ST MICHAEL’S PRODUCED A fine third quarter to see off Termon in Dunfanaghy in the AllSportStore.com Division 1 this evening.
St Michael’s 2-9 Termon 0-8
The side managed by Eddie Harkin have been a little off and on the boil this term but will be content with tonight’s victory two weeks ahead of welcoming Killybegs in the Michael Murphy Sports and Leisure Donegal SFC.
A bit like their campaign to date – having won two and lost two beforehand – the reigning Division 1 champions were in and out of top gear at the Bridge.
A good start to both halves did the trick and Andrew Kelly’s goal 10 minutes into part two grasped control of the contest. The same player, who scored 2-3 in all, finally broke Termon with a second goal in second half injury time.
Termon looked to be well placed at a stages having known the wind would be at their backs in the second half. Even as time was almost up, they were still in with a shout.
St Michael’s started well, posting three points in the first five minutes with two Kelly frees and a nice Michael Langan effort.
Termon took a little time to get their attack functioning but Daire McDaid and Aidan Sweeney soon pointed to leave the Burn Road outfit just the one down on 20 minutes.
[adrotate group=”47″]Referee Enda McFeely was on top of things but some of the players felt he was occasionally blowing too often. There wasn’t really a bad tackle in the match.
Steve McElwaine’s centre on 25 minutes caught everyone out and St Michael’s were relieved to see the ball bounce innocuously off the base of the post and away.
Michael Cannon, with a neat score at the end of the half, scored the first St Michael’s point in 25 minutes. They were 0-4 to 0-2 ahead after a lackluster first half.
[adrotate group=”38″]With the wind, Termon might’ve fancied their chances in the second period and two points in the opening 90 seconds meant they were on terms. Daire and Caolan McDaid did the damage to make it 0-4 to 0-4.
That stung St Michael’s into life and Kelly popped over his third free, Michael McGinley scored on the run and then Cannon added his second point.
St Michael’s response was admirable and following those three points on the bounce came Kelly’s goal on 40 minutes. It was well-fashioned with a pair of one-two’s between Kieran Kelly and Oisin Langan set up Andrew Kelly to shoot past Conor Tinney.
[adrotate group=”40″]Coalan McDaid and Raymond McLaughlin both added a couple of frees but St Michael’s had built a cushion of between five and six points and that looked like standing to them.
Daire McDaid added two late in the day for Termon and Kevin McMenamin saw a shot for goal blocked in injury time by Cannon.
That acted as the foundation for the second goal for Andrew Kelly in the 62nd minute as he got onto the Raymond McLaughlin turnover and sped away on the break to drive his side’s second goal into the net.
St Michael’s: Dean McColgan; Stephen Doak, Peter Witherow, Michael Gallagher; Michael Cannon (0-2), Michael McGinley (0-1), Liam Paul Ferry; Kieran Kelly, Martin McElhinney; Michael Langan (0-1), Ciaran Gallagher, Keelan McGee; Brian McLaughlin, Andrew Kelly (2-3, 3f), Raymond McLaughlin (0-2, 2f). Sub: Oisin Langan for B McLaughlin (4), Stephen Coyle for McGee (48), Chris McElhinney for C Kelly (56), James Henry Alcorn and Lorcan McDaid for R McLaughlin and Witherow (60+2).
Termon: Conor Tinney; Paul McDaid, Kevin McDaid, Shane Callaghan; Nathan McElwaine, Kevin McElwaine, Daniel Connaghan; Caolan Mellett, Ricky Gallagher; Johnny McCafferty, Sean O’Donnell, Aidan Sweeney (0-1); Daire McDaid (0-4, 1f), Caolan McDaid (0-3, 2f), Kevin McMenamin. Subs: Steve McElwaine for McCafferty (19), Joe English and James Doherty for P McDaid O’Donnell (46)
Referee: Enda McFeely (St Mary’s Convoy).
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