McDaid brothers star as Termon post their first win at Ardara’s expense

TERMON GRABBED TWO deserving points in Pearse Park this evening where a storming first-half showing went a long way to defeating hosts Ardara.

Ardara 3-8 Termon 1-16

By Frank Craig, PRO

Daire McDaid hit 1-9 with his brother Caolan adding a further four points for Francie Friel’s side.

The visitors had travelled to Pearse Memorial Park off the back of a narrow opening day loss to Gaoth Dobhair.

Ardara, idle theselves since their win at home to Glenswilly first day out, got the scoring action under way as Kevin Herron and Tomás Boyle combined excellently to tee up Gareth Concarr as he cut in from the left.

Seconds later, with Ardara turning over the kickout, Tomás Boyle was sent straight through the middle and he made no mistake by arrowing to the back of the visiting net from close range.

With the contest barely two minutes old, Seamus Gallagher’s side was dealt a real blow when they lost captain Conor Classon to what looked like a hamstring complaint. After that initial blitz, Ardara wilted alarmingly as Termon pinged 1-6 on the bounce to move six clear by the end of an eventful first quarter.

The superb Daire McDaid with former county man Kevin McMenamin in tow, were the men doing most of the damage. McDaid had the Burn Road men on the board on six minutes before the same player boomed over a 50-metre free.

Some determined rescuing of a stray McMenamin effort near the end line by Ricky Gallagher got its reward when the ball was worked back into the incoming McMenamin who this time did hit the target at the second time of asking.

McMenamin, McDaid again from a long range free, and Caolan McDaid all cleared the crossbar as Termon moved to six points – two to the good over Ardara’s 1-1. There was to be no let off as Gallagher, McMenamin and Daire McDaid worked possession right through the heart of a ragged Ardara rearguard before the latter planted the ball in the bottom right stantion.

At this stage, McDaid’s place kicking was exemplary as he sailed over another huge point from outside the ’45m line. Rattled and 1-8 to 1-1 in arrears, Ardara needed to stem the tide quickly. Brendan McNelis did just that with a routine dispatch from a placed ball.

But the respite was short. Straight away, Termon once again cantered right through the middle of a porous home defence allowing Caolan McDaid to tap over his third of the night. With Ardara completely disorientated, another Daire McDaid over left a massive eight points between the teams when they eventually exited at the break, 1-10 to 1-2 up.

Ardara vastly improved after the midpoint and a much more even contest played out. Tomás Boyle got Ardara back to within six, three minutes into the new period.

McDaid added to his own tally up the other end before another fine brace of frees from Boyle – both from distance – left them still well in command on a score of 1-11 to 1-6. Caolan McDaid and McNelis both hit the target while McNelis followed that up with another free after Kieran Breslin had been upended.

Ardara were now really threatening to get back into matters but with McDaid nailing another two frees, the visitors were back out to six, heading into the final seven minutes. But there was still plenty of drama to come as Kevin Herron bundled home another precious three-pointer for Ardara to reignite their hopes heading down the home stretch.

Termon though, continued to show great determination as Daire McDaid and Ricky Gallagher settled visiting nerves with two well worked and composed pots at the posts. Ardara did hit the back of the net a third time before the end when Tomás Boyle rolled home from the spot.

But at the final whistle, Termon were full value for their victory. Still, had Ardara shown a little more grit in the first period they might have been able to salvage something from what was, over all, a disappointing home effort.

Ardara: Cathal Gallagher; Oisin O’Donnell, Delcan Gavigan, Kevin Breslin; Kevin Herron (1-0), Johnny Herron, Jack Brennan; Conor Classon, Brendan McNelis (0-3,1f); Nicolas Maguire, CJ Molloy, Ryan Malley; Gareth Concarr (0-1), Brendan Boyle, Tomás Boyle (2-4, 3f). Subs: Kieran Breslin for C Classon (2), Shane O’Donnell for B Boyle (30).

Termon: Conor Tinney; Fintan O’Flynn, Anthony McGrenra, Shane Callaghan; Steve McElwaine, Kevin McEwaine, Nathan McElwaine; Johnny McCafferty, Caolan Mellet; Daire McDaid (1-9,5f), Caolan McDaid (0-4,1f) Ricky Gallagher (0-2); Austin Marrin, Kevin McMenamin (0-1), Shaun O’Donnell. Subs: Daniel Conaghan for K McMenamin (half-time), Paul McDaid for S McElwaine (36), Joe English for A Marrin (56), Alan Dugera for C McDaid (59)

Referee: Connie Doherty (Naomh Conaill).