Gaoth Dobhair get U-21 campaign off the mark with MacCumhaills win 

Gaoth Dobhair began their hunt for ‘three-in-a-row’ at this level with a comfortable win over MacCumhaills in Magheragallon on Saturday afternoon. 

In absolutely miserable conditions, the home side eventually got to grips with their visitors who didn’t register a single score in the second period. 

Matters were locked at 0-3 a piece at the changeover. But Gaoth Dobhair were just a little more polished and, indeed, direct, as they tagged on 1-4 uninterrupted to take what was, in the end, a deserving seven-point win. 

With torrential rain beating down from the first whistle to the last, and a cross-field breeze just as consistent, the hosts were off the mark first, on five minutes, thanks to Oisin Diver. 

MacCumhaills tied it up on the quarter-hour mark through Noah Griffin Reid. Eamonn Mac Giolla Bhríde and a well-struck Conor McGinty free again left matters deadlocked by the 23rd minute. 

And before the short whistle, Liam Breathnach and Darragh Boyle (free) both hit the mark to leave matters delicately poised at the changeover. 

However, Gaoth Dobhair were much more purposeful with their efforts on the restart but it was a fortuitous enough Diver goal just seconds in that really swung the momentum in this contest. 

A long delivery into the area by Eamonn Mac Giolla Bhríde dropped awkwardly in front of Ronan Callaghan and with Diver reacting quickest, a three-point deficit suddenly opened up. 

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Stephen ‘Donna’ McFadden added a fourth Gaoth Dobhair point on 41 minutes as MacCumhaills’ challenge tapered off completely. 

Cathal Ó Gallachóir - all the way from corner back in the 47th minute - left it 1-5 to 0-3 while closing efforts from Stephen ‘Donna’ McFadden, one from play and one from a free, brought a saturated curtain down on proceedings. 

Gaoth Dobhair scorers: Oisin Diver 1-1; Johnnie Mac Giolla Bhríde 0-1; Eamonn Mac Giolla Bhríde 0-1;  Liam Breathnach 0-1; Stephen ‘Donna’ McFadden 0-3,2f.

MacCumhaills scorers: Noah Griffin Reid 0-1; Conor McGinty 0-1,1f; Darragh Boyle 0-1,1f. 

Gaoth Dobhair: Padraig Mac Giolla Bhríde; Tiarnan Misteal, Sean Ó Gallachóir, Cathal Ó Gallachóir; Jordi Gribben, Adam Mac Íomhair, Cathal de Búrca; Stephen ‘Donna’ McFadden, Eamonn Mac Giolla Bhríde; Cian McEntee, Martin Coyle, Johnnie Mac Giolla Bhríde; Colm Ó Dochartaigh, Oisin Diver, Liam Breathnach. 

Subs: Cronan McFadden for J Mac Giolla Bhríde (41) Darragh McGee for Diver (55), Lee Mac Giolla Bhríde for Mac Iomhair (58).  

MacCumhaills: Ronan Callaghan; Fionn McGinty, Cian Mulligan, Eoin McGonagle; Conor Thompson, Ruairi Callaghan, Darragh Boyle; Sean Breen, Sean Martin; Conor Murphy, Conor McGinty, Noah Griffin Reid; Fionn McNulty, Andrew Murray, Josh McMenamin.

Subs: Oisin McGinty for Murphy (49), Martin Mbuli and Josh Reid for Mulligan and Griffin Reid (both 57)

Referee: Anthony McCallig (Naomh Ultan)