MacCumhaills find gear to make SFC preliminary quarter-finals

MacCumhaills 1-22 Glenswilly: 2-11

Damian Devaney and Luke Gavigan’s side’s reward is now a knockout clash with Na Dunaibh while Darren McGinley’s outfit will lock horns with local rivals Termon for a place in the last eight outright.

A Michael Murphy goal late in the first-half left just a point in it in Ballybofey, but a second yellow card for Mark Collum at the outset of the new period more or less put paid to any hopes the visitors had of taking something from this one.

In an end-to-end first-half spectacle, MacCumhaills were on the verge of going in 11-7 clear having posted six points on the trot.

However, Glenswilly broke the glass on their emergency button when Eoghan Scott sent a route-one delivery towards Murphy, and with that trademark slap, he palmed to the back of the net.

Collum had booted the visitors 7-5 clear on 17 minutes but a half dozen points on the bounce and MacCumhaills went five up nearing the half-hour mark.

Back at the outset, Murphy had initially kicked the visitors ahead before a three-point salvo, courtesy of Shaun McMenamin, Sean Martin and Kevin McCormick, pushed them two in front.

Mark Bonner, Murphy from a free and a two-point strike from Donal Gallagher then saw that advantage flip the other direction on the scoreboard.

McCormick halved the deficit while Collum and Aaron Kelly both traded overs to leave it 7-5 headed into the second quarter.

MacCumhaills then took over as Keegan nailed three on the trot and the lead again changed hands.

Luke Gavigan fisted over cutting in along the endline and with Keegan and Kelly plumping their respective tallies further, a four-point gap opened up nearing the midpoint.

But with Murphy rising high above Joe Boyle just prior to the short whistle, the bare minimum split the teams at the changeover.

But with Collum walking soon after the restart, MacCumhaills eventually seized real control as they led 1-19 to 1-19 with ten to go.

The excellent Keegan landed a fine two-pointer to start off a 1-5 uninterrupted scoring spurt with McCormick ramming in the crucial goal. Oisin Gallen also got off the mark in between as MacCumhaills cruised towards the finish line.

Glenswilly replacement Oisin McGrenra did bundle home a second goal for his side down the stretch but MacCumhaills, a man to the good, managed out the last moments in controlled fashion.

MacCumhaills scorers: Jamie Keegan 0-9,1tp, 2f; Kevin McCormick 1-3; Aaron Kelly 0-2; Oisin Gallen 0-2; Sean McMenamin 0-2; Sean Martin, Luke Gavigan, Conor McGinty, Chad McSorley 0-1 each.

Glenswilly scorers: Michael Murphy 1-3, 2f; Oisin McGrenra 1-0; Donal Gallagher 0-2, 1tp; Mark Collum 0-2; Mark Bonner, Shane Tinney, Daithi Gildea and Caolan Kelly 0-1 each

MacCumhaills: Eoin Gallen; Fionn McGinty, Joe Boyle, Ruairi Callaghan; Conor McGinty, Sean Martin, Sean McMenamin; Luke Gavigan, Adam Byrne; Fitan Griffin, Jamie Keegan, Oisin Gallen; Chad McSorley, Aaron Kelly, Kevin McCormick.

Subs: Cian Gallen and Marty O’Reilly for Gavigan and F Griffin (both 51), Tomas McNulty for A Kelly (52), Darragh Boyle for F McGinty (60).

Glenswilly: Donnacha Gallagher; Sean Collum, Jamie McCaul, Cormac Callaghan; Pauric Devine, Donal Gallagher, Liam McGinley; Mark Collum, Keelan Dunleavy; Mark Bonner, Eoghan Scott, Reid Kelly, Matthew Enright, Michael Murphy, Daithi Gildea.

Subs: Shane Tinney for Enright (ht), Dylan McAteer for Devine (45), Caolan Kelly for C Callaghan (50), Oisin McGrenra for R Kelly (53).

Referee: Val Murray (Aodh Ruadh).