Naomh Conaill hold onto league title with comfortable dismissal of Gaoth Dobhair

Naomh Conaill comfortably held onto the All-County League Division 1 title with a dominant victory over Gaoth Dobhair in O’Donnell Park, Letterkenny, on Sunday. 

In truth, the seven-point winning margin flattered their opponents somewhat as the Glenties outfit bossed matters completely before winding down in the last ten minutes. 

Indeed, it looked ominous for Gaoth Dobhair, even at the half-time break, as The Boys in Blue held a strong 1-6 to 0-3 upper hand. 

And with Odhran Doherty raising a second green flag early on in the second stanza, it was already curtains for the Magheragallon men 

Naomh Conaill had opened their account first thanks to Leo Dunphy just two minutes in. The same player was at it again soon after as Martin Regan’s charges doubled their advantage. 

Ronan Mac Niallias’ side took until the ninth minute to register and when it came, it was a well-executed free from the hands by Cathal Gillespie. 

John O’Malley made light work of the breeze straight down the other side as he again put two between the teams. 

A lightning quick restart from Daithi Roberts then sent Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhríde galloping through the middle. 

At the opportune moment, he switched possession to Gillespie but Stephen McGrath did very well to narrow the target and block that effort on goal. 

A turnover high up the field, with Brendan McDyer the man stripped of possession, again allowed Gaoth Dobhair to hit on the counter with Ethan Harkin making it 0-3 to 0-2 on 17 minutes. 

Kevin McGettigan showed good persistence to get through a number of Gaoth Dobhair bodies and get his name on the scoresheet. 

However, that effort was quickly stroked out as Harkin nabbed his second, leaving it 0-4 to 0-3, seven minutes out from the break. 

On 25 minutes Brendan McDyer got in on the left-hand side and his deft lob, off the left foot, cleared Roberts’ head before nestling beautifully in the far bottom corner of the net.  

Now turning the screw, Dermot Molloy arched over a free from the ground to increase the Glenties lead to five, two minutes out from the break. 

Before that short whistle, teenager Finnbarr Roarty edged up from wing half-back to float over and leave it 1-6 to 0-3 at the changeover. 

Naomh Conaill picked up where they left off immediately after the restart as Charlie McGuinness landed a free from distance. 

Ten minutes into the second-half and Naomh Conaill put any lingering Gaoth Dobhair hopes 

to bed as the raiding Roarty put Odhran Doherty through on goal. 

And even though the county ace drilled low off the foot off the post, he quickly followed up to sidefoot to the back of the net as a ten-point gap opened up. 

Entering the last quarter McGuinness landed another long-range free from the hands as 2-8 led 0-3. 

Adam McGeever, just into the fray off the Gaoth Dobhair bench, did manage to slap home 

a goal for his side while, down the other end, McGettigan nabbed a second point of the contest. 

Roberts denied both Keelan McGill and McGuinness down the stretch while late on, Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhríde, Aidan Breathnach and Eamonn Collum, twice, registered for Gaoth Dobhair while Tiernan Ward and McGuinness (‘45) brought the scoring curtain down for the winners. 

Naomh Conaill scorers: Brendan McDyer 1-0; Odhran Doherty 1-0; Leo Dunphy 0-2; Charlie McGuinness 0-3,2f 1’45; Dermot Molloy 0-1,1f; John O’Malley 0-1; Kevin McGettigan 0-2; Finnbarr Roarty 0-1; Tiernan Ward 0-1. 

Gaoth Dobhair scorers: Adam McGeever 1-0; Ethan Harkin 0-2; Cathal Gillespie 0-1; Domhnall Mc Giolla Bhríde 0-1; Aidan Breathnach 0-1; Eamonn Collum 0-2. 

Naomh Conaill: Stephen McGrath; Kevin McGettigan, AJ Gallagher, Odhran Doherty; Hughie Gallagher, Ultan Doherty, Finnbarr Roarty; Charlie McGuinness, Neil Francis Boyle; Brendan McDyer, John O’Malley, Mark McDevitt; Jeaic Mac Ceallbhuí, Dermot Molloy, Leo Dunphy. 

Subs: Tiernan Ward for D Molloy (45); Keelan McGill for Dunphy (48); Daniel Gildea for McDevitt (52). 

Gaoth Dobhair: Daithi Roberts; Aidan Breathnach, Gary McFadden, James Ó Baoill; Fiachra Coyle, Niall Friel, Micheál Roarty; Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhríde, Kieran Gillespie; Eoin De Burca, Stephen McFadden, Fionnán Coyle; Ethan Harkin, Cathal Gillespie, Mark McFadden. 

Subs: Eamon Colum and Fergal Delaney for M McFadden and Ó Baoill (both 35); Cian McEntee for S McFadden (39); Adam McGeever for M Roarty (47); Sean Doherty for E De Burca (52)

Referee: Anthony McCallig (Naomh Ultan).