Naomh Conaill and Four Masters can't be separated in see-saw U-21A clash

In the end it took two late points from Killian Faulkner and Shay Travers to level matters for Four Masters against 14-man Naomh Conaill in an exciting U-21A Championship opener in Glenties. 

Naomh Conaill 3-5
Four Masters 1-11 

But those late points are a tad ironic as a cohesive and controlled Masters were leading by 1-6 to 0-0 28 minutes into the first half. And even though Naomh Conaill’s Conor Roarty got a goal against the run of play before the break, it still looked like this was the Donegal Town side’s game to lose. 

But two goals in the space of seven minutes from Leo Dunphy and Michael McKelvey turned this thrilling affair totally on its head to set up a frenetic finish. And when the outstanding Marc Burke Melly added further points it looked like the home side would hold out for a memorable victory - after losing wing forward Robbie McDonnell to two yellow cards in the 50th minute. 

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Glenswilly posted a nine-point win over Ardara in the newly-formed group stage of the Donegal U-21B Championship with Kealan Dunleavy driving his side on from centre-field with seven points

Masters, who had nine players with senior experience, were quickly into their stride and wing-forward Joe Leape rattled the net after a scintillating six man move in the sixth minute. Leape’s rattler set the tone for a dominant first half for the visitors. 

And points from the elegant Killian Faulkner, Diarmuid Slevin and Leape pushed them to a 1-3 to 0-0 lead by the 15th minute. Naomh Conaiil were restricted to breakaway raids but they hit five wides in that half and had a half chance of a goal saved by Master’s keeper Oisin Bryson. 

At the other end Naomh Conaill’s Jordan O’Donnell pulled off a brilliant save from Leape to keep the margin down. In the interim Faulkner and Richard O’Rourke tacked on more points as they eased into a 1-6 to 0-0 by the 28th minute. 

Then, in a lightning counter attack, Naomh Conaill swept down the field and the brilliant Daniel Gildea set up Conor Roarty for a badly needed goal for the home side, as Masters led by 1-6 to 1-0 at the break. 

Marc Burke Melly got the first of his four points from a free before Masters replied in kind through Slevin and the speedy Alex McCalmont. Burke Mell tacked on two more points, with Travers replying for Masters. 

The home side got the first of two goals which changed everything utterly. Masters were struggling with the pace of Burke Melly and Gildea and were caught out when a lightning Naomh Conaill move ended with full forward Leo Dunphy cooly picking his spot to leave Masters leading by 1-9 to 1-4. 

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Naomh Muire did the spadework in the first half and although St Naul's rallied in Mountcharles, it was the visitors who did enough to win the points

But then, a mistake by Masters keeper Bryson when he spilled a harmless looking free from Burke Melly into the grateful arms of Michael McKelvey, who had a simple tap in. 

Suddenly Naomh Conaill were leading by a point and it got even better when Dunphy pointed to give his now 14 man side a lead of two points six minutes from time. 

Masters were shaken, but showed quite a bit of character to come back as Naomh Conaill held possession. And it was two relatively unforced errors that saw Faulkner and Travers grab the levelling points.

Naomh Conaill scorers: Leo Dunphy 1-1; Marc Burke Melly 0-4, 3f; Conor Roarty and Michael McKelvey 1-0 each.
Four Masters scorers: Joe Leape 1-1; Killian Faulkner 0-4, Diarmuid Slevin 0-3; Shay Travers 0-2, 1f; Richard O’Rourke 0-1. 

Naomh Conaill: Jordan O’Donnell; Ronan Breslin, Mark Campbell, Aidan Gilroy; Joe Shankey Smith, Sean Roarty, Adam Molloy; Neil Francis Boyle, Conor Roarty; Daniel Gildea, Oran McCallig, Robbie McDonnell; Michael McKelvey, Leo Dunphy, Marc Burke Melly. Subs: Mark McDevitt for McCallig (half-time) 
Four Masters: Oisin Bryson; Brian Peter Gallagher, James McHugh, Ross O’Keeney; Darragh Geary, Richard O’Rourke, Eoin Gorrell; Senan Quinn, Evan Gallagher; Conor Reid, Alex McCalmont, Joe Leape; Killian Faulkner, Shay Travers, Diarmuid Slevin. Subs: Ethan McNulty for Gorrell (40), Conor Gillespie for Reid (53) 
Referee: Jimmy White (Killybegs)