John Campbell leads the way as Buncrana inflict crushing defeat on Naomh Pádraig

Full forward John Campbell led the way as Buncrana inflicted a crushing defeat on neighbours Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin at Ture on Saturday afternoon, sending out an ominous message to all comers in the Intermediate football championship.

Campbell hit 3-7, with all but a two point free from play, as Buncrana ran riot in the final quarter to seal top spot in the Intermediate football championship with a stupendous 71 point scoring difference, ahead of Naomh Muire whose scoring difference is a mere 24 points.

With their 20 point win over Muff, 30 point win over Cloughaneely and 22 point win over Bundoran in their last three outings, Buncrana are practising a form of what the American military used to call shock and awe across the Intermediate championship.

It should be said that both Naomh Pádraig and Buncrana were already assured of spots in the quarter-finals ahead of this round four game, but both sides went full throttle into the contest.

Buncrana, with points from Mickey Gallagher, John Campbell, Andrew Davison and Dylan Mulholland, raced into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead by the tenth minute after Cillian Doyle had put Naomh Pádraig on the board with the opening score.

Jonny Toye hit a big two pointer for Naomh Pádraig but Buncrana caused chaos in the Muff full back line when they moved Peter McLaughlin in alongside Campbell for a spell, lorrying high balls into the twin towers and the former setting up the latter for a goal and two points in a blistering five minute spell that pushed Buncrana 1-6 to 0-3 clear.

That ability to mix their style of attack – from the hard running of Caolan McGonagle, Andrew Davison & Co at centre field to moving the ball quickly through the hands and then switching to long deliveries – caused Muff problems all game long.

The home side battled hard, and with Darragh McIntyre holding his own at centre field and Peter ‘Toddy’ McLaughlin winning breaks off kickouts, they carved out a foothold that saw them move back to within four points by half time: Caolan McColgan pointing after a Buncrana kickout was intercepted, while Cillian Doyle got his second of the half after slipping beyond the grasp of Elliott Friel.

Leading by 1-6 to 0-5 at the break, Buncrana turned the screw after the change of ends with Sean McLaughlin pointing after a powerful Davison run in the 32nd minute and, after massive cross field pass from Caolan McGonagle to Peter McLaughlin, half time substitute Darach ‘Jigger’ O’Connor slipped a pass outside to fellow sub Cathal McNutt who tucked a fine finish inside Diarmuid McKane’s near post for a 2-7 to 0-5 lead.

Kevin Doherty and Sean McLaughlin exchanged points before McKane made a point blank save from Jigger O’Connor, only for Campbell to clip the ball over the bar after Buncrana had recycled the rebound.

Buncrana’s sheer size and physical power increasingly told as the half wore on and the game was played ever more on their terms.

Jordan, a Campbell two point free and a point from play, and a point from an acute angle from the boot of O’Connor kept Buncrana pushing ahead, with Muff’s sole response being a 43rd minute free from the lively Cillian Doyle.

The last quarter was one way traffic into the roadside goals, with three goals in four minutes knocking the stuffing out of Naomh Pádraig.

Campbell intercepted a kickout and deftly lobbed the retreating McKane for the first of that salvo; then he won possession from another high delivery into the square that he powered into the roof of the net and finally O’Connor got out in front of his marker, rounded him and cracked a powerful shot into a top corner past a stranded McKane.

JP McKenna rounded off Buncrana’s scoring with a 59th point, while Doyle hit three points from placed balls for Muff in injury time.

Paul McGonigle’s side now face Carn in the quarter finals, nursing a sense of grievance at the controversial opening round defeat to the same opposition when they were denied at least a draw when they wrongly had a two pointer marked down as one.

In this kind of form, it’s going to take a serious outfit to stop Buncrana’s gallop.

Naomh Pádraig, who finished sixth in the table, will face St Naul’s in their quarter-final and they’ll welcome back a few players who were resting niggles for that one.

Naomh Padraig scorers: Cillian Doyle 0-6 (one 2pt free, 2f); Jonathan Toye 0-2 (one 2pt); Caolan McColgan 0-1; Kevin Doherty 0-1.

Buncrana scorers: John Campbell 3-7 (one 2pt free); Darach O’Connor 1-1; Stephen McNutt 1-0; Michael Gallagher 0-1; Dylan Mulholland 0-1; Andrew Davison 0-1; Sean McLaughlin 0-2 (1f); Kevin Jordan 0-1; JP McKenna 0-1.

Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin: Diarmuid McKane; Peter Grant, Daniel McMenamin, Evan McColgan; Finn McClafferty, Michael McCarron, Peter McLaughlin; Cormac Kelly, Darragh McIntyre; Kevin Doherty, Caolan McColgan, Oisin McIntyre; Andrew McCarron, Jonathan Toye, Cillian Doyle. Subs: Kevin Lynch for A McCarron (38 mins); Dermot Keaveney for K Doherty (50 mins); A McCarron for J Toye (55 mins).

Buncrana: Adam Harrigan; Elliott Friel, Sean Doherty, Pádraig McGonigle; Andrew Davison, Oisin Crawford, Mickey Gallagher; Caolan McGonagle, Darragh Corry; Kevin Jordan, Dylan Mulholland, Sean McLaughlin; Peter McLaughlin, John Campbell, Dáire McColgan. Subs: Cathal McNutt for M Gallagher (23 mins); Darach O’Connor for D McColgan (half time); Billy Duffy for S McLaughlin (49 mins); JP McKenna for A Davison (53 mins); Oisin O’Flaherty for D Mulholland (58 mins).

Referee: Martin McCormick (Glenfin)