A brave and maybe in some eyes unlucky Carndonagh lost out to a clinical Naomh Columba team, who on another day could have been a whole lot better.
Unanswered spells were the killer for the home side in this Championship game.
In 3 sectors of the game, 0-3, 0-4 and 1-2 were scored by the visitors without reply, which leaves an uphill battle for any team on any day.
Carndonagh did fight hard none the less, with a few more experienced names coming back into the panel, most notably Ryan Davenport who has came back from Canada to claim his place back in the starting line up and County Minor Danny Monagle after his fabulous summer with the county.
Dermot McGonagle was the goal scorer for Carndonagh, who slotted home after a nice chain of link up play leading to the end product being left in the hands of McGonagle who duly delivered. The Naomh Columba goal more dubious.
The goal scorer McGonagle was down with an head injury near the middle of the pitch by the end line, and in the eyes of the Carndonagh players and supporters the game should have been held up for treatment.
Referee Gallagher played on and the attack resulted in a goal which was converted by Stephen McShane, to the delight of the travelling supporters, to the annoyance and despair of huge home crowd.
Naomh Columba never looked back and won the game by 7 points, but this Carndonagh team can take a lot of heart from the game, and could see themselves surviving in this Championship. Carndonagh now face Buncrana next week away from home in the 2nd round.
Carndonagh: Ray Lannon, Michael McLaughlin, Conor Doherty, Aidan O Callaghan, Michael Nelson, Danny Monagle, Paddy Nelson (0-1), Cathal O Kane, Dermot McGonagle (1-0), Ryan Davenport, Pádraig Doherty, Gerard Doherty (0-1),Aaron McCarron (0-1), Christopher McLaughlin (0-3), Shane Doherty.
Naomh Columba: Shane O Gara, Ciaran McBrearty, Martin Cunningham, Barry Carr, Paddy Ward (0-1), Kevin McNern (0-1), Pádraig Byrne (0-4), Declan Maguire (0-2), Paddy Cunningham (0-1), Phillip McNern (0-1), Gavin McGinley, Stephen McShane (1-0), Christopher Byrne, Ryan Gillespie (0-3).