Dungloe go two from two with home IFC victory over Gaeil Fhanáda

Dungloe’s pace and counter-attack were crucial in this deserved victory over visitors Gaeil Fhanáda at a sunny Rosses Park in the Donegal IFC. 

Dungloe 3-9 
Gaeil Fhanáda 2-5 

The game did not really ignite until after the break and the second half saw four goals - two from each side - with the hosts always carrying the greater threat. 

Darren Curran, Oisin Bonner and sub Christy Greene got the vital goals for the home side with Patrick Carr and Michael Sweeney replying for the Fanad men. For the winners the Currans, Daire Gallagher and Oisin Bonner were especially prominent while Gaeil Fhanáda were best served by Bernard McGettigan, Darren McElwaine and Seamus Coyle. 

The first quarter was a very cagey affair with Darren Curran and an Oisin Bonner free edging Dungloe into a 0-2 to 0-0 lead by the seventh minute. Gaeil Fhanáda replied through a pointed free from towering midfielder Bernard McGettigan and this was followed by a well struck long range effort from Darren McElwaien to tie matters after seven minutes. 

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Lively Dungloe were doing all the pressing into the breeze. Bonner ended a scoring famine with a soaring point in the 25th minute and this was added to by another point from Daniel Ward. 

The home side then benefited richly when Gaeil Fhanáda midfielder  McGettigan went down after an apparent knock in possession. They froze, expecting a free but referee Seamus McGonige’s whistle stayed silent as Dungloe knifed through an open defence for Daire Gallagher to find Darren Curran who netted to put the home side into a 1-4 to 0-2 lead. 

But that lead was quickly cut to the minimum in the opening two minutes of the second half when the visitors hit a lightning 1-1.  A McGettigan free was flicked to the Dungloe net by Gaeil Fhanada full-forward Patrick Carr and this was quickly followed by a neat point from substitute Mark McAteer. 

But Dungloe hit back with  points from Daniel Ward and the speedy Dylan Sweeney to put them into a 1-8 to 1-3 lead by the 42nd minute.  

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McAteer replied for the visitors with a point and he had a great chance of a goal as well-but Dungloe keeper Danny Rodgers made a great save at the expense of a 45. But gritty Gaeil Fhanada struck back with another goal when Sweeney flicked a high cross to the net to leave just a point between the sides. 

Forty seconds later Dungloe replied in kind with a lightning move where Daire Gallagher found Bonner and the latter coolly picked his spot to leave Dungloe leading by 2-8 to 1-4.  Seami Friel had the visitors' last score when he converted a 45. 

But Dungloe finished stronger and were finding gaps as Gaeil Fhanada were forced to chase the game.  And substitute Christy Greene found the net after another swift counter attack and a great pass from Bonner to seal the deal. 

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Dungloe scorers: Oisin Bonner 1-2,1f; Darren Curran 1-1; Christy Greene 1-0; Dylan Sweeney and Daniel Ward 0-2;  Matthew Ward and Barry Curran 0-1.
Gaeil Fhánada scorers: Patrick Carr 1-0; Michael Sweeney 1-0; Seami Friel 0-2,1,45; Darren McElwaine, Bernard McGettigan and Mark McAteer 0-1. 

Dungloe: Danny Rodgers; Jason McBride, Conor O’Donnell, Gerard Walsh; Barry Curran, Mark Curran, Karl McGee; Darren Curran, Ryan Brennan; Dylan Sweeney, Daire Gallagher, Matthew Ward; Daniel Ward, Aaron Ward, Oisin Bonner.Subs: Christy Greene for Daniel Ward (45); Shaun McGee for Aaron Ward (53); James McCole for Barry Curran (59). 
Gaeil Fhánada: Mark McConigley; Sean Carr, Seamus Coyle, Odhran Shiels; Darren McElwaine, Matthew Gallagher, Oisin Shiels; Bernard McGettigan; Ryan McConigley; Seamus Carr, Patrick Heraghty, Eoghan Carr; Seami Friel, Patrick Carr, Liam McGranaghan. Subs: Mark McAteer for James Carr, Michael Sweeney for Ryan McConigley (half-time); Conor Heraghty for Liam McGranaghan (46), Alan McAteer for Patrick Heraghty (52) 

Referee: Seamus McGonigle (Aodh Ruadh)