Carr the Gaeil Fhánada saviour with injury time goal at Naomh Muire

Paddy Carr saved Gaeil Fhánada’s bacon to keep their Donegal IFC prospects afloat with a late goal to snatch a draw against Naomh Muire at the Banks on Saturday. 

Naomh Muire 0-8 
Gaeil Fhánada 1-5 

The light was fading when midfielder Carr struck for the crucial levelling goal three minutes into injury. The score proved a real saviour for the men from Fanad who had only picked up a single point from their two games played. 

If it was relief at the final whistle for Gaeil Fhanada it was a devastating heartbreak for Naomh Muire, led the whole way and were still three up heading into injury time. With Eoin Martin and Harry Harden in fine scoring form Naomh Muire dominated for most of the 60-plus minutes. They led 0-4 to 0-2 at half-time as Gaeil Fhánada struggled to break down a packed, well-drilled rearguard. 

The locals continued to dominate on the scoreboard after half-time and by the end of the third quarter they had stretched their lead out to five points as they led 0-8 to 0-3.  Martin, who was very sharp in front of the posts, kicked three more points.

Gaeil Fhánada, looking down the barrel of a second defeat in the space of a week in the Rosses after losing out at Dungloe, had a good final quarter. Mark McAteer clipped over two fine points to reduce the margin to three with the clock ticking. 

And with Naomh Muire failing to score in the closing quarter hour the door was ajar and when Carr found the opening he made no mistake for the equalising goal.

Gaeil Fhánada are going into the last of their group games at home to Burt. Naomh Muire on the other hand head to Rosses Park on three points to face Dungloe.

Naomh Muire scorers: Eoin Martin 0-5, Harry Harden 0-3.
Gaeil Fhánada scorers: Paddy Carr 1-0, Berard McGettigan, Mark McAteer 0-2, Liam McGrenaghan 0-1. 

Naomh Muire: Declan Ward; Conor Cannon, Brian Gillespie, Tommy O’Donnell; Fintan Doherty, Paddy McClafferty, Adam O’Brien;  Ferdia Doherty, Tuathal Lunny; Harry Harden Shaun Burns, Ultan Boyle; Jack O’Donnell, Daniel Devlin, Eoin Martin. Subs: Joey Gillespie for S Burns, Hugh Martin for J O’Donnell, Michael Greene for C Cannon, Daniel Gallagher for E Martin. 
Gaeil Fhánada: Mark McConigley; Shaun Kerr, Jimmy Coyle, Odhran Shiels; James Gallagher, Matthew Gallagher, Darren McElwaine;  Bernard McGettigan, Paddy Carr; Mark McAteer, Paddy Heraghty, Eoghan Carr; Oisin Shiels. Alan McAteer, Liam McGrenaghan.

Subs; James Kerr for E Carr, Seamie Friel for P Heraughty, Michael Sweeney for A McAteer, Ryan McGonigle for J Gallagher, Conor Heraghty for M Gallagher.