Kilcar get the better of Gaoth Dobhair to put daylight at the top of Division 1

Both sides went into the fixture joint-top of the division on 20 points but in the end it was the hosts’ who took another stride towards reclaiming the title they last won in 2014, thanks to goals from Ryan McHugh and Patrick McBrearty.

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Whereas when Gaoth Dobhair won the previous meeting of the sides, this evening there was an array of talent from the county ranks.

It was 0-3 to 0-3 on 12 minutes with Odhrán MacNiallais on the mark three times for the visitors, while Ryan McHugh, Conor Doherty and Stephen McBrearty got Kilcar going.

However, when Ryan McHugh, typically, ghosted onto a loose ball and played a give-and-go with Dara O’Donnell, before slapping into Christopher Sweeney’s net, Kilcar had the goal they craved.

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Kilcar’s netminder Eamonn McGinley made an excellent stop to deny Cian Mulligan but whilst Gaoth Dobhair depended mainly on MacNiallais, who would score seven points in all, the home side had plenty of strings to their bow.

Scores from Andrew McClean, Ciaran McGinley, Michael Hegarty and Patrick McBrearty meant Kilcar were 1-7 to 0-8 in front at the break, with Kevin Cassidy and Eamon McGee pointing late in the half.

When MacNiallais was forced off though injury, Gaoth Dobhair lost their go-to man and Ryan McHugh, Doherty and O’Donnell scored to re-affirm Kilcar’s bossing of the contest.

Nine minutes into the second half, a a daring break from Eoin McHugh fed Ciaran McGinley, who in turn located Patrick McBrearty to score Kilcar’s second goal.

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Gaoth Dobhair, who would be beaten for only the third time this season, did score four of the last five points. Noel Kelly grabbed two, and Michael McKelvey and Niall Friel also pointed but it was Patrick McBrearty who rounded off the scoring.