REIGNING COUNTY CHAMPIONS Naomh Conaill maintained their 100 per cent record in Group D of the Michael Murphy Sports and Leisure SFC, coming from behind to defeat Four Masters.
Four Masters 1-11 Naomh Conaill 5-12
Trailing 1-6 to 1-4 at half-time, the team managed by Martin Regan and Martin Doherty were comfortable winners by 13 in the end with Leo McLoone and Ciaran Thompson scoring two goals apiece, with Brendan McDyer also finding the net.
Photo caption: Leo McLoone grabbed two goals for Naomh Conaill this afternoon against Four Masters. Photo: Geraldine Diver
[adrotate group=”38″]A Kevin McBrearty points early in the first half gave the Donegal town side the advantage, before McLoone palmed home his first goal. However, Michael Doherty’s goal gave the home team some hope.
Seamus Corcoran and Dermot Molloy added points up the other end as Naomh Conaill again went ahead on a score of 1-2 to 1-1.
The sides were level once again on the quarter hour mark thanks to a fine effort from distance by Doherty. A brace of Eoin Waide points moved his side to 1-4 eight minutes from the break.
But a strong finish to the half, where Masters posted four on the trot, made sure they exited with the upper hand. A sweet slice from Karl Lacey was added to by McDaid and Doherty (2) to round off a tight and nervy enough first-half.
Following the restart, Naomh Conaill’s class told in emphatic and ruthless fashion. First, McLoone drilled low to the bottom corner of the net after Corcoran had sent him on his way. McDyer added a point before the same player rattled in a third goal for the Boys in Blue as they moved five clear.
McDaid responded from a free to finally get Masters up and running in the second-half. But disaster lurked just around the corner when Ciaran Thompson again ruffled Masters’ net.
McDaid, from a free, and Emmett Doogan did respond with points for the host to take them out to 1-9 on 49 minutes. But a brilliant fetch and break by Ciaran Thompson, where he played an incising give and go with John O’Malley, eventually finished with the county man firing in a fifth goal.
Before the end, McDaid (free) and Doherty grabbed two final overs for Masters. But with Waide, McDyre (2), Eoghan McGettigan (2) and Molloy all registering for the winners, they eventually crossed the line with a massive 5-12 under their belts.
Four Masters: James McDaid; Darren Walsh, Dillon Kennedy, Josh Lacey; Danny McGarrigle, Karl Lacey (0-1), Sean O’Kennedy; Patrick Reid, Kevin McBrearty (0-1); Emmett Doogan (0-1), Conor McMonagle, Luke Kennedy; Barry Monaghan, Michael Doherty (1-4), Conor McDaid (0-4,3f). Subs: Sean Meehan for Reid (40), Darren Doherty for McMonagle (40), Caolan Loughney for E Doogan and Aaron McCrea for D Walsh (both 50).
Naomh Conaill: Stephen McGrath; Aaron Thompson, Anthony Gallagher, Kevin McGettigan; Marty Boyle, Eunan Doherty, Eoin Waide (0-3); Ciaran Thompson (2-0), Leo McLoone (2-0); Seamus Corcoran (0-1), Dermot Molloy (0-4), James Doherty; Brendan McDyre (1-2), Ethan O’Donnell, John O’Malley. Subs: Daragh Gallagher for E O’Donnell (13), Cathal Ellis for A Thompson (39), Leon Thompson for J Doherty (42), Eoghan McGettigan (0-2) for K McGettigan (53), Stephen Molloy for E Doherty (55).
Referee: Seamus McGonigle (Aodh Ruadh).
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