Glenswilly edge past Gaoth Dobhair in epic U-21 semi-final

Glenswilly stopped Gaoth Dobhair from achieving an all-conquering three U-21 titles in-a-row following their one-point semi-final win over the Gaeltacht men on a wet and windy afternoon in Milford. 

In a repeat of last year’s final, it looked like for long periods in the second half that it was going to be Gaoth Dobhair’s day as they rattled off three unanswered points inside four minutes to take a two-point lead.  

But there was always that feeling that a goal would almost decide the winning and losing of the game, and that’s exactly what Glenswilly got in the 47th minute when Oisin McGrenra slotted home their first score of the second half to put them back into the lead, one they never relinquished after that as they held on for the win. 

Overall, this was a spellbinding, thunderous, physical, and breathless semi-final all at once, with neither team pausing to take a breath. 

Gaoth Dobhair put everything they could to keep their U-21 three in-a-row ambitious alive but Glenswilly would not let up as the Gaeltacht men’s hope for more silverware went up in smoke. 

Nail Gallagher’s men used the strong wind to their advantage in the first half, and that proved to be the difference in the end with Gaoth Dobhair failing to capitalise on the assistance of the wind in the second half when things were getting tough. 

Johnny McBride got Gaoth Dobhair off the mark on the fifth minute when Oisin Diver sent him through for the half-forward to fire over. 

And while Glenswilly hit eight wides in the first half, most of their first-half points which were kicked from long range had to be commended with Shane Tinney starting the trend with a free on the 45-metre line taken out of his hands to land his team’s first point. 

Gaoth Dobhair looked by far the stronger team in the opening quarter, especially around midfield where Stephen McFadden was winning primary possession and moving at the Glenswilly backline with ease, resulting in three points on the trot, the first from the towering midfielder himself, while the second was slotted over by Fionnan Coyle, with McFadden again on hand with the third. 

But Glenswilly came back strong with five unanswered points. Mark Bonner and Tinney slotted two scores over from tight angles and assisted by the wind, while Reid Kelly levelled the match on the 20th minute before Bonner nailed two more monstrous points showing Glenswilly’s intent to avoid the Gaoth Dobhair defence and kick over their backline. 

McFadden would steady the ship with two further points to level the game, but Glenswilly’s half-forward Kelly had the final say with one last attack as he nailed over to leave Glenswilly leading at the break with a 0-7 to 0-6 scoreline but perhaps felt they should’ve been further ahead with the wind. 

Gaoth Dobhair got a fresh impetus in the second half, and while it took 10 minutes for either team to score, once the men in green and white landed their first score from McFadden, two more quickly followed in the space of a minute. 

They were also unfortunate not to land the game’s opening goal when McFadden miskicked the ball which dropped short but was missed by goalkeeper John Quinn with the ball bouncing off the crossbar and eventually falling over the bar. 

At this point McFadden was cruising as Johnny McBride assisted with a second point to his name, with it looking like Glenswilly was ready to push panic buttons. But that never happened as Gallagher’s men continued to withstand what Gaoth Dobhair threw at them. 

And then came the goal, with McGrenra being fed through by Pauric Devine allowing the corner forward to slot home following a messy scramble on the ground for the ball, leaving the scoreline at 1-7 to 0-9 going into the final 10 minutes. 

They nearly had a second goal seconds later when Bonner shot for the corner but Padraig Mac Giolla Bhríde was on hand and pulled off a wonder save. 

By this point, it could’ve gone either way but Glenswilly had the lead which was increased minutes later when Kelly broke through the Gaoth Dobhair defence to fire over. 

The Gaoth Dobhair goalkeeper Mac Giolla Bhríde was the only player at this stage who used the wind to his side’s advantage when he fired long from 45 metres to grab a point and put one back between the teams, but Kelly again increased his side’s advantage with his fourth of the afternoon. 

Corner-back Cathal Ó Gallchoir tried to salvage something for his side but had to settle for a point in injury time which proved to be the final act of play as Glenswilly got their revenge over Gaoth Dobhair one year on from their U-21 final defeat and are now one step closer to silverware but must see past Four Masters if they are to do so. 

But for now, pace and skill have trumped experience and craft as Glenswilly ran out worthy winners. 

Glenswilly scorers: Reid Kelly 0-4; Mark Bonner 0-3; Oisin McGrenra 1-0; Shane Tinney 0-2, 1f. 
Gaoth Dobhair scorers: Stephen McFadden 0-6, 2fs; Johnny McBride 0-2; Padraig MacGiolla Bhríde, Cathal Ó Gallchoir, Fionnan Coyle 0-1 each. 

Glenswilly: John Quinn; Mickey Toner, Jake Kelly, Dylan McAteer; Oisin McDaid, Donal Gallagher, Pauric Devine; Jamie McCauley, Darragh Enright; Mark Bonner, Reid Kelly, Gary Kelly; Shane Tinney, Daithi Gildea, Oisin McGrenra. 

Gaoth Dobhair: Padraig Mac Giolla Bhríde; Cathal Ó Gallchoir, Seán Ó Gallchoir, Eamonn Mac Giolla Bhríde; Jordi Gribben, Adam Mac Íomhair, Cathal de Burca; Stephen McFadden, Darragh McHugh; Cronan Mac Phaidín, Fionnan Coyle, Johnny McBride; Colm Doherty, Oisin Diver, Liam Breathnach. Subs: Johnny O’Donnell for De Burca (HT), Martin Coyle for Doherty (42), Adam McGowan for Mac Phaidin (54). 

Referee: Martin McCormick (Glenfin)