Glenswilly advance to U-21 A quarter-finals with big win over Gaoth Dobhair

Glenswilly secured second spot and a place in the U-21 A Championship quarter-finals with a nine-point win over Gaoth Dobhair in Páirc Naomh Columba.

First-half goals from Mark Collum, Reid Kelly and Paul Mullen set them up well as they led by 3-6 to 1-4 at the interval, with Dallan Ó Baoill on target for the visitors.

Five points from Matthew Enright also helped them build on that lead, but Cathal Rua Ó Gallchóir did get a goal back for a battling Gaoth Dobhair side.

But Patrick Ward added a fourth goal as they secured second place in Group A, while Ó Baoill got a second goal for Gaoth Dobhair as they exit in the group stage.

It was almost ten minutes before we got a first score, with play halted due to an injury to Oisin McGrenra, but Matthew Enright got things going, while Crónán Mac Pháidín replied almost instantly.

Cathal Mac Aoidh had a shot drop short which was almost palmed in by Oisin Ó Duibhir, but Pauric Devine and Enright pointed at the other end.

Sean Pól Ó Gallchóir converted a free for the visitors, but the home side hit their first goal on 18 minutes as Enright did well to get in and get an advantage, before playing it off the Mark Collum, who fired low into the net.

Mullen and Tinney also pointed, while the returning McGrenra had a shot at goal saved by Padraig Mac Giolla Bhríde.

Both sides then hit the net inside a minute of each other, first as Mac Aoidh played in Dallan Ó Baoill, who fired low to the left corner, while Glenswilly responded on 29 minutes as Reid Kelly played a 1-2 with Devine and did similar to Ó Baoill.

Johnnie Mac Giolla Bhríde pointed after an advantage, but Glenswilly got a third goal in added time as Mullen had a shot drop short that Patrick Ward got a touch to, and Mullen was quickest to pick up the loose ball and dink it over the defence and into the top right corner.

Enright and Ó Gallchóir traded points before the break as Glenswilly led by 3-6 to 1-4 at the break.

Mac Giolla Bhríde (2) and Mac Pháidín got early second-half points, but Eoghan Scott converted two frees at the other end.

And Enright kicked another two from play, with Devine adding another, as the hosts went ten up.

Gaoth Dobhair did get a second goal when Mac Giolla Bhríde’s ball in was palmed down by Colm Ó Dochartaigh to Cathal Rua Ó Gallchóir, and his left-footed strike found the bottom left corner.

Mac Aoidh then had another shot at goal blocked on the line by Devine, as Jack Duddy and Ó Dochartaigh (free) traded points.

But McGrenra kicked a score, and a ball in shortly after from Liam McGinley was punched in by Patrick Ward.

Collum added another as Enright had a shot at goal saved, while Ó Dochartaigh’s two-point effort at the other end bounced in front of Aaron Ó Cólla and hit off the crossbar.

Ó Gallchóir pointed shortly after, and he set up Ó Baoill for his second goal of the game to narrow the gap to eight on 60 minutes.

But Liam McGinley and Collum hit late points for Glenswilly, as Aodan Mac Gairbeith ended the scoring for Gaoth Dobhair, who are knocked out, while Glenswilly will play third place in Group B in the quarter-final.

Glenswilly scorers: Matthew Enright 0-5; Mark Collum 1-2; Paul Mullen 1-1; Reid Kelly and Patrick Ward 1-0 each; Pauric Devine 0-2; Eoghan Scott 0-2f; Shane Tinney, Jack Duddy, Oisin McGrenra and Liam McGinley 0-1 each.

Gaoth Dobhair scorers: Dallan Ó Baoill 2-0; Cathal Rua Ó Gallchóir 1-1; Johnnie Mac Giolla Bhríde 0-3; Sean Pól Ó Gallchóir 0-2,1f; Crónán Mac Pháidín 0-2; Colm Ó Dochartaigh (f) and Aodan Mac Gairbeith 0-1 each.

Glenswilly: Conor McGrenra; Aiden Friel, Liam McGinley, Matthew McGinley; Eoghan Scott, Jack Duddy, Pauric Devine; Mark Collum, Jamie McCauley; Paul Mullen, Reid Kelly, Oisin McGrenra; Shane Tinney, Patrick Ward, Matthew Enright.

Subs:

Gaoth Dobhair: Padraig Mac Giolla Bhríde; Tiarnan Ó Mistéal, Alan Ó Dochartaigh, Dallan Ó Baoill; Liam Breathnach, Jordi Ó Griobúin, Cathal Rua Ó Gallchóir; Cathal Mac Aoidh, Joey Ó Cólla; Jamie Ó Gallchóir, Johnnie Mac Giolla Bhríde, Colm Ó Dochartaigh; Sean Pól Ó Gallchóir, Crónán Mac Pháidín, Oisín Ó Duibhir.

Subs: Tadhg Ó Baoill for Breathnach (33), Aaron Ó Cólla for Ó Duibhir (48), Aodan Mac Gairbeith for JP Ó Gallchóir (53)

Referee: Daniel Carlin (Naomh Pádraig, Lifford).