Glenfin do just enough in seesaw derby with Glenswilly

Glenfin let a seven-point lead slip and had to come from behind to overcome Glenswilly to make it two-from-two in Division 1.

Glenfin 2-14

Glenswilly 0-18

Early goals from Gary Herron and Karl McGlynn had Glenfin firmly in front, but Glenswilly, as has been their wont over the last decade, refused to buckle.

Glenswilly scored the last two points of the first half and the first five of the second to take the lead. When Caoimhinn Marley arched over in the 39th minute, Glenswilly were ahead for the first time.

Shaun Ward, one of Glenfin’s new faces, curled over a beauty to draw things level again.

They needed an instant riposte, given to them by Jason Morrow, after Gary McFadden - who scored nine frees for the visitors - restored the lead.

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Glenfin were pushed all the way down the home stretch, but Luke McGlynn’s introduction from the bench for the final quarter was a key move.

McGlynn posted four points in the closing stages and was a real handful for Glenswilly.

McFadden kept Glenswilly right in it until James Connors finally blew the whistle for the last time, after six minutes of added time at the end.

McGlynn clipped over four of Glenfin’s last five scores with Daniel McGlynn also slamming over to seal victory for the An Gaeltacht Lár men.

Glenfin, on the back of an away win at Cloughaneely last weekend, got off to the best possible start. Inside the opening minute, corner-back Herron finished a move he’d started, palming home.

By the seventh minute of a whirlwind beginning, Shaun Ward’s brace and Ronan Carlin’s pointed mark had Glenfin 1-3 to 0-2 ahead.

A pair of McFadden frees inched Glenswilly closer, but Glenfin hit 1-2 to take a real grip.

The second goal arrived in the 13th minute. A nifty move from the hosts ended with Morrow teeing up Karl McGlynn to find the roof of the net.

A classy Odhran McGlynn point with Glenfin purring helped to put seven between them, but Glenswilly hit back.

At the changeover, Glenswilly were back to within four (2-6 to 0-8).

Caolan Kelly put a dent in the deficit with a pair of points, one off the outside and one with the inside of his right boot.

Mark McAteer converted from distance in added time to give the home side something to ponder over the half-time refreshments.

They had more than that to digest when Glenswilly briefly moved ahead, but Glenfin managed to carve out the win.

Glenfin scorers: Shaun Ward (0-5, 4f), Luke McGlynn (0-4, 2f), Gary Herron (1-0), Karl McGlynn (1-0), Daniel McGlynn (0-2), Ronan Carlin (0-1m), Odhran McGlynn (0-1) Jason Morrow (0-1).

Glenswilly scorers: Gary McFadden (0-9f), Caolan Kelly (0-3), Cormac Callaghan (0-1), Leigh Crerand (0-1), Shane McDevitt (0-1m), Caoimhinn Marley (0-1), Sean Collum (0-1), Mark McAteer (0-1).

Glenfin: Andrew Walsh; Martin O’Donnell, John Harkin, Gary Herron; Odhran McGlynn, Mark McGinty, Shane McGinty; Stephen Carr, Stephen Ward; Karl McGlynn, Shaun Ward, Aaron McGlynn; Ronan Carlin, Jason Morrow, Daniel McGlynn. Subs: Ross Marley and Ciaran Bradley for A.McGlynn and S.McGinty (41), Luke McGlynn for K.McGlynn (45), Gary Dorrian for Marley (60).

Glenswilly: Philip O’Donnell; Shane McDaid, Mark McAteer, Ryan Diver; Cormac Callaghan, Caolan Kelly, Sean Collum; Leigh Crerand, Caoimhinn Marley; Sean Wogan, Kealan Dunleavy, Gary Kelly; Shane McDevitt, Gary McFadden, Jack Gallagher. Subs: Oisin Crawford for Wogan (half-time), Caolan Carberry for G.Kelly (56).

Referee: James Connors (St Eunan’s).