MALIN 2-16 0-1 CLOUGHANEELY
Malin recorded an emphatic win over an out of sorts Cloughaneely side in Connolly Park on Saturday evening, their 21 point winning margin, coupled with St Eunans victory over N Conaill was enough to see the Inishowen side qualify to the quarter final stage at the expense of last years beaten finalists.
The home side dominated the opening exchanges but were finding scores hard to come by until a Paul Mc Laughlin point finally raised a white flag. Brendan Mc Laughlin doubled his sides advantage moments later after a great run through the middle by Declan Walsh. It wasn’t long before Michael Byrne increased the lead from a 45, By now Malin were in the ascendancy, and those early match nerves were banished when Gary Farren broke up a Cloughaneely attack and fed Stephen Mc Laughlin, the pacy attacker left defenders trailing in his wake, before laying the ball off to Terence Doherty who coolly slotted home past Mc Clafferty in the visitors goal.
Anthony Kelly quickly added a point from play and one from a free to extend his sides advantage before Paul Mc Laughlin brought the first half scoring to an end to give the home side a healthy 1-6 to 0-0 lead at the interval.
Malin began the second half in the same vain they finished the first and within minutes the lead was 12 points, thanks to 2 points from Stephen
Mc Laughlin and one from Terence Doherty. Cloughaneely got the first and only point 8 mins into the 2nd half when a high ball was expertly fielded by Paul Sweeney and the full forward fired over with his back to goal.
Any hopes of a fightback from the Falcarragh side were dashed after quick fire points from Brendan Mc Laughlin and Michael Byrne pushed Malin further ahead. Declan Walsh notched his second point of the night, before a brace from the impressive Brendan Mc Laughlin gave Malin a 1-14 to 0-1 lead going into the final stages. Cloughaneelys misery was compounded when a 50 metre from the boot of Anthony Kelly, somehow managed to find its way into the back of the net. Points from John Gerard Mc Laughlin and Michael Byrne brought the action on the pitch to an end. The night of drama was not over yet for Terence Colhouns side has they had to endure an agonising wait of 5 mins injury time in O Donnell Park, until finally the final whistle was sounded in Letterkenny and the news that Malin were into the last 8 was greeted by loud cheers form the large home following.
Malin: Declan Lafferty; Daniel Greene, Damien Harkin, Finbar Collins; Ciaran McColgan, Declan Walsh (0-1), Paul McLaughlin (0-2); John G McLaughlin (0-1), Anthony Kelly (1-2, 1-1f); Stephen McLaughlin (0-2), Michael Byrne (0-3, 0-1 45’), Brendan McLaughlin (0-4); Terrence Doherty (1-1), Seamus Houton, Garry Farren
Subs Used: Jason Doherty Gerard Greene Seamus Doherty
Cloghaneely: Sean McClafferty; Michael Lynch, Kevin McFadden, Ciaran McFadden; Martin Ferry, Eamon Curran, Declan McGarvey; Martin Maguire, Michael McCausland; Damien Ferry, Sean McGarvey, Sean Maguire; Denis Boyle, Paul Sweeney (0-1), Leo O’Brien
Subs Used: John Mc Garvey Shane Ferry
