MacCumhaills pushed right to the wire as Killybegs surge late

MacCumhaills had to dig deep in Fintra to hold off a late Killybegs rally with the visitors getting over the line, in the end, with just two to spare. 

With contrasting fortunes first day out - the hosts losing away to St Michael’s and the Twin Towns outfit winning in Ardara - the pressure already felt like it was on for Killybegs. 

They were again without the sidelined Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Jon Ban Gallagher as well as Cillian Gildea while Jack McSharry, red-carded last weekend at the Bridge, had that sanction overturned just prior to Saturday evening by way of video evidence.  

MacCumhaills were minus the services of ace scoring pair Oisin Gallen and Joel Bradley Walsh while Sean Martin was also on the injured list. 

Gallen limped off early on in that opening-day win over Ardara while MacCumhaills boss Gary Wilson said after that Bradley Walsh’s absence was simply because of a hamstring complaint despite rumours of an unsanctioned appearance Stateside possibly influencing their selection. 

Regardless, it looked like MacCumhaills were well on their way to victory at the changeover as they led 1-6 to 0-2. 

With a strong breeze in their backs, Marty O’Reilly palmed in an eighth-minute goal but his evening was cut short in the process as he picked up a heavy knock. 

Cian Mulligan got matters going for MacCumhaills while the likes of Kevin McCormick, twice, Conor Griffin, Conor McGinty and Jamie Keegan all registered in that lopsided opening stanza. 

Pauric Bonner’s team didn’t get off the mark until the 30th minute as Eoin Mulligan, twice, split the posts in quick succession. Still, at the changeover, seven points separated the sides.  

Keegan kept that momentum going on the restart from a free but a brace of Hugh McFadden placed balls doubled the Fishermen’s previous tally as 0-4 now chased 1-7. 

MacCumhaills replacement Steven O’Reilly and Ryan Cunningham swapped overs before the visitors had Andrew McCloskey black-carded. 

But passing the three-quarter hour mark MacCumhaills still looked set for a routine win as McCormick made it 1-9 to 0-5. 

However, down the stretch, Killybegs rallied with Seamus Óg Byrne’s superb run from inside his own half culminating in the defender rattling the roof of the home net. 

Keegan fired back from a free but another Killybegs incision seen Jack McSharry - with Paul Cunningham free to his left - denied by Josh Coyler.

McFadden lamped over the resulting ‘45 while the impressive Mulligan grabbed his third to leave three in it. It looked like McCormick had doused those flicking flames when he twice cleared the crossbar to make it 1-12 to 1-7. 

But with McSharry, Odhran McGuinness and Rory Colyer all posting late on, MacCumhaills just about made it to the whistle. 

Killybegs scorers: Hugh McFadden 0-3,2f, 1’45; Eoin Mulligan 0-3; Seamus Óg Byrne 1-0; Jack McSharry 0-1; Rory Colyer 0-1; Odhran McGuinness 0-1; Ryan Cunningham 0-1. 

MacCumhaills scorers:  Kevin McCormick 0-4,1f; Martin O’Reilly 1-0; Conor McGinty 0-1; Jamie Keegan 0-3,2f; Conor Griffin 0-1; Steven O’Reilly 0-2; Cian Mulligan 0-1.  

Killybegs: Josh Colyer; Eoin McGing, Michael Callaghan, Ryan Carr; Mark Finnerty, Seamus Óg Byrne, Eoin Mulligan; Rory Colyer, Evan Broderick; Christopher Mulligan, Ryan Cunningham, Odhran McGuinness; Paul Cunningham, Hugh McFadden, Jack McSharry.

Subs: Timmy Gorrell for E McGing (42), Owen Gallagher for E Mulligan (51). 

MacCumhaills: Jordan Nugent; Cian Mulligan, Ronan McMenamin, Andrew McCloskey; Fintan Griffin, Aaron Gillooley, Conor Griffin; Chad McSorley, Gavin Gallagher; Jack Duffy, Jamie Keegan, Shaun McMenamin; Conor McGinty, Marty O’Reilly, Kevin McCormick.

Subs: Steven O’Reilly for M O’Reilly (8 mins, inj), Joseph Boyle for S O’Reilly (47), Sean Breen for Jack Duffy (59).

Referee: Cathal Boland (Ardara)