Gaoth Dobhair ease past MacCumhaill's in Donegal SFC preliminary quarter-final

Gaoth Dobhair enjoyed a fuss-free passage to the quarter-finals of the Donegal SFC, when they disposed of MacCumhaill’s at O’Donnell Park.

The Magheragallon outfit produced the mixed lot in the group stages, winning two and losing two but perhaps the nature of the last of those - a 0-6 to 0-5 loss at home to St Michael’s - would’ve been the thing that gnawed the most.

In Letterkenny though, there were no such complexities in front of goal as they set about their task right from the start, with three points on the board by the time three minutes had been played. Eamonn Collum, Fionnán Coyle and Eoin de Búrca were the ones who set the wheels in motion, with Collum making it 0-4 to 0-0 on 10 minutes.

It took MacCumhaill’s 12 minutes to register, which they managed from the first of two Oisín Gallen frees, although by the 19th minute, it was the team managed by Ronan Mac Niallais who were still in control. Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhríde had added their fifth point with a top-class effort from long range.

With corner-back Aaron Gilhooley punching the Twin Towns’ team’s first point from play, Ethan Harkin, Gaoth Dobhair’s go-to man in the forward line, put over three frees and Dáire Ó Baoill hit an eye-catching point for a lead of 0-9 to 0-3.

Kevin McCormack’s score momentarily lifted MacCumhaill’s, although Harkin, with an excellently worked mark, rounded off the first-half scoring which made for a 0-10 to 0-4 Gaoth Dibhair advantage at the interval.

When it comes to barometers of their standing in recent seasons, Gaoth Dobhair is perhaps the team that MacCumhaill’s can judge themselves on, so frequent the clashes have been.

Twelve months ago, they left O’Donnell Park with plenty of pats on the back and although Gallen was the semi-final’s most impressive player with 10 points, it was Gaoth Dobhair who won out on a scoreline of 3-9 to 0-11.

Whatever about progress, the MacCumhaill’s management would’ve been disappointed to see an Ó Baoill bounce over the crossbar at the start of part two. MacCumhaill’s might’ve got back into it only for Daithí Roberts to make a great recovery save at the feet of McCormack after a free from Gallen dropped short.

Gaoth Dobhair were controlling the pace of the contest and Stephen Donna McFadden made it an eight-point game while, at the other end, with Gallen shooting for a goal, Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhríde blocked superbly. The MacCumhaill’s forward drilled over the 45 from the left and added a free on 47, to leave his team 0-12 to 0-6 in arrears.

Ó Baoill pointed at the Town End and then set de Burca away and with too much time, went to place the ball in the top corner only to see Eoin Gallen get the slightest touch to keep MacCumhaill’s faint hopes alive. When Mac Giolla Bhríde got through moments later, he was happy enough to fist over and with five to play, it was 0-14 to 0-6.

Gallen and Steven O’Reilly scored late points for MacCumhaill’s but Gaoth Dobhair did manage to put the ball into the net late on from McFadden in a three-on-one only to be penalised for square ball. Cathal Gillespie’s close-range free and punched point cleared the runway and Gaoth Dobhair had lift-off.

Gaoth Dobhair scorers: Ethan Harkin 0-4, 4f; Dáire Ó Baoill 0-3; Eamonn Collum and Cathal Gillespie 0-2, 1f; Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhríde 0-2; Fionnán Coyle, Eoin de Búrca, Stephen Donna McFadden 0-1.

Sean MacCumhaill’s scorers: Oisín Gallen 0-5, 4f, 45; Aaron Gilhooley 0-1; Kevin McCormack, Steven O’Reilly 0-1

Gaoth Dobhair: Daithí Roberts; Aodán Breahtnach, Gary McFadden, Danny Curran; Stephen Donna McFadden, Niall Friel, Neasán Mac Giolla Bhríde; Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhríde, Micheál Roarty; Fionnán Coyle, Eamonn Collum, Adan McGeever; Eoin de Búrca, Dáire Ó Baoill, Ethan Harkin. Subs: for Fiachra Coyle for Collum (44), Cian McEntee for Fionnán Coyle (53), Cathal Gillespie and Seaghán Ferry for N Mac Giolla Bhríde Harkin (57)

Sean MacCumhaill’s: Eoin Gallen; Cian Mulligan, Conor Griffin, Aaron Gilhooley; Fintan Griffin, Luke Gavigan, Andrew McCloskey; Gavin Gallagher, Joe Boyle; Sean Martin, Jamie Keegan, Shaun McMenamin; Conor McGinty, Oisín Gallen, Kevin McCormack. Subs: Ronan McManmin and Steven O’Reilly for C Griffin and F Griffin (44), Sean Breen for S McMenamin (51), Jack Duffy for Keegan (54).
Referee: Anthony Mc Callig (Naomh Ultan)