Kilcar defeat Malin to gain first league win of the season

Kilcar got their first win of the season in Division 1 when a second half scoring blitz saw them overcome Malin in a bottom-of-the-table clash at Connolly Park.

It was a fairly even first half, Malin took the lead from a Josh Conlan free but Kilcar came back with the next two - Gary Molloy hitting a nice score after cutting in from the right and a free from Matthew McClean.
Ciaran O'Kane then hit a boomer from just inside the arc for Malin before Kilcar edged ahead again when Karl Lyons cut in from the right to squeeze over from the 13m line.

Sean O'Neill responded with a two pointer up the left. Points were then traded by Conor O'Donnell and Paul McLaughlin, with the latter effort coming from a rebound off the keeper, McLaughlin was too close to squeeze it under the bar as it came just too quick to control.

Doherty levelled once again firing over a free hit with advantage already being played. Ciaran O'Kane had the last say of the half jinking to create space after good work from Ciaran Doherty leaving the score 0-6 to 0-5 at the break.

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Christopher McLaughlin converted a free at the start of the second half, right in front of the posts after dissent saw the ball moved in, but it was a different game after that as Kilcar struck a seam of form that the home side couldn't match.

Fittingly it was Ciaran McGinley who started it and the other danger man of the half Matthew McClean getting four points from three shots - a point from play, a free and a two pointer in the space of five minutes.

Ciaran O'Donnell got in on the act pointing up the right before substitute Stephen McBrearty really put the game to bed when he beat his man to the kickout and advanced to cooly slot in a goal past the onrushing Conlan to put the visitors seven up.

Sean O'Neill stemmed the tide a small bit with a good score from just inside the arc and Christopher McLaughlin followed this up with a free, but Malin would only hit one more score, a consolation at the death from Ciaran Doherty.

McClean again slotted over a free before Ciaran McGinley capped a good game with a two pointer and they led by eight with ten minutes to go.

Malin tried to carve out a couple of goal chances with Eoin O'Donnell equal to one Luke Rudden half chance, and Kilcar hit four more points with McClean with two frees, Pauric Love and Daniel Lyons all raising white flags.

Both teams have three games remaining to save their bacon in Division 1, and this head to head result could prove useful for Kilcar.

Malin face another crunch relegation match at Connolly Park against Inishowen rivals Buncrana on Thursday night, while Kilcar have a home game with Glenfin at the weekend.

Malin scorers: Sean O'Neill (0-3, 1 2pt), Josh Conlan (0-1, 1f), Ciaran O'Kane (0-2), Christopher McLaughlin (0-2, 1f), Paul McLaughlin (0-1), Ciaran Doherty (0-1)

Kilcar scorers: Matthew McClean (0-8, 1 2pt, 5f) Ciaran McGinley(0-3, 1 2pt), Stephen McBrearty (1-), Karl Lyons (0-1), Conor Doherty (0-1), Conor O'Donnell (0-1), Gary Molloy (0-1), Ciaran O'Donnell (0-1), Pauric Love (0-1) and Daniel Lyons (0-1)

Malin team: Zach Conlan, Cormac Cullinan, Ciaran Doherty, Gary Farren, Mac McLaughlin, Damien Harkin, Sean Byrne, Taylor Bonner, Ciaran O'Kane, Adam Duffy, Darragh Douglas, Josh Conlan, Sean O'Neill, Paul McLaughlin and Christopher McLaughlin. Subs Oisin McGonagle for Gary Farren (40 min), Luke Rudden for Adam Duffy (50 mins), Seamus Houghton for Paul McLaughlin (52 mins), Ryan McGeoghegan for Seamus Houghton (55 mins)

Kilcar team: Eoin O'Donnell, Barry McGinley, Eoin McCormac, Pauric Carr, Gary Molloy, Ryan McShane, Jack Hegarty, Ciaran McGinley, Pauric McShane, Matthew McClean, Conor Doherty, Conor O'Donnell, Karl Lyons, Pauric Love and Ciaran O'Donnell. Subs Daniel Lyons for Jack Hegarty (h/t), Stephen McBrearty for Karl Lyons (35 mins)

Referee: Sean McDaid (Urris)