Cassidy saves help Four Masters to big win over Buncrana in Tirconaill Park

Four Masters collected their second brace of points after a very good contest with Buncrana at a wet Tirconaill Park.

Four Masters 3-9
Buncrana 0-11

They say goals win games; well it could also be said that goalkeepers win games. Four Masters hit three goals but their veteran 'keeper, Martin Cassidy, was man of the match and their saviour with three great second half stops which could well have seen a different result.

In one of the best games of the league so far, Four Masters got a dream start when big Jason Duignan got on the end of a high centre to punch to the net for the opening score on four minutes.

Jamie Crawford won and pointed a free four minutes later before Buncrana got into their stride with big Peter McLaughlin at midfield and even bigger John Campbell at the edge of the square to the fore.

Campbell pointed a free from 50m and McLaughlin found the range from the same distance from play. Alex McCalmont had a point for the home side but McLaughlin cancelled that and when Campbell was fouled, Matthew Mulholland cut the deficit to the minimum on 22 minutes.

However, Four Masters struck for a second goal when Alex McCalmont made a great break and his cross found Killian Faulkner. His first attempt was blocked but he followed up to fire to the roof of the net.

But Buncrana responded really well with the last three points of the half from Campbell and Mulholland frees before Sean Doherty broke through and fired for goal but it was deflected just over the bar.
Half-time: Four Masters 2-2, Buncrana 0-7.

Four Masters had the slight breeze in their backs in the second half and started well with points from McCalmont, Faulkner, Cian Hegarty and a Richard O'Rourke '45'. In between Cassidy made a great save to deny William McLaughlin. Richard O'Rourke added another before the first Buncrana scores of the half arrived on 47 minutes, two inside 30 seconds from Michael McLaughlin and Ryan Hegarty.

Just after that Buncrana were reduced to 14 when Cathal McNutt saw red from referee Michael McShane.
O'Rourke won and pointed a free but that was cancelled by Peter McLaughlin before the game clinching third goal arrived with Jamie Crawford firing home from close range. Brian Fegan, who had earlier cut out a possible Buncrana goal, went forward to fist a point before Cassidy deflected a goal-bound shot from Oisin O'Flaherty over the crossbar in the 61st minute.
There was still time for Cassidy to make a wonder double save as Buncrana gave everything and young Conor Reid availed of a pass from his big brother to score the final point on his senior debut.

Four Masters scorers: Jamie Crawford and Killian Faulkner 1-1 each; Jason Duignan 1-0; Richard O'Rourke 0-3,f,'45'; Alex McCalmont 0-2; Brian Fegan, Cian Hegarty (f) 0-1 each.
Buncrana scorers: Peter McLaughlin 0-3; John Campbell 0-2,1f; Matthew Mulholland 0-2,2f; Sean Doherty, Michael McLaughlin, Oisin O'Flaherty, Ryan Hegarty 0-1 each.

FOUR MASTERS: Martin Cassidy; Brian Fegan, Aidan McHugh, Caolan Loughney; Leo McHugh, Aaron McCrea, Evan Gallagher; Patrick Reid, Oisin Reid; Richard O'Rourke, Jason Duignan, Alex McCalmont; Cian Hegarty, Jamie Crawford, Killian Crawford. Subs: Dara Geary for E Gallagher (ht); Joe Leape for C Hegarty (45); Darragh Quinn for McCalmont (52); Conor Reid for Duignan (58)

BUNCRANA: Harry Doherty; Conor Grant, Sean Doherty, JP McKenna; Noel McLaughlin, William McLaughlin, Aiden Stokes; Peter McLaughlin, Michael McLaughlin; Adrian Doherty, Oisin Crawford, Oisin O'Flaherty; Kent Jordan, John Campbell, Matthew Mulholland. Subs: Ryan Hegarty for McKenna (33); Cathal McNutt for Stokes (39); Ryan McElhinney for A Doherty (40); Oisin Hegarty for N McLaughlin (51).

REFEREE: Michael McShane (Kilcar)