Malin claim a point just as they looked as if they'd blown it against Four Masters

The late Danny McColgan was remembered at Connolly Park as Malin and Four Masters played out an entertaining draw in Division 1.

The hosts’ club chairman Pat McLaughlin (F) gave a moving tribute before the match to the recently deceased club stalwart McColgan with an impeccable minute's silence held as a mark of respect.

Then, in the game itself, it was one Malin should’ve won and yet could’ve lost. Malin led by eight at the break with Sean O'Neill hitting three two-pointers but needed a late Gary Farren point in injury time to rescue a draw as the Donegal Town men came back into it with Killian Faulkner to the fore, with six points.

Darragh Douglas opened the scoring for the home side after being fed by Christopher McLaughlin from Seamus Houghton's mark. Josh Conlon then hit a great effort from out on the right.

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Four Masters got off the mark with the game's only goal, when Faulkner fed Alex McCalmont who rifled in from the 13'. Darragh Douglas soon levelled though from the left shortly after, and he hit another soon after.

O'Neill then hit his first two-pointer from the 45, while Joe Leape then responded with a shot on the swivel to keep in touch and the away team got two in a row when Faulkner then cut in the right and pointed to bring it back to a point.

Malin then outscored the visitors nine points to two as they took control in the second quarter. Darragh Douglas started the run as he curled in from the left after a great mark and tap and go from O'Neill.

Paul McLaughlin then hit two quickfire scores, first after being fed by Finn Ward and then from a free, which he won himself, just inside the outer D. Brother Christopher then banged over after he did well to rescue a high solo.

Conor Reid replied for Barry Dunnion’s troops but Sean O'Neill then stroked over a two-pointer with ease. Christopher McLaughlin hit one from the right as Malin stretched the lead to seven.

McCalmont tapped over a free just on the 30-minute mark, but there was still time for another O'Neill two-pointer, his third of the day, to leave the halftime score Malin 0-15 Four Masters 1-4.

Faulkner opened the second half scoring from a free and the same player then got a two-pointer to bring it back to five after Malin were denied a point with the umpire being sent off in the process.
Christopher McLaughlin got the home side's first score of the second half after advantage was played. Oisin Reid hit a two-pointer and after 40 minutes, the lead was down to four. The same player then cut in from the left and fisted over.

The momentum was now with the Donegal Town men and Conor Reid drove over after winning the break from a kickout. It was down to one shortly after with a Killian Faulkner free after Patrick Reid was fouled.

When Tiernan McBride levelled matters with 10 minutes left, it looked like there would be only one winner but a young Malin side showed good resilience to dig in, and Darragh Douglas, with his fifth of the day, got Malin back ahead again down the left. It was short-lived, however, as Leape equalised right away.

Faulkner then hit a tremendous point out the left in what looked to be the winner, but up stepped corner back, Gary Farren, who doesn't get many, to calmly advance to the 21' and fired over to gain a well deserved draw in a good game of football. Two draws from two for Malin, after last week’s in Downings, while Dunnion can be content with his side’s three points from four.

Malin scorers: Sean O'Neill 0-6, 3tp; Darragh Douglas 0-5; Christopher McLaughlin 0-3; Paul McLaughlin 0-02 1f; Josh Conlon and Gary Farren 0-1.
Four Masters scorers: Killian Faulkner 0-6, 1tp, 2f, Alex McCamont 1-01, 1f, Oisin Reid 0-03, 1tp; Conor Reid and Joe Leape 0-2; Tiarnan McBride 0-1.

Malin: Zach Conlon; Sean Byrne, Taylor Bonner, Gary Farren; Mac McLaughlin, Ciaran Doherty, Finn Ward; Sean O'Neill, Darragh Douglas; Ben Curley, Josh Conlon, Aidan Doherty, Paul McLaughlin, Seamus Houghton, Christopher McLaughlin. Subs: Ciaran O'Kane and Matthew Mullarkey for Houghton and A Doherty (half-time) Michael Walsh for Curley (58)
Four Masters: Ryan Haughey; Eoghan O'Neill, Dylan Kennedy, Daniel McGinty; Jamie Crawford, Oisin Reid, Cian Gavigan; Kevin McBrerty, Tiarnan McBride; Patrick Reid, Conor Reid, Joe Leape; Alex McCalmont, Killian Faulkner, Oisin Doherty. Sub: Patrick McGonagle for McBrearty (8).
Referee: Anthony McCallig (Naomh Ultan)