Kieran Gallagher returns to Naomh Conaill in style to fashion draw at Glenswilly

The introduction of Kieran Gallagher was the pivotal moment as Naomh Conaill clawed their way back from nine points down to earn a hard-fought draw at Glenswilly in Division 1.

With a host of young players on board for both managers, Gary McDaid and Martin Regan, very few were left disappointed in a contest that grew in excitement the longer it went on.

Naomh Conaill were out of sorts and almost out of contention at 0-13 to 0-4 down when Gallagher came off the bench for his first appearance in three seasons for the Glenties-based team.

Having returned from Vancouver in Canada over the winter months and working as a physiotherapist at home, he scored two, having come on with 42 minutes played. Glenswilly were down to 14 as Jamie McCauley saw the line for two bookable offences a minute later as the tide began to turn.

Glenswilly went in 0-5 to 0-2 in front at half-time, showing that adage that teams from Donegal are almost as happy playing against the wind. They had five different first-half scorers, with Oisin McGrenra, Sean Collum, Oisin Crawford, Shane Tinney and Mark Bonner all getting white flags raised.

Dermot Molloy had popped over two frees for the visitors, who also manufactured the best goal chance, with Caolan Kelly in the Glenswilly goal making a great stop from Daniel Gildea after Tiernan Ward had set him free. 

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With the wind not as strong but still a factor, Glenswilly made hay early in the second half, with an excellent third quarter. After Naomh Conaill had hit the first couple, through Molloy and Keelan McGill, Tinney put over two two-pointers, either side of another from outside of the arc from Mark Bonner. Tinney and Mark Collum added points and it was a nine-point game that seemed to be meandering to a comfortable home win.

But with Gallagher on and Glenswilly down to 14, the comeback began. Keelan McGill played the final pass to Gallagher to shoot a goal for Naomh Conaill past Kelly on 46 and a score from John O’Malley and two Molloy frees meant the score was 0-13 to 1-7.

Gallagher then added a second goal, when he beat Kelly to the punch when a pop at a point from Brendan McDyer fell short. Four minutes left, the sides were level at 0-13 to 2-7 and the momentum was going the one way, you’d have thought.

Kealan Dunleavy’s 45 and Molloy’s free meant it was still level going down the final straight. Naomh Conaill were penalised for not having enough men up and Glenswilly were awarded a close-range free, which was put over by Tinney. However, Naomh Conaill kept their cool and Daniel Gildea was on hand to level the match in its final attack.

Glenswilly scorers: Shane Tinney 0-7, 1f, 2 2pt; Mark Bonner 0-3, 1 2pt; Oisin McGrenra, Sean Collum, Oisin Crawford, Mark Collum 0-1; Kealan Dunleavy 0-1, 45.
Naomh Conaill scorers: Kieran Gallagher 2-0; Dermot Molloy 0-6, 6f; Keelan McGill, John O’Malley, Daniel Gildea 0-1.

Glenswilly: Caolan Kelly; Mikey Toner, Jake Kelly, Liam McGinley; Cormac Callaghan, Sean Collum, Oisin Crawford; Kealan Dunleavy, Jamie McCauley; Reid Kelly, Mark Bonner, Pauric Devine; Shane Tinney, Oisin McGrenra, Mark Collum. Subs: Darragh Enright for Devine (58), Cillian Bonner for M Collum (59), Aiden Friel for Crawford (60)
Naomh Conaill: Jordan O’Donnell; Logan Quinn, Jason Campbell, Hugh Gallagher; Shane McDevitt, Conor Roarty, Jack McGlynn; Neil Francis Boyle, Keelan McGill; Brendan McDyer, John O’Malley, Daniel Gildea; Tiarnan Ward, Dermot Molloy, Danny Brown. Subs: Kieran Gallagher for Brown (42), Stephen Molloy for McGlynn (44), Odhrán Doherty for McDevitt (53), Jamie McHugh for Ward (58)
Referee: Cathal Boland (Ardara)