TERMON CONDEMNED GLENSWILLY TO a fifth straight League defeat in a feisty and fiery derby at The Burn Road this afternoon.
Termon 2-11 Glenswilly 1-7
Second half goals by Caolan McDaid and Ricky Gallagher fired Francie Friel’s Termon to a win over their neighbours, who have now lost all five of their opening handful of games in the AllSports.Com All-County Football League.
Picture caption: Councillor Michael McBride presenting the Termon team with sponsored footballs this afternoon.
Glenswilly played the entire second half with 14 men following the dismissal late in the first half of Gary McFadden.
The former Donegal panellist was given a straight red card by referee Liam McConigley for his part in an altercation off the ball with Nathan McElwaine.
While it drew the ire of Glenswilly – who argued that it had been a ‘six of one, half a dozen of the other’ case – McConigley consulted with his umpires before brandishing the red.
Brendan Friel was a tad fortunate to escape with only a booking following a high tackle on Oisin Crawford early in the second half. By then, McConigley had become the focus, which is never a good thing in these affairs and there were times when the heat on the hob had the pot boiling over.
Termon made the most of their numerical advantage, outscoring their opponents 2-4 to 0-5 after the interval, when they’d only two points to spare despite dominating the exchanges, as Christopher McMonagle’s goal kept the Glenswilly hopes alive.
Termon themselves were reduced to 14 men late in the day when veteran Johnny McCafferty was given his second yellow card.
At that stage, Glenswilly were still in the mix, although they trailed by five.
But the issue was put to bed a minute later when Termon broke for their second goal as Daire McDaid’s vision and precision saw him feed Gallagher with a clever pass inside.
Gallagher steadied himself before neatly slotting past James Gallagher.
Termon’s opening goal had arrived in the 43rd minute, Caolan McDaid tucking home after Gallagher saved brilliantly from a powerful shot by Daire McDaid.
Termon had a whirlwind start to the afternoon and were four up after just six minutes with two gorgeous Daire McDaid frees, both of them from well out on the right flank, sandwiching points by Caolan McDaid and Kevin McMenamin.
A madcap start had the ball in the Termon net, too, but Liam McConigley awarded a free out for a foul when Caoimhinn Marley’s ’45 was spilled by Friel.
Termon pressed on and Daire McDaid landed another fine free that was followed by Caolan McDaid converting to put Termon 0-6 to 0-1 in front.
Leon Kelly’s point was all that stemmed the flow and Glenswilly were looking in a sticky spot at that stage.
They might be down a number of their chief lieutenants, with a bout of ‘flu rendering Michael Murphy unavailable for this one, joining an absent list that already included Neil Gallagher and Ryan Diver, but there were returns here for Joe Gibbons, Ciaran Bonner and Cormac Callaghan as substitutes.
Gibbons’ introduction in the 21st minute coincided with Glenswilly’s best period of the game, but they were still two behind at the break, 0-7 to 1-2.
The goal had a little touch of fortune about it. McFadden’s free dropped short on the edge of the Termon square and McMonagle rose to bat home past Conor Tinney.
It took a vital interception from Aidan McDevitt to prevent Termon from getting in on goal and hell broke out in added time at the end of the first half when McFadden was sent to the line.
Dare McDaid, Gallagher and Austin Marron stretched the lead before Caolan McDaid’s goal sent Termon well in the clear.
Marron added another after a driving run by corner-back Shane Callaghan while Caolan Mellett lost his composure after knifing his way through,
Frees by Cathal Gallagher, Marley and Bonner had Glenswilly fighting back, but they’d left themselves with too much to do on a day when Termon’s hunger was greater.
Having lost heavily, 5-16 to 1-7, at St Eunan’s last week, it was a fine way for Termon to bounce back, but Glenswilly’s need is now for points ahead of back-to-back home games against Dungloe and Bundoran.
Termon: Conor Tinney; Daniel Connaghan, Kevin McDaid, Shane Callaghan; Kevin McElwaine, Nathan McElwaine, Steve McElwaine; Brendan Friel, Caolan Mellett; Austin Marron (0-2), Ricky Gallagher (1-1), Johnny McCafferty (0-1); Caolan McDaid (1-2, 1f), Kevin McMenamin (0-1), Daire McDaid (0-4, 4f). Subs: Joe O’Donnell for S.McElwaine (18), Joe English for McMenamin (58).
Glenswilly: James Gallagher; Mark McAteer, Eamonn Ward, Aidan McDevitt; Caoimhinn Marley (0-2, 1f), Cathal Gallagher (0-1, 1f), Paddy Diver; Leon Kelly, Caolan Kelly; Oisin Crawford, Gary McFadden (0-1, 1f), Brian Farrelly (0-1); Darren McGinley, Christopher McMonagle (1-0), Kealan McFadden. Subs: Joe Gibbons (0-1) for K.McFadden (21), Ciaran Bonner (0-1, 1f) for Diver (36), Ciaran Gibbons for McAteer (42), Cormac Callaghan McDevitt (44), Philip O’Donnell for McGinley (44).
Referee: Liam McConigley (Downings).
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