All in one place: All the weekend's All-County Football and Hurling League reports

Gaeil Fhánada got back to winning ways yesterday afternoon in the glorious sunshine in Páirc Uí Shiadhail as they overcame a stubborn challenge from Four Masters to prevail by three points at the conclusion. 

Gaeil Fhánada 0-13
Four Masters 0-10

This was a very good encounter, with two teams in good form testing each other’s credentials over a physical and keenly contested hour in Portsalon. The pivotal moment in this game was probably a Mark McConigley penalty save from Killian Faulkner midway through the second half which ensured Gaeil Fhánada held on to their slender one-point lead, from which they would build upon and consolidate from there to the conclusion. Bernard McGettigan kicked five points for the side managed by Aidan McAteer.

It was nip and tuck in the opening exchanges with neither side giving the other much time to settle on the ball. The scoreboard read a point apiece after three minutes, Seamie Friel for Gaeil Fhánada and Leo McHugh for Four Masters both on target from play. The sides missed a couple of opportunities each before points from Eoghan Carr and Killian Faulkner cancelled each other out by the 15th minute. 

Four Masters were playing with the advantage of a fair breeze in the opening half, and seemed to be making it count for a time as the dangerous Faulkner, Conor Reid and Jamie Crawford struck three in a row for the visitors by the 19th minute while a black card to Jonny Friel, and a knock which forced Paddy Heraghty to be replaced compounded a difficult few minutes from a Gaeil Fhánada perspective. 

The hosts rallied however, and managed to claw back the three point deficit during the period they played with fourteen men as Liam McGrenaghan pointed a free from beyond the D, and Ryan McGonigle, Paddy Carr and Eoghan Carr all split the posts from play while Faulkner stroked over his third of the day for Four Masters. The home side were to finish the half the stronger, as a mazy Bernard McGettigan run from deep wasn’t curtailed, and he tapped over from close range after creating the opportunity for himself. He added a further score as Gaeil Fhánada led by two at half time. 

The visitors, although now playing against whatever breeze there was settled the quicker after half time, as Jason Duignan converted two opportunities in the first four minutes. Three further efforts went begging for the Donegal Town men but they did receive a let off as a Michael Sweeney effort hit the woodwork. 

Bernard McGettigan edged the Gaels a point ahead in the eighth minute as he converted a free, just before the aforementioned penalty incident. Mark McConigley got down to smother Faulkner’s effort, much to the delight of the home support. Two further Four Masters efforts came to nothing before McGettigan pointed once more to stretch the Fanad lead, before Seamie Friel, who was lively throughout, put the Gaels three ahead midway through the second half. Richard O'Rourke, who had an influential hour, stepped forward for his defensive role in the 19th minute to reduce the gap once more, but Gaeil Fhánada made their break for home, as Darren McElwaine and Bernard McGettigan both pointed from play. 

Substitute, Cian Hegarty responded for Four Masters to reduce the gap to three with three minutes remaining. Michael Sweeney was then hugely unlucky not to be rewarded for an audacious piece of play. He plucked the ball out of the sky and with a couple of his trademark long strides he escaped the attentions of a couple of Four Masters players. 

Upon seeing Martin Cassidy well off his line, he unleashing a fantastic effort goal-wards from just in front of the stand but instead of either going over or under, it bounced back off the crossbar into grateful Four Masters arms as they set upon a counter attack. Sweeney, Jimmy Coyle, James Gallagher and Mark McConigley all made important interventions in the final minutes as Four Masters pressed for an equalising goal, but the hosts stood firm, and there was a three-point cushion in their favour as referee Pat Barrett sounded the final whistle. 

Gaeil Fhánada scorers: Bernard McGettigan 0-5; Eoghan Carr and Seamie Friel 0-2; Darren McElwaine, Paddy Carr, Ryan McGonigle and Darren McElwaine 0-1.
Four Masters scorers: Killian Faulkner 0-3; Jason Duignan 0-2; Leo McHugh, Richard O’Rourke, Conor Reid, Jamie Crawford, Cian Hegarty 0-1.

Gaeil Fhánada: Mark McConigley, Odhrán Shiels, Shaun Kerr, Jonathan Friel, Brandon McClafferty, Matthew Gallagher, Jimmy Coyle, Bernard McGettigan, Eoghan Carr, Darren McElwaine, Paddy Heraghty, Liam McGrenaghan, Seamie Friel, Paddy Carr, James Kerr. Subs: Ryan McGonigle for Paddy Heraghty, Michael Sweeney for Liam McGrenaghan, James Gallagher for Jonny Friel, Oisín McFadden for James Kerr, Liam McGrenaghan for Darren McElwaine. 
Four Masters: Martin Cassidy, Caolan Loughney, Brian Fegan, Darragh Geary, Leo McHugh, Richard O Rourke, Evan Gallagher, Patrick Reid, Oisín Reid, Senan Quinn, Jason Duignan, Conor Reid, Joe Leape, Killian Faulkner, Jamie Crawford. Subs:: Cian Hegarty, Dermot Slevin.