Malin made a great start to their All-County League Division 2 campaign with a hard fought and deserved five point victory over Termon.
Malin 2-12 Termon 1-10
Shaun Kelly got Malin off the mark with a great score from 40 yards out but Shane Doherty replied with a great effort from out on the right.
Things got better for the visitors shortly after when they were awarded a penalty, a soft one at that, when Caolan McDaid went down easily, but up stepped Daire McDaid who converted confidently past Mullarkey in the Malin goal. Ciaran Doherty then hit a lovely score from out on the left, striking across the ball from distance, well teed up by a strong Paul McLaughlin run.
Brendan McLaughlin then tapped over a free, well won by Anthony Kelly, who was a handful in is full-forward role. Termon had another penalty shout shortly after, perhaps more deserving that the one awarded but it was waved away and then Malin struck for a goal at the other end.
Stephen McLaughlin looked to have scored an excellent point from the left but his effort came back off the post and Anthony Kelly gathered the ball and struck goalwards but the ball came back off keeper, Brendan McLaughlin was on hand to score past all-ireland winner Michael Boyle to give Malin the lead.
Shane Doherty hit another impressive point from the right to close the gap to one. Brendan McLaughlin hit a free after Stephen McLaughlin’s run was halted. Daire McDaid who was the main Termon threat all night hit a good score on the turn from the left and then hit a free to level the game.
Joseph Doherty jinked well to score a point for Malin after good approach play from John Gerard McLaughlin and Anthony Kelly but again McDaid replied with a free to leave the halftime score 1-05 a piece.
Anthony Kelly stroked over a free won by Joseph Doherty at the start of the second half and Brendan McLaughlin hit one from the other side after Paul McLaughlin was held back and Malin had a lovely third in a row when Christopher McLaughlin hit a sublime effort from distance after good work from brother Stephen.
Termon hit two in a row with McDaid freeing from the ground and Paul McDaid after a short worked-moved 45’. Anthony Kelly freed after an adjudged throw pass and from the resulting kick out Seamus Doherty pounced and punished to extend the lead out to three.
Daire McDaid’s dropped pointed effort was punched over by Ricky Gallagher on the three quarter hour mark. Malin then showed great composure in the final fifteen minutes dealing with a number of high balls into the square and they looked assured in defence and held the Shaun Paul Barrett managed side scoreless for the remainder of normal time.
They didn’t just defend either, the pace of some of their turnover breaks was impressive and they edged themselves away into a four point lead with John Gerard McLaughlin driving just over the bar and an Anthony Kelly free, won by Seamus Doherty after a delightful defence splitting crossfield ball from Shaun Kelly.
Anthony Kelly then put icing on the cake on the hour with a cool finish past Boyle after a fantastic set up run along the byline by Stephen McLaughlin. There was time for another punched point from Gallagher and another McDaid point after a poor clearance in injury time but Malin were well clear and will be happy to get two points on the board early.
Malin manager Terence Colhoun will be happy with a strong spine of the team on show with experience in the form of Damien Harkin, Shaun and Anthony Kelly showing well, the Fildaras all chipping in well and the impressive competitive debuts of Sean Byrne and Ciaran Doherty, a great day all round. It doesn’t get any easier though as the travel to Ardara on Sunday but they should go in confident mood after a good solid early season display this evening.
Malin: Daniel Mullarkey, Michael McLaughlin, Daniel Green, Sean Byrne, Ciaran Doherty(0-01) Gary Farren, Paul McLaughlin, John Gerard McLaughli (0-01), Christopher McLaughlin(0-01), Stephen McLaughlin, Shaun Kelly (0-01), Brendan McLaughlin (1-03, 3f), Joseph Doherty (0-01), Anthony Kelly (1-03, 3f), and Damien Harkin.Subs used Seamus Doherty (0-01)for Joseph Doherty (37 mins)
Termon: Michael Boyle, Shane Callaghan, Kevin McDaid, Joe O’Donnell, Dan Conaghan, Nathan McElwaine, Paul McDaid (0-01), Ricky Gallagher (0-02) Aidan Sweeney, Martin Sweeney, Caolan McDaid, Shane Doherty (0-02), James Doherty, Daire McDaid (1-05, 1 pen, 2) and Johnny McCafferty. Subs: Sean O’Donnell for Paul McDaid (45 mins)
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