SEAN MACCUMHAILLS plunged Glenfin deeper into relegation trouble at the foot of Division 2 with a three-point win over their derby foes in Ballybofey.
Sean MacCumhaills 0-10 Glenfin 0-07
A useful second half by Brendan Dunleavy’s team scored a win that eases their own fears of making the drop, but Glenfin are now hanging by their fingernails to their Division 2 place.
Picture caption: High fielding action from the big derby at Sean MacCumhaill Park. Picture courtesy of Chris Doherty.
With just three games remaining, Liam Ward’s team must win two more games than Gaeil Fhánada to avoid making the automatic drop to Division 3.
They were undone here in the second half when MacCumhaills reeled off some fine points and the An Gaeltacht Lár men cursed lengthy scoreless spells in both halves.
They were 20 minutes without a point in the first half and they scored just once in the final 25 minutes.
Glenfin, playing every inch the team in deep relegation trouble they are, started in flying form and were 0-3 to 0-1 ahead by the 10th minute.
Paddy Costello fired them into the lead and their good start continued through scores by Paddy O’Connor (free) and Frank McGlynn (’45) after Stephen Mulligan popped over.
Mulligan slotted over a free and there was a dearth of scores for the visitors with just one further point – a Stephen Carr free in added time – to their tally before the break.
The teams were level at half-time with Mulligan and O’Reilly landing the points for the hosts after an initially tepid game threatened to boil over.
A scuffle on halfway resulted only in yellows for Steven O’Reilly and Gary Dorrian while O’Connor followed them into the book for a reckless foul on Gerard Grindle.
Glenfin were quick from the traps at the start of the second half with midfielders Costello and Michael McGlynn on target, but when O’Reilly found his groove, so too did MacCumhaills.
O’Reilly arched over three-in-a-row to move MacCumhaills two ahead and, although Stephen Carr kept Glenfin in touch, Chris Gallen and Brian Lafferty sealed the deal.
Lafferty clipped over after Andrew Walsh denied MacCumhaills sub Aaron Kelly a goal for the clincher in a game that had plenty of needle throughout.
Sean MacCumhaills: Chris Patton; Gerard Grindle, Marty Gallagher, Ronan McMenamin; Gary Wilson, Gary Dunnion, Andrew McCloskey; Pat McNulty, Nathan Gavigan; Stephen Mulligan (0-4, 3f), Brian Lafferty (0-1), Martin O’Reilly (0-4, 1f); Alan Patton, Steven O’Reilly, Chris Gallen (0-1). Subs: Aaron Kelly for McNulty, Rory Dunleavy for Mulligan (black card).
Glenfin: Andrew Walsh; Gary Herron, Ronan Gallagher, Daniel Harkin; Gary Dorrian, Frank McGlynn (0-1, 1 ’45), Jason Morrow; Michael McGlynn (0-1), Paddy Costello (0-2); Daniel McGlynn, Paddy O’Connor (0-1, 1f), Stephen Carr (0-2, 1f); Kevin McGlynn, Gerard Ward, Stephen McGlynn. Subs: Jason Marley for Carr, Ciaran Moy for M.McGlynn.
Referee: Shaun McLaughlin (Malin)
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