‘That’s the way ‘Cookie’ crumbles: Gallagher rues ‘soft’ penalty

Having been cast adrift by six points at the break, the visitors to Davy Brennan Park were simply awesome after the changeover.

And with Paddy McElwee in superb form, posting 12 points over the hour, Na Dúnaibh deservingly found themselves 0-19 to 1-13 in front headed into extra-time.

However, with Glenties hunting for a late levelling goal, big Meath midfielder Cian McBride, in a desperate bid to close down Charlie McGuinness, inadvertently coughed up a spot kick.

Up stepped John O’Malley to coolly convert and rescue a share of the spoils for Martin Regan’s team.

Speaking after, Gallagher - joint boss with Anthony Boyle - said that although neither he nor his players had seen a replay of the incident at that early stage, they collectively felt it was a soft call by referee Ryan Walsh.

“We should have seen it out,” he said after. “Three points up into added time… I didn’t see the penalty but by all accounts it was soft.

“But it’s a learning curve for our lads. We have to walk before we run. We have six or seven teenagers and it probably was naivety there at the end that cost us.

“But we couldn’t have asked any more of them. We told them to leave it all on the field and that’s exactly what they did”.

Trailing 1-10 to 0-6 at the midway point, it looked like Naomh Conaill, shy some heavy hitters, were going to canter to victory.

But even though Ciaran Thompson was ominously sprung for the second period, it was Na Dúnaibh that stepped up to the scoring plate and, in particular, McElwaee.

“It was just belief,” explained Gallagher. “We have been preaching to them for weeks now that we were good enough to come over here and beat Naomh Conaill.

“That’s as strong as we’ve been all year. And when we have everyone available, we’ve a good side.

“We had to get to grips with their kickouts. They were getting them away far too easily in the first-half.

“Getting to grips with that, kicking our own out in the general direction of Cian; then it’s about getting ball into our forwards.

“And we have the lads to trouble any defence”.

McElwee was like a man possessed in front of the posts on Saturday evening and having spent most of the summer kicking points Stateside, Gallagher said it was massive to have their most prolific attacker back in their line-up for the start of the Donegal SFC.

“We were on the blower right away last Sunday night when things came to an end for Paddy in America. He’s that important to us.

“He was the difference there today. That haul, you just can’t replace it. He did well and he can do even better”.

Next up for Na Dúnaibh is a home clash with Glenswilly and their joint-manager says his side will take plenty of confidence into that encounter with Michael Murphy and Co.

“We’re under no illusions, Naomh Conaill were missing some pretty impressive players here this evening. We can still take plenty from the performance - especially the second-half.

“Glenswilly bring a completely different dimension to things. We’re going to be underdogs again so it’s going to take a huge amount of work for that.

“It’s a game we have to win. If we do that we’re probably guaranteed senior status. So we’ll see where we’re at next Sunday”.