Darach O’Connor returns as Buncrana topple Ardara at Pearse Memorial Park

Darach O’Connor put his latest injury nightmare behind him on Sunday as he came in off the bench to help Buncana defeat Ardara away at Pearse Memorial Park. 

It’s over a year since O’Connor - who started the 2014 All-Ireland final for Donegal - picked up a serious knee injury against Naomh Columba. 

But he made a scoring return at the weekend for Buncrana as they took two good points on the road. 

Ardara had got the opening score of the game through Johnny McHugh before Dylan Mulholland squared it.  The same player then pushed the visitors ahead from a free on 11 minutes. 

Soon after, a John Campbell free stretched Buncrana’s lead. Callum Malley pulled one back for the hosts but another Cambell effort, this time from play, meant two again split the teams. 

On 20 minutes another Campbell effort from a free left it 0-5 to 0-2 to Buncrana. Kevin Whyte and Johnny McHugh replied for the home team to leave one in it. 

Oisin O’Flaherty and Aidan Stokes again pushed the Inishowen men out to a three-point upper hand. And with Aaron Cleary and McHugh swapping points before half-time, the scoreboard read 0-8 to 0-5 at the changeover. 

After the restart, Conor Classon got Ardara going but with Michael B McLaughlin lamping in a goal on 35 minutes, the visitors stole a real march. 

Johnny McHugh then added a quickfire double from frees while Campbell was also on target down the othe side. 

Classon grabbed his second of the match before the introduction of O’Connor seen the former county man hit an instant over. 

Ten minutes out from the end, Cleary widened the gap. And before the end, Classon, Mulholland and Campbell all cleared the crossbar. However, at the final whistle it was Buncrana that took a comfortable win. 

Ardara scorers: Johnny McHugh 0-5,2f; Callum Malley 0-1; Kevin Whyte 0-1; Conor Classon 0-3. 

Buncrana scorers: Dylan Mullholland 0-4,2f; John Campbell 0-4,3f; Oisun O’Flaherty 0-1; Aidan Stokes 0-1; Aaron Cleary 0-2; Michael B McLaughlin 1-0; Darach O’Connor 0-1; 

Ardara: Gareth Concarr; Charlie Bennett, Shane Whyte, Shane Mooney; Danny Walsh, Paddy McGrath, John Ross Molloy; Conor Classon, Daragh Hennigan; Paul Walsh, Kevin Whyte, Paul Watters; Johnny McHugh, CJ Molloy, Callum Malley.

Subs used: KJ Molloy, Nicholas Breslin. 

Buncrana: Adam Harrigan; Aidan Stokes, Sean Doherty, William McLaughlin; Andrew Davision, Evan McCallion, John McKenna; Peter McLaughlin, Michael B McLaughlin, Aaron Cleary; Oisin O’Flaherty, Darragh Corry; Dylan Mulholland, John Campbell, Billy Duffy. 

Subs used: Darach O’Connor. 

Referee: Kevin McGinley (Naomh Columba)