Naomh Conaill ease their way to Minor league glory against Naomh Colmcille

Naomh Conaill cruised to the All-County Minor Division 1 League title on Thursday with a 23-point win over Naomh Colmcille at the Donegal GAA Centre of Excellence. 

It was far from a gripping or pulsating contest, with the boys in blue dominating for the full hour, tallying 11 different scorers in the process to claim a 3-20 to 0-6 point win over the Newtowncunningham club. 

The Naomh Conaill men landed early scores from winning their opposition’s kickouts with Leon Gallagher McDyre, Thomas McDevitt with two, and Tiarán Ward all kicking over from distance to hit their side into an early lead. 

Continuous pressure from the Glenties club towards the Naomh Colmcille side was far too much for them to handle as they struggled to even get out of their own half, with Conor Farrell and Stephen McDevitt joining brilliantly together to break lines, find space, and kick over, with Farrell hitting over four points in the space of 10 minutes, while McDevitt scored two. 

Full-forward Jamie Byrne would eventually find his rhythm by hitting over his first point after 14 minutes, but less than a minute later he found that all-important goal to seal what looked like an early victory for Naomh Conaill. 

After winning the Naomh Colmcille kickout, Danny Brown found space to drive through, he fed the ball to Ward who fired for the goal, only to be denied by the post, but Byrne was on hand for the rebound to slap into the net as the green flag was raised. 

The Glenties minors found their second goal seconds later when a poor kickout was intercepted by Stephen McDevitt, who laid the ball to Brown who was flying off the shoulder and who slotted the ball into the lower corner of the net with ease. 

Naomh Colmcille kicked two frees over in the final 10 minutes of the half from Eoin Flanagan and Caolán Monaghan but at this stage, the gap looked too big as both sides went to the dressing room for the break with the scoreline standing at 2-11 to 0-2 points. 

The Naomh Colmcille boys could only double their tally from the first half, with Monaghan kicking three points over, while Flanagan raised his own white flag. 

Meanwhile, Naomh Conaill would extend their lead, hitting over 1-8 in that 30-minute period, with seven different scorers getting on the teamsheet.  

Their third goal came 11 minutes into the second half when Farrell was left unmarked charging down the wing, he found Brown off the shoulder who squared the ball to substitute Ethan Dewhirst, who rounded the keeper and the defence to fire home, with Naomh Conaill leaving the venue 3-20 to 0-6 point winners. 

Scorers – Naomh Conaill: Conor Farrell 0-4; Jamie Byrne 1-2; Danny Brown 1-1 each; Ethan Dewhirst 1-0; Stephen McDevitt and Tiarán Ward 1f, 0-3 each; Fergus Campbell and Thomas McDevitt 0-2 each; Conán Brannigan, Finnbarr Roarty and Leon Gallagher McDyre 0-1 each. Naomh Colmcille: Caolán Monaghan 0-4, 2fs; Eoin Flanagan 0-2, 1f. 

Naomh Conaill: Dylan McGlynn; Leon Gallagher McDyre, Conán Brannigan, Fergus Campbell; Peter McGlynn, Finnbarr Roarty, Daithi Molloy; Max Campbell, Danny Brown; Daniel Breslin, Tiarán Ward, Conor Farrell; Stephen McDevitt, Jamie Byrne, Thomas McDevitt. Subs: Alan McLoone for Gallagher McDyre (6 mins); Jamie McMonagle-Quinn for Breslin (HT); Ethan Dewhirst for Campbell (37 mins); Phelim Boyle for Thomas McDevitt (41 mins); Owen Hunter for Roarty (47 mins).  

Naomh Colmcille: Kia Brown; Ryan Gallagher, Ethan Cullen, Riordain Coyle-Carberry; Ronan Lynch, Eoin Flanagan, Luke Coyle; Kyle Martin, Dean Ramsey; Eoin Callaghan, Ben Coyle, Caolán Monaghan; Fintan Loughran, Matthew Doran, Ronan Buchanan. Subs: Oisin Campbel for Gallagher (HT); Lochlainn McDaid for Martin (51 mins); Shaun Carlin for Coyle (51 mins); Ben Coyle for Luke Coyle (59 mins). 

Referee: Stephen Doherty (Red Hughs)