A strong second half performance earned Glenswilly a comfortable five point victory over rivals St Michaels.
Glenswilly 1-15 2-07 St Michaels
The home side put in an excellent attacking performance to earn their first points of the season. The in-form Michael Murphy racked up a personal tally of one goal and seven points, with the Donegal captain as reliable as ever off his trusted right boot.
But Glenswilly struggled in the first half and went in at the whistle two points down with St Michaels looking dangerous on the counter.
The game became more opened in the second half, Glenswilly were intelligent in their attacking movement and rarely wasted a ball. St Michaels will rue a twenty-minute spell in the second half where they didn’t manage to register a score.
There was a tentative and scrappy start to the affair with both sides looking cagey in possession. Caolan Kelly and Michael Murphy did manage to get on the score sheet for the home side after five minutes. St Michaels were quick to respond though, and inside ten minutes Daniel McLaughlin scored from an acute angle after a quick attack down the left hand side of the field.
St Michaels had their best moments in the game after that score. First Andrew Kelly tipped over after a Martin McElhinney off-load and then Ruairi Friel earned his side a penalty.
The young wing-back was fouled when bearing down on goal following an intelligent pass by Michael Langan who did well to set him free. Colm McFadden sent Philip O’Donnell the wrong way to put the away side in the lead.
Glenswilly dug deep though and two quick scores through Michael Murphy and Cathal Gallagher got them back to within a point. The home side then got a goal chance but Dean McColgan reacted quickly to a breaking ball to clear before Brian Farrelly could reach it.
Michael Langan split the post with a 45’ to mark an impressive first half display from the midfielder. Andrew Kelly then got St Michaels second goal of the game after fine work by Oisin Langan who attacked from deep and played him in. The corner forward neatly placed the ball past O’Donnell in the Glenswilly goal.
A Michael Murphy free kick and a well-executed effort from Ciaran Gibbons left St Michaels with a two point lead at the break. Daniel McLaughlin knocked over the first score of the second half within a minute. The forward took full advantage of a defensive turnover to add to his sides lead.
Unfortunately for St Michaels, Glenswilly took control of the game from there on in. Caoimhin Marley got their first of the half before Michael Murphy scored three almost identical free kicks from thirty yards out.
Fifteen minutes into the second half, Neil Gallagher hit the score of the game. Michael Murphy worked a quick free kick into Gary McFadden thirty-five yards out. He slipped the ball to Gallagher who turned on to his left and fired over.
Simple, fast, percentage football which the home side really showed in the second half. Murphy and the lively Brian Farrelly added further scores for Glenswilly. With just ten minutes to go they got a penalty of their own.
Andrew Kelly was judged to have fouled Mark MacAteer inside the area. The St Michaels players and management alike were fuming with the decision. Dean McColgan guessed the right way from the resulting penalty, but Michael Murphy had too much power and precision in his effort and the umpire raised the green flag once again.
Ruari Crawford seen red soon after the goal for an incident involving Daniel McLaughlin leaving the home side down to fourteen men for the remaining eight minutes.
St Michaels did manage to tap over points through Andrew Kelly, Michael Cannon and Michael McGinley but Caoimhin Marley fisted over the final score of the game to add to Glenswilly’s winning margin.
Glenswilly: Philip O’Donnell, Ruairi Crawford, Eamon Ward, Mark MacAteer, Sean Wogan, Ciaran Gibbons (0-1), Sean McDevitt, Caoimhin Marley (0-2), Caolan Kelly (0-1), Cathal Gallagher (0-1), Brian Farrelly (0-1), Neil Gallagher(0-1), Gary McFadden (0-1 1f), Michael Murphy (1-7 6f 1 45’), Keelan McFadden (Joe Gibbons, 48).
St Michaels: Dean McColgan, Liam Kelly, Michael McGinley (0-1), Michael Gallagher, Ruairi Friel, Ciaran Gallagher, Oisin Langan, Liampaul Ferry, Michael Langan (0-1 1 45’), Colin McFadden (Ciaran Kelly, 46), Colm McFadden(1-0) (Michael Cannon, 48 (0-1) , Daniel McLaughlin (0-2), Andrew Kelly (1-2), Martin McElhinney, Odhran McFadden (Hugh O’Donnell, 42).
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