Killybegs and Sean MacCumhaills played out a thrilling tie on Sunday afternoon in Fintra in the Donegal Senior Championship
Killybegs 2-8 Sean MacCumhaills 1-9
Report by Charlie Collins
A win for MacCumhaills would put them straight into the quarter-finals and also confirm Naomh Conaill’s place in the last eight, but a win for Killybegs would mean that the group would not be decided until the final round of matches next weekend.
The home side managed to rack up a 1-04 to 0-2 lead by the midway point of the first half when they set the pace after only ten-seconds through Michael Statham.
That quick-fire point was followed up by three scores by the immense Hugh McFadden before Ryan Cunningham made MacCumhaills goalkeeper Eoin Gallen pay for a costly slip from a kick-out to secure the first goal of the contest.
However, MacCumhaills responded well as they restored parity one minute before the break with two points and a goal of their own from Luke Gavigan and Darren O’Leary.
Shortly after the break, MacCumhaills set the pace with two swift scores to take the lead for the first time in the game, as Marty O’Reilly and Padraic Patton scored two points from open play.
McFadden momentarily responded for Killybegs to reduce the deficit to within a point, but MacCumhaills pulled away further when Oisin Gallen and Aaron Gillooly opened their accounts for the Ballbofey outfit.
But MacCumhaills should have been further ahead on the 37th minute when Nathan Gavigan was through on goal, forcing Kevin Martin into a excellent stoppage.
And it proved to be a turning point in the fixture when Killybegs took real charge as Jack McSharry’s point breathed new life into the south Donegal side.
MacCumhaills were, in many ways, architects of their own downfall here, recording eight wides in a contest that, in the end, they were left rueing.
After 48 minutes, Killybegs pinched possession from a MacCumhaills free-kick when an attempted cross-field ball was intercepted by Hugh McFadden, and with Eoin Gallen left in no man’s land, the Donegal midfielder found the net with a stunning 40-yard lob.
Trailing by three points with ten minutes to go, it was an uphill battle for MacCumhaills and it went from bad to worse when McFadden added two further points to his tally.
The victory leaves Killybegs needing a victory next week against Dungloe to see them through to the quarter-finals of the Donegal Senior Championship.
KILLYBEGS; Kevin Martin, Cillian Gildea, Ciaran Conaghan, Paul McGinley, John Ban Gallagher, Jack McSharry (0-01), Ryan Carr, Hugh McFadden (1-06 3f’s/45), Evan Broderick, Michael Statham (0-01), Daniel Breslin, Shaun Gorrell, Conor Cunningham, Paul Cunningham, Ryan Cunningham (1-0).
SUBS; Christopher Murrin for Gorrell (55mins), Eoin Gallagher for Conor Cunningham ( 60mins ).
SEAN MACCUMHAILLS; Eoin Gallen, Aaron Gillooly (0-01), Ronan McMenamin (0-01), Martin Gallagher, Luke Gavigan (0-01), Andrew McCloskey, Gary Dunnion, Gavin Gallagher, Nathan Gavigan, Marty O Reilly (0-01), Padraic Patton (0-01), Oisin Gallen (0-01), Brian Lafferty), Darren O Leary (1-02 f’s) ,Gary Wilson.
SUBS; Stephen Mulligan (0-1f ) for O Leary ( 45 mins), Aaron Kelly for Nathan Gavigan ( 50 mins ) , Conor Griffen for Martin Gallagher ( 55mins ).
REFEREE: Shane Toolan
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