Dominant Glenswilly overcome Naomh Conaill to return to minor final

They say you have to lose one to win one and impressive Glenswilly side clearly showed they have learned some hard lessons.

Glenswilly 1-10
Naomh Conaill 0-4

Beaten in last year’s Donegal Minor Championship final by Sean MacCumhaills, they easily accounted for an outgunned Naomh Conaill in Ballybofey on Saturday evening.

With eight survivors from last year’s Glenswilly side, it was always going to be a huge task for a lighter Naomh Conaill side.

The physically superior Glenswilly were never really troubled as they dominated exchanges from the outset.

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Naomh Conaill's bid for a clean sweep of Senior, Senior B and Senior C Championship titles was dashed by Sean MacCumhaills in Saturday's final

This game was effectively settled as early as the 14th minute when corner forward Daithi Gildea rammed home a fine goal to put Glenswilly into a 1-3 to 0-0 lead.

Naomh Conailll forced a superb double save from Glen keeper John Quinn in the 17th minute.

And he pulled off a super save three minutes into the second half from a blaster from Danny Brown, but that was the peal of Naomh Conaill’s resistance.    

Glenswilly settled swifter on a treacherous surface and had the better of the early exchanges as wing back Mark Bonner lofted over a fine point.

That set the tone for a dominant opening quarter for a physically superior Glenswilly side.

Play was scrappy in terrible conditions and Naomh Conaill were pinned in their own half for long periods.

Mandy Kelly added to the Glenswilly tally with a fine curled effort from the wing.  It was all Glenswilly and a sweet five man move ended with midfielder Jamie McCauley angling over a sweet point.

It got even better for Michael Murphy’s young men when a great diagonal ball from Aidan Friel deep into the Naomh Conaill defence ran kindly for Daithi Gildea.

Gildea took the ball at pace and buried it low and confidently to the net to put Glenswilly into 1-3 to 0-0 lead after just 13 minutes.

It took Naomh Conaill a full fifteen minutes to register their first point from Tiernan Ward.

Eoin Scott then landed a fine 45 for the winners who can thank keeper John Quinn for a superb double save in the 20th minute.

This was quickly followed by a bad umpiring decision that ruled a perfectly good point from Naomh Conaill as wide.

Shane Tinney and Gildea were on target for Glen as they chalked up six points in that opening half.

Naomh Conaill were gradually growing into the game, and they finished the half with further points from Ward, Mark McDevitt and Danny Brown to leave Glenswilly leading by 1-6 to 0-4 at the break.

Shane Tinney put the winners further in front before Quinn’s super save.

The tempo dropped considerably in the miry conditions with Donal Gallagher, Scott, Gildea and Shane Tinney adding further points for the winners.

They also missed a penalty in the 50th minute when Scott blasted wide after Oisin McGrenra was hauled down by Danny Brown who was black-carded.

Glenswilly scorers: Daithi Gildea 1-2; Eoin Scott 0-2; Shane Tinney 0-2, 1f;  Mark Bonner, Mandy Kelly, Donal Gallagher,  Jamie McCauley 0-1 each.

Naomh Conaill scorers: Tiernan Ward 0-2; Mark McDevitt, Danny Brown 0-1 each.   

Glenswilly: John Quinn; Aidan Friel, Oran Canning, Mickey Toner; Pauric Devine, Donal Gallagher, Mark Bonner; Dara Enright, Jamie McCauley; Shane Tinney, Mandy Kelly, Eoin Scott; Oisin McGrenra, Michael Doherty, Daithi Gildea. Subs; Paddy Ward for Doherty (58), Shane Walsh for McGrenra (62).

Naomh Conaill: Dylan McGlynn; Cian Kelly, Conan Brannigan, Jacky Chen; Peter McGlynn, Odhran Doherty, Max Campell; Finbarr Roarty, Ethan Dewhurst; Jack McGlynn, Mark McDevitt, Conor Gildea; Tiernan Ward, Danny Brown, Shea Malone. Sub: Thomas McDevitt for Kelly (35).

Referee: Martin Coll (Gaoth Dobhair)