St Michael’s just about hold off resurgent Dungloe to remain unbeaten 

St Michael’s made it three wins from three in the SFC with the narrowest of wins over Dungloe on Sunday. 

Both sides went into the weekend’s encounter with maximum points pinned to the board so something had to give at the Bridge. 

In what could best be described as atrocious conditions, this was always going to be a game of two halves. 

Exiting at the break, Michael’s held an 0-8 to 0-1 upper hand. And the question at that stage was would a cushion of seven be enough? 

Dungloe rallied in the second stanza and drew level on 58 minutes. However, Michael Langan, like he so often did in the opening half hour, stepped up to the plate one last time to win it for Michael’s.

The hosts kicked with the galeforce wind in the first period with Langan nailing two early frees from distance to put his side as many clear inside the opening ten minutes. 

Dungloe’s first foray inside the home defensive third resulted in Conor Greene managing to clear the crossbar. 

But with the driving elements in their backs, St Michael’s would manage to tag on a further six points before Martin Coll’s short whistle. 

Carlos O’Reilly booked ended that tally with the white flags in between raised by Colin McFadden, Jamie Hunter and a further two from Langan to leave seven in it at the changeover. 

Dungloe’s start to the new half was sluggish and it took them close to eight minutes to get going. Even then, it was goalkeeper Danny Rodgers that got them off the mark with a huge free. 

On 40 minutes, Ryan Connors launched over a fine effort from the far right as 0-3 now chased 0-8. And moving into the fourth and final quarter Rodgers landed a second placed ball of the game to leave four in it. 

The Dungloe keeper again came up the field to boom over a 50m free and just a single green flag now split the teams.

Now settling to the task at hand, Dylan Sweeney kicked a fifth Dungloe point on the trot with nine minutes left on the clock. 

With matters set up for a grandstand finish Sweeney and Greene - after Langan cleared off his own line - landed points to tie matters up two minutes out from the end. 

Moving into added time, Michael’s breaking of their scoring duck was timely as Langan lamped over a really difficult free on the far right. 

Dungloe pressed hard for an equaliser at the death but Michael’s just about held on for the win.  

St Michael’s scorers: Michael Langan 0-5,2f; Colin McFadden 0-1; Carlos O’Reilly 0-2; Jamie Hunter 0-1. 

Dungloe scorers: Conor Greene 0-2; Danny Rodgers 0-3,3f; Ryan Connors 0-1; Dylan Sweeney 0-2. 

St Michael's: Mark Anthony McGinley; Jamie Hunter, Liam Pól Ferry, Patrick McGinley; Andrew Kelly, Ciaran Kelly, Michael Cannon; Kyle McGarvey, Colin McFadden; Oisin Langan, Martin McElhinney, Stephen Doak; Edward O'Reilly, Michael Langan, Carlos O'Reilly.

Subs: Daniel McLaughlin for E O’Reilly (43). 

Dungloe: Danny Rodgers; Jason McBride, Aaron Ward, Mark Curran; Barry Curran, Conor O'Donnell, Karl Magee; Darren Curran, Ryan Connors; Dylan Sweeney, Darragh Gallagher, Matthew Ward; Oran Gallagher, Conor Greene, Oisin Bonner.

Subs: Aaron Neely for O Gallagher (44), Shaun McGee for Oisin Bonner (55).

Referee: Martin Coll (Gaoth Dobhair).