Michael Murphy stars as Glenswilly beat neighbours Termon in Donegal SFC opener

Michael Murphy returned in great form for Glenswilly as they saw off Termon in a local derby in the Donegal SFC opener in Páirc Naomh Columba.

Leading 0-8 to 0-6 at the break, with half of their scores from Murphy, Glenswilly couldn’t get away from their neighbours until a ten-minute spell where they went five clear, but Termon, inspired by Ryan McFadden and John James Sweeney, brought it back to a one-point game with time running out.

But Shane Tinney kicked a late two-pointer for the home side to see them pick up an opening day win.

It was end-to-end and a brilliant game for the neutral, with plenty of long kick passes into the forward lines, and despite no goals, both sides made goal-saving blocks on multiple occasions.

Murphy got things going with a free inside two minutes, while Shane Tinney curled over from the right to double the lead.

Termon threatened on the counter, and Daire McDaid played in Bobby McGettigan for a goal chance which was saved, while the rebound from Jack Alcorn was blocked on the line by Dylan McAteer.

McDaid did fist over for the first Termon point, but a well-worked move from the hosts ended with a Mark Collum point.

McDaid kicked a two-point free that he won to level the game, and McFadden put the visitors ahead after a turnover.

Kealan Dunleavy levelled the game on the quarter of an hour mark, and as they won the kick out, Oisin McGrenra punched the ball down for Murphy to go back ahead.

Matthew Enright curled over from the left, but Cormac Gallagher did well to twice deny Murphy a goal, the first a brave block after a great ball into the county man from Mark Collum, with Murphy shooting on the turn.

The next shot came as Tinney found Murphy after winning a Termon kickout, but Murphy, who rounded goalkeeper Emmett Maguire and shot, again had his effort stopped on the line by Gallagher.

Termon lost Maguire soon after to injury, but McFadden kicked a two point free from 50m out.

Mikey Toner made a brilliant block to deny McFadden a goal soon after, and a Murphy two-point free was essentially the last kick of the half, making it 0-8 to 0-6 at the break.

Termon started bright after the break with John James Sweney firing over from outside the arc after an advatnage, and a powerful run from McGettigan ended in a point for the big Termon man.Enright levelled with a contentious point, but a two point free from McFadden restored the visitors’ lead on 40 minutes.

After this Glenswilly outscored their opponents 0-8 to 0-1 over the next ten minutes, Eoghan Scott levelling from outside the arc, before two quick points from Murphy and Dunleavy as the Páirc Naomh Columba men won the kick outs.

Substitute ‘keeper Darragh Russell made a good save to deny Dylan McAteer a goal, while McGettigan converted an advanced mark at the other end.

But Murphy, with county manager Jim McGuinness watching on, kicked a point with either foot after getting out to the kick pass in quick, while Mark Collum’s two-pointer after a great move made it a five point game.

Caolan McDaid’s men brought it back to the minimum through Sweeney, and a two-pointer and a ‘45 from McFadden.

On the hour mark, Tinney kicked a two-pointer after an advantage, and Sweeney got one back, but McFadden’s two-point attempt late on dropped short and Glenswilly held out in a tense affair.

Glenswilly scorers: Michael Murphy 0-7,1tpf,1f; Shane Tinney and Mark Collum 0-3,1tp each; Eoghan Scott 0-2,1tp; Matthew Enright and Kealan Dunleavy 0-2 each.

Termon scorers: Ryan McFadden 0-8,2tpf,1tp,1’45; John James Sweeney 0-4,1tp; Daire McDaid 0-3,1tpf; Bobby McGettigan 0-2.

Glenswilly: Donnacha Gallagher; Cormac Callaghan, Jamie McCauley, Mikey Toney; Dylan McAteer, Oisin McGrenra, Liam McGinley; Sean Collum, Kealan Dunleavy; Shane Tinney, Eoghan Scott, Mark Collum; Reid Kelly, Michael Murphy, Matthew Enright.

Subs: Mark Bonner for McGrenra (48),

Termon: Emmett Maguire; Emmett McGettigan, Conor Cassidy, Eoin Gallagher; Pat Fegan, Cormac Gallagher, Rory McGrenra; Kevin McGettigan, Bobby McGettigan; Enda McCormick, Ryan McFadden, John James Sweeney; Daire McDaid, Jack Alcorn, Cian McMenamin.

Subs: Darragh Russell for Maguire (22), Ciaran Cassidy for McCormick (40), Shea Boyle for McDaid (45), Ruairi Connaghan for McMenamin (57).

Referee: Enda McFeely (St Mary’s, Convoy)