Kilmacrennan Celtic take vital three points in seven-goal thriller with Fanad

Kilmacrennan Celtic took a vital three points in the Brian McCormick Premier Division in a seven-goal thriller with Fanad United in the Letterkenny Community Centre on Saturday evening.

Kilmac were full value for their two-goal lead in the first half, with a Conor Black penalty and a goal from Mark Patterson giving them the advantage.

But half-time sub Eddie O’Reilly helped Fanad turn it around, with two corners from him ending in goals, the first a Stephen Black own goal and the second fired in by Paddy Carr.

But Kilmac went ahead again within 60 seconds as Conor Temple fired in, only for Carr to head home another O’Reilly delivery to level the game again.

The winner came on 75 minutes through a brilliant bicycle kick from Conor Black, as Martin McGinley’s men held on, with Fanad ending with ten men as O’Reilly got a late red card.

The first goal came from the spot on twelve minutes as Declan McGarvey played a ball into Temple, who went down under the challenge of Patrick Moffitt.

Conor Black stepped up for the spot kick and found the bottom left corner, and he almost made it two soon after from a McGarvey cross, but he fired wide.

Mark McConigley had to be out quickly to stop Ryan Shields getting in, while Eoin Logue poked just wide when played through by Carr.

Midway through the half, it was 2-0 as Mark Patterson played a neat 1-2 with Temple and first timed it into the bottom corner with a lovely finish.

Oisin McHugh almost got one back as he headed a cross ahead of goalkeeper Christopher O’Donnell, but his effort went wide, while at the other end, Henry Welles dragged a shot wide and Shields had an effort saved.

And that’s how it stayed at the break, but with O’Reilly being introduced, Fanad were much improved in the second half.

They got their first back on 50 minutes, with O’Reilly’s inswinging corner kick going past O’Donnell and in, with Stephen Black trying to clear off the line, but he could only put it into his own net.

There was a long stoppage after that goal as Charlie McAteer suffered a bad injury, but ten minutes later, it was a level game.

O’Reilly again curled in a corner that was headed by James Gallagher and blocked down to Paddy Carr, who fired in off the crossbar.

Kilmac wasted no time in going ahead again as they hit back within a minute, James Doherty advancing on the left and finding Temple in the box, who found the near corner.

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Fanad were dangerous from set pieces, and they almost levelled again less than two minutes later as Daibhid Lynch’s free was met by the foot of Seamus Friel, but his effort came back off the post.

But they did level the game again ten minutes later, another O’Reilly delivery from a free on the right saw Carr beat O’Donnell to the ball and head into an empty net.

O’Reilly then headed wide from a Keelin McElwaine cross, but Kilmacrennan went ahead again on 75 minutes, as Welles’ free kick was headed out to Stephen Black, who headed it back in to Conor Black, and his superb bicycle kick found the top corner.

Doherty almost added a fifth soon after, but his shot from range swerved away from goal, while another O’Reilly corner almost went straight in.

Carr was looking for a hat-trick, and he volleyed wide as the game approached added time, with O’Reilly trying to replicate Black’s acrobatics, but he missed the ball and hit the head of Stephen Black, resulting in a red card.

And Kilmacrennan held out for victory, moving them from third last to fifth and above Fanad in the table.

Kilmacrennan Celtic: Christopher O’Donnell; Declan McGarvey, Nathan Bonner, Stephen Black (Alan Boal 97), John Sandilands; Conor Black, Ryan Shields, Henry Welles, James Doherty, Mark Patterson (Owen Browne 85); Conor Temple.

Fanad United: Mark McConigley; Keelin McElwaine, Patrick Moffitt (Seamus Friel 30), James Gallagher (Darren McElwaine 81), Caolan McElwaine; Peter Carr, Oisin McHugh (Dylan McGlone 55),  Daibhid Lynch, Patrick Carr, Charlie McAteer (Eddie O’Reilly ht); Eoin Logue.

Referee: Vincent McLoughlin.