St.Michaels Edge Milford in All County League Opener

St.Michaels    1-14    V    1-11   Milford.                                                                                          St.Michael’s gave new manager Gary O Neill a winning start with this impressive performance against Milford in this Brian Mc Cormick Sports and Leisure Division one clash at The Bridge. This fixture was brought forward a couple of weeks but the home team showed from the start that they were ready for it and hit the ground running in ideal conditions on a beautiful afternoon in Dunfanaghy.                                                                                                                   Charlie Collins reports from The Bridge .                                                                     Both teams started without several players that might be considered starters if available but Mark Anthony McGinley and Martin McElhinney who both recently withdrew from the Donegal Senior squad started for the home team and McElhinney had a big influence on the outcome with a strong display in the vital last ten minutes.                                                                                                                   It was 0-05 apiece at the break , Milford had played with the wind advantage so St. Michaels would have been the happier team at half-time.                                       Daniel McLaughlin , Andrew Kelly , a fine Mark Anthony McGinley free and two points from impressive  youngster Edward O Reilly with two good points scored for the home team while Luke Barrett kicked three , two from frees, and Kane Barrett and Cathal McGettigan’s free replied for Milford .                                           Kelly , Odhran McFadden and Ciaran Gallagher all scored from play in the opening five minutes of the second-half to send St.Michaels three clear but Milford’s respond was excellent.                                                                                            Christopher Barrett pointed and then after a fine team build-up , Ronan Docherty’s pass was palmed to the net by Luke Barrett in the 40th minute and Milford led by one. Odhran McFadden and Cathal McGettigan exchanged points before Milford had a big shout for a penalty when they broke from midfield and Kane Barrett set up sub Pauric Curley with a goal chance , however he was stopped in his tracks by Jamie Hunter who looks fortunate that the Referee decided it was a legal challenge .                                                                                     Very quickly Daniel McLaughlin and Chris McElhinney put St.Michaels ahead again but Luke Barrett and Darragh Black replied to edge Milford in front .  Daniel McLaughlin’s free levelled it up in the 50th minute but Kane Barrett pointed again and Milford led again.                                                                                                    Martin McElhinney then took the game by the scruff of the neck and kicked two quick points before bursting through from midfield and setting up Andrew Kelly to hammer the ball home for a match-winning goal. Luke Barrett pointed a late free but St. Michaels held on to win by three ,1-14 to 1-11.                       St.MICHAELS ; Mark A McGinley ,( 0-01f ),  Jamie Hunter , Steven Black , Liam Kelly , Michael Cannon , Ryan Langan , Chris McElhinney ( 0-01 ), Ciaran Gallagher ( 0-01 ) ,  Liam Paul Ferry , Daniel McLaughlin ( 0-03 ),  Colin McFadden , Edward O Reilly ( 0-02 ), Andrew Kelly ( 1-02 ),  Martin McElhinney ( 0-02 ) , Odhran McFadden ( 0-02 ),                                                                                     SUBS ;  Colm Anthony McFadden and Peter Sweeney for Odhran McFadden and Black ( both 50mins ).                                                                                             MILFORD ; Caolan McGettigan , Anthony Fisher , Sean Black , T J Eversson, Ronan Docherty , Paddy Peoples , James Doyle , Luke Barrett ( 1-05 4f ),  Rory 0 Donnell , Conor McHugh , Christopher Barrett ( 0-01 ),  Ryan Mc Mahon , Darrach Black ( 0-01 ), Cathal McGettigan ( 0-02 ),  Kane Barrett ( 0-02 ).               SUBS ;  Pauric Curley and Conor Coll for Fisher and Conor McHugh ( both 42 mins ).                                                                                                                                      Referee ; Mark Dorrian.