Glenfin battle hard but Gaoth Dobhair come away with the points

With two league games remaining, Gaoth Dobhair look to be riding high as they remain top of Division 1 on 16 points following their four-point win on a wet and miserable day away in Glenfin. 

The home side, meanwhile, have a battle on their hands, with them lying in the relegation zone on five points, but with four matches left for the home team, there is still time to save their season. 

Glenfin started the stronger of the two sides as they raced into a three-point lead after 10 minutes of action with Shaun Ward, Ciaran Brady, and Jason Morrow all knocking over points for the home side. 

It took the 2018 county champions some time, but eventually they would find their groove as they hit three points without reply to level the contest in Glenfin, with Cathal Gillespie settling the away side with a free before Adam Mac Iomhar and Ethan Harkin levelled matters on the 15-minute mark. 

But Gaoth Dobhair didn’t stop there with Eoin de Burca slotting home the only goal of the game on the 17th minute after Fionnan Coyle drew in the defenders and goalkeeper, leaving him to square the ball to De Burca who palmed home into an empty net to leave it 1-3 to 0-3 points. 

It was nip-and-tuck for the final 10 minutes of the half, with both sides trading two points apiece, with Ethan Harkin kicking over both of Gaoth Dobhair’s scores to add to his tally, while Arron McGlynn and Shaun Ward both kicked points from dead balls which brought the half to an end, with only a goal separating the team in dire weather. 

With the scoreline standing at 1-5 to 0-5 at the break, it was the away team who started the stronger of the two teams in the second half, with Mark McFadden and Aodhan Breatnach hitting two points which opened up a five-point lead for the side currently standing on top of Division 1. 

Shaun Ward attempted to keep his side in the running with three points, two of which were super frees from distance, but Gaoth Dobhair by this point really found their groove and kept the scoreboard ticking over, with Cathal Gillespie kicking his second point from a free with 20 minutes remaining. 

But nothing was sealed yet, with only a goal separating the teams, the last 20 minutes saw a rather cagey affair with neither side landing that decisive score or willing to give anything away.  

Shaun Ward kicked his sixth of the afternoon with two minutes remaining to put two between the sides and set up a grand finish as the match entered injury time. But Gaoth Dobhair saw the game out, with Mark McFadden hitting over a point before goalkeeper Daithi Roberts nailed the ultimate free to seal a four-point win for Gaoth Dobhair.  

Scorers – Glenfin: Shaun Ward 0-6, 4fs; Aaron McGlynn 1M, Jason Morrow, and Ciaran Brady 0-1 each. Gaoth Dobhair: Ethan Harkin 0-3; Eoin de Burca 1-0; Cathal Gillespie 2fs, and Mark McFadden 0-2 each; Daithi Roberts 1f, Aodhan Breatnach and Adam Mac Iomhar 0-1 each. 

Glenfin: Kaine McGlynn; Martin O’Donnell, Gary Herron, Ross Marley; Odhran McGlynn, Jack Long, Mark McGinty; Stephen Ward, Jason Morrow; John Harkin, Shaun Ward, Aaron McGlynn; Ciaran Brady, Odhran O’Connor, Gerard Ward. Subs: Shane McGinty for Marley (20 mins), Luke McGlynn for Ward (Half-time).  

Gaoth Dobhair: Daithi Roberts; Aodan Breatnach, Adam Mac Iomhar, Fearghal Delaney; Donal Curran, Kieran Gillespie, Michael Roarty; Eamonn Mac Giolla Bhride, Fiachra Coyle; Fionnan Coyle, Stephen McFadden, Eoin de Burca; Ethan Harkin, Mark McFadden, Cathal Gillespie. Subs: Sean Doherty for Mac Giolla Bhride (15 mins), Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhride for Fiachra Coyle (43 mins), Jamie Doherty for Harkin (52 mins), James Boyle for Delaney (56 mins).