Sean MacCumhaills hold off Buncrana fightback for home win

Sean MacCumhaills were good value for a useful win over Buncrana in Ballybofey on Sunday.

Sean MacCumhaills 1-10

Buncrana 1-6

In a first half in which conditions were unplayable at times with driving wind and rain, the home side’s defensive work was made easier and the MacCumhaills side went in 0-7 to 0-3 ahead at half time.

Gary Wilson, Joel Bradley-Walsh (two apiece), Chad McSorley, Kevin McCormack and Cian Mulligan (0-1 each) landed the hosts’ point.

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Peter McLaughlin, Michael McLaughlin and Liam McLaughlin (free) registered for the visitors, who had a goal chance denied early on after a sideline ball was intercepted.

The second half was a slow burner with both teams finding it hard to break through the other’s setup and squandering vital and hard-earned possession.

Young corner-back Eoin McGonagle hit the first point of the half for the hosts and a Liam McLaughlin free was Buncrana’s reply.

The next 15 minutes of the game will be easily forgotten for both sides as chances were few and far between, but the next few minutes would see five scores between both sides.

Ryan Hegarty pointed for the visitors to pull the game back to three, but after a good move involving Jamie Keegan and Kevin McCormack, Joel Bradley-Walsh drove the ball past Harry Doherty in the Buncrana nets.

MacCumhaills, with a seven-point lead entering into the final few minutes, were looking comfortable to see out the rest of game, but sub John Paul McKenna found the back of the net to reduce the deficit.

Sean MacCumhaills scorers: Joel Bradley-Walsh (2f, 1 ’45) 1-3; Gary Wilson , Kevin McCormack 0-2; Cian Mulligan, Eoin McGonagle, Chad McSorley 0-1 each.

Buncrana scorers: J.P McKenna 1-0; Liam McLaughlin 0-2f); Peter McLaughlin, Michael McLaughlin, Ryan Hegarty, Kevin Tracey 0-1.

Seán MacCumhaill’s: Eoin Gallen; Eoin McGonagle, Ronan McMenamin, Gary Dunnion; Adam Lynch, Andrew McCloskey, Chad McSorley; Gavin Gallagher, Padhraic Patton; Gary Wilson, Jamie Keegan, Cian Mulligan; Kevin McCormack, Joel Bradley-Walsh, Joseph Boyle. Subs: Benny McLaughlin for Bradley-Walsh, Steven O’Reilly for Patton.

Buncrana: Harry Doherty; Stephen Doherty, Sean Doherty, Cathal McNutt; Aidan Stokes. Liam McLaughlin, Oisin Crawford; Peter McLaughlin, Oisin O’Flaherty; Adrian Doherty, Matthew Mulholland, Michael McLaughlin; Ryan Hegarty, Oisin Hegarty, Ryan McElhinney. Subs: Kevin Tracey for Hegarty, Darach O’Connor for Mulholland, J.P McKenna for Crawford

Referee: Shaun McLaughlin (Malin)