Killybegs post fine opening day win at Glenswilly

Killybegs got the Division 1 season up and running with an impressive four-point win over Glenswilly.

Glenswilly 1-6
Killybegs 1-10

It was the perfect start for new managers Shane Molloy and Antoine O’Hara and the new bosses had to be very happy with how their young side performed on the first day out and away from home.

Driven on by Seamus Óg Byrne at centre-back and Christopher Mulligan and Rory Colyer in the middle of the field, the visitors took the fight to the locals from the off. They raced into an early lead thanks to points from Jack McSharry and Ryan Carr and before Christopher McMonagle landed the first of Glenswilly’s scores.

Shane McDevitt hit the other Glenswilly point. The livewire corner-forward also struck the Glenswilly goal when he got on the end of a sweeping move involving Gary Kelly and McMonagle.

The goal on 19 minutes wiped out Killybegs’ early advantage and propelled Glenswilly into a 1-2 to 0-4 lead. But the Fishermen never blinked and thanks to further points from McSharry, Conor Cunningham and Christopher Mulligan, led by three points 0-8 to 1-2 at half-time.

Killybegs started the second period on the front foot, again. And they were six up within two minutes of the restart when goalkeeper Kealan McFadden was adjudged by umpire Ciaran Harley to have stepped behind the line to save from a Byrne strike from 30 metres.

Mulligan landed a brilliant point shortly after the goal to extend the lead out to a healthy seven points, 1-9 to 1-2, seven minutes into the second period.

And while Glenswily did mount a strong challenge, Gary McFadden and Caolan Kelly kept the scoreboard ticking over for the home side, Ryan Carr took the ball off his own line in the closing minutes as Killybegs held out for a deserved win. Killybegs lost Evan Broderick to injury in the warm-up.

Killybegs scorers: Jack McSharry (0-4, 2f), Conor Cunningham (0-3,1f), Seamus Óg Byrne (1-0), Christopher Mulligan (0-1).
Glenswilly scorers: Shane McDevitt (1-1, 1f), Gary McFadden (0-2, 2f) Christopher McMonagle (0-1), Caoimhin Marley (0-1).

Glenswilly: Kealan McFadden; Mark McAteer, Ruairi Crawford, Shane McDaid; Cormac Callaghan, Ryan Diver, Sean Collum; Lee Crerand, Caoimhin Marley; Sean Wogan, Gary McFadden, Gary Kelly; Shane McDevitt, Christopher McMonagle, Caolan Kelly. Sub: Oisin Crawford for McMonagle (h/t).

Killybegs: Corey Byrne; Cillian Gildea, Niall Carberry, Owen McGing; Calum Quinn, Seamus Óg Byrne, Ryan Carr; Christopher Mulligan, Ruairi Colyer; Sean Gorrell, Oran McGuinness, John Ban Gallagher; Conor Cunningham, Jack McSharry, Charlie Breslin. Subs: Niall Campbell for McGuinness, Christopher Murrin for J Ban Gallagher (both 42); Owen Gallagher for Quinn (50); Christopher Cunningham for Breslin (57); Michael Callaghan for Mulligan (60).

Referee: Marc Brown (Four Masters)