Former Donegal player Daragh Gallagher scored eight points as Naomh Conaill sealed a spot in the Senior B Championship final.
Naomh Conaill 1-12 St Michael’s 1-7
Just five years ago, Gallagher was Man of the Match in the Senior final when Naomh Conaill won the Dr Maguire Cup.
This evening in Ballybofey, Gallagher was the ace in the pack as Seamus O’Malley’s team booked a place in the final.
Gallagher posted two early points to give Naomh Conaill the advantage.
St Michael’s broke through for a goal to briefly turn the pendulum as Ryan Langan beat James Boyle with a clever finish.
Brendan Rodden did add a point for the Creeslough-Dunfanaghy side, but Naomh Conailll were in dominant form as the Glenties men reeled off four points on the spin to go 0-9 to 1-2 up at the interval.
Odhran Doherty, Daragh Gallagher and Hughie Gallagher were all on the mark before Daragh Gallagher won and converted a free to stretch the margin out to five points.
Lee McColgan’s free reduced the arrears and ensured that St Michael’s were still within touching distance.
Naomh Conaill had a superb start to the second half. Daragh Gallagher knocked over a free and, in a mini-scramble on the edge of the square, Shane McDevitt managed to prod the ball past St Michael’s ‘keeper Dean Fleming.
St Michael’s mounted a comeback, but McDevitt’s goal had them rocked back and meant that Naomh Conaill – with Gallagher keeping the scoreboard ticking – had sufficient breathing space.
Naomh Conaill: James Boyle; Dermot Ward, Cathal Ellis, Stephen Molloy; Odhrán Doherty (0-1), Mark Gallagher, Hughie Gallagher (0-1); Jamie McHugh, Tony Byrne; Joe Kennedy, Shane McDevitt (1-0), Daragh Gallagher (0-8, 5f); Paul McGuinness, Charles McGuinness (0-1), Seamus Ellis (0-1). Subs: JD Boyle for Mark Gallagher (5), Jamie Gallagher for Byrne (half-time), Mark Gallagher for Kennedy (half-time), Jamie Cranley for McHugh (53).
St Michael’s: Dean Fleming; Brandon McColgan, Aidan McFadden, James Alcorn; Ryan Langan (1-0), Jamie Hunter, Barry McGinley; Paul Baird, Aaron Bowyer; Lee McColgan (0-3, 3f), Colin McFadden (0-1), Brendan Rodden (0-1); Tony Toye (0-1), Stephen Coyle, Peter Sweeney. Subs: Ciaran McGinley (0-1) for Baird (34), Raymond McLaughlin for Sweeney (53), Darragh McCarry for Rodden (60), Shane Langan for Coyle (60).
Referee: Greg McGrory (Four Masters).
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