Kyle McNulty from a mark and a free. But the Gaeltacht men then hit four unanswered points from Fionnan Mac Giolla Chomhaill, Seaghain O Fearraigh, Mark McCole, and Harkin, to go in at halftime leading by two points on a 0-6 points to 0-4 scoreline. 

Gaoth Dobhair went further ahead on the resumption of the second half with midfielder Roarty finding the target. But a long-range effort from Johnny Boyle kept Bundoran in touch. 

Both teams then exchanged scores with Harkin and McNulty splitting the posts before another Harkin free put the visitors 0-9 to 0-06 ahead on the 39th minute.  

Mac Giolla Chomhaill then put four between the sides before Oisin Walsh hit the home side’s best score of the day with a fantastic effort from just inside the half-way line.  

Any hope of a Realt na Mara revival was quashed on 45 minutes when roving centre-half back Niall Friel controlled the ball, and using his soccer skills hit an unstoppable effort to the corner of the Bundoran net. 

An instant reply from Ciaran McCaughey after some excellent fielding left it a five-point game with 14 minutes remaining.  

Unfortunately for the home team they were reduced to 14 men when Oisin Walsh was red carded, and this resulted in the last 10 minutes being played on Gaoth Dobhair’s terms as they tagged on a further four scores, two each from Seaghain O Fearraigh and impressive debutant Oisin Diver to run out comfortable winners in the end. 

Scorers - Realt na Mara: K McNulty 0-03, (3f); J Boyle, A Govorov, O Walsh, C McCaughey, A McGlone 0-01 each. Gaoth Dobhair: E Harkin 0-04, (2f); N Friel 1-00; S O Fearraigh 0-03; M Roarty, O Diver, F Mac Giolla Comhaill 0-02 each; M McCole 0-01. 

Realt na Mara: Conor Carty; Maitiu Tierney, Johnny Boyle, Matthew McCabe; Anton Govorov, Oisin Walsh, Lee Smyth; Ciaran McCaughey, Matthew Duffy; Timmy Govorov, Michael McEniff, Niall Carr; Adam McGlone, Kyle McNulty, Diarmuid Spratt. Subs: Shane Moohan for M McCabe (44mins); Oran Gallagher for N Carr (56 mins) 

Gaoth Dobhair: Daniel Roarty;  Eamonn Mac Giolla Bhride, Gary McFadden, Ferghal Delaney; Cathal de Burca, Niall Friel, Seamus Doherty; Micheál Roarty,  Fionnan Mac Giolla Comhaill; Fiachra Mac Giolla Comhaill, Stephen Donna McFadden,  Seaghain O Fearraigh; Ethan Harkin, Mark McCole, Cathal Gillespie. Subs: Oisin Diver for C de Burca (48 mins) Darragh McGee for S Doherty (50 mins) 

Referee: Kevin McGinley (Naomh Columba)