Dramatic conclusion as Naomh Conaill peg back Na Dúnaibh

Naomh Conaill 2-13 Na Dúnaibh 0-19

With the visitors absolutely superb in the second period, they somehow managed to turn a six-point half-time deficit into a three-point lead going into added time.

However, one last desperate roll of the dice by the reigning champions saw Charlie McGuinness gain possession inside a crowded goalmouth.

Big Meath midfielder Cian McBride looked to stand the Glenties full-forward up but was adjudged to have fouled the home attacker inside the area.

And with John O’Malley ice cold with the pressure dispatch, the points were shared with the last kick of the game.

In what had been an evenly contested first period, Na Dúnaibh were a little unfortunate to see themselves eventually cast adrift by a half dozen points at the break, 1-10 to 0-7, when McGuinness weighed in with a fortuitous three-pointer in added time.

But a serious second-half effort from Na Dúnaibh just fell short with Naomh Conaill, shy a host of regulars, clawing themselves back from the brink.

Back at the outset, Brendan McDyer - with an early two-pointer, and Kevin McGettigan with another from play, had Martin Regan’s side three to the good as many minutes in.

Na Dúnaibh’s response was a good one and efforts from the superb Patrick McElwee, who’d kick 12 points on the night and Keelan McGroddy, who did get in on goal, narrowed it back to one.

Eunan Doherty and McGuinness then made it 5-2 before a Shane Coll effort down the other side put two between the sides.

Eoghan McGettigan moved Naomh Conaill onto six on 18 minutes but a Ronan Gallagher ‘45 as well as a two-point free from the hands by McElwee hauled Kevin ‘Cookie’ Gallagher and Anthony Boyle’s side level.

Danny Brown then did well to clip over under pressure and with McGettigan following that up, Naomh Conaill once again jumped two in front, four mnutes out from the midpoint.

On 29 minutes, McElwee thought he’d squared it up once more with another clipped free from outside the arc. However, referee Ryan Walsh ruled that the player had just stepped inside the line with his kick.

And with McGettigan and Keelan McGill landing either side of the 30-minute mark, McGuinness would follow all that up with a goal when the visiting defence failed to deal with a speculative McGettigan square.

Na Dúnaibh were a side transformed on the restart and an almost instant brace of two-pointers from Shane Coll and McElwee reeled the leaders back in to two.

McGuinness and McDyer then had Naomh Conaill off the mark as 1-12 led 0-11.

However, Na Dúnaibh would crank up the gears and rattle off the next seven points, including another two-pointer from McElwee, and the away side was now a goal clear.

McDyer stemmed the tide but it took a last-ditch intervention from Jason Campbell to deflect a driven Ronan Gallagher effort up and over.

And deep into the red, that dramatic late call from referee Walsh presented O’Malley and Naomh Conaill with the chance to level it as Ronan Pasoma also departed by way of a late red card.

Naomh Conaill scorers: Charlie McGuinness 1-2; Brendan McDyer 0-4, 1tp, 1f; Eoghan McGettigan 0-3; John O’Malley 1-0, 1Pen; Danny Brown, Eunan Doherty, Keelan McGill and Kevin McGettigan 0-1 each.

Na Dúnaibh scorers: Patrick McElwee 0-12, 3tpf; 4f; Shane Coll 0-3,1tp; Ronan Gallagher 0-2, 1’45; Keelan McGroddy and Cian McBride 0-1 each.

Naomh Conaill: Stephen McGrath; Jason Campbell, AJ Gallagher, Shean Roarty; Eunan Doherty, Kevin McGettigan, Seamus Corcoran; Mark Campbell, Keelan McGill; Brendan McDyer, John O’Malley, Daithi Molloy; Danny Brown, Charles McGuinness, Eoghan McGettigan.

Subs: Jack McGlynn for M Campbell (ht), Ciaran Thompson for Corcoran (45)

Na Dúnaibh: Kyran Gallagher; Alex Gerwatowski, Tiarnan McBride, Ronan Pasoma; Paidiin Shields, Ronan Gallagher, Dylan McGlone; Cian McBride, Shane Coll; Oisin Boyce, Keelan McGroddy, Seamus Travers; Ethan Cullen, Patrick McElwee, Daithi McGroarty.

Referee: Ryan Walsh (Realt na Mara).