Daniel Clarke was the man to draw first blood for NaomhColmcille immediately from the start with a fine one two with Joe Donaghey which saw him on the 20m line with the effort gliding off the left foot and straight between the post giving the red and white army the early advantage.
Conor mc Gonigle and Niall Carr showed some potential with some fine linkages trying to break thorough the naomhColmcille half back line but never posed andy real danger.
Willie Gillespies shot from out wide on the left hand side went agonisingly wide with a hair probably separating the point from the wide.
The main element of the game was the soft pitch conditions being the culprite for both sides loose play but botth teams never gave up at any stage.
It was not until 19mins where the score was levelled by fanads Seamus Friel @ a point a piece.
On the 21st minutes Fanads Ryan McGonigles Interception Denies Daniels Clarkes Long run which would mist certainly have given Naomh Colmcille the lead,
However, it was the Fanad Men who took the lead with a fisted point from Michael Sweeney.
Good off the ball movement was evident yet again from the naomh colmcille side when John Fullerton and WillieeGillespie to win a 20m free which joe Donaghey executes with extreme precision tie the game at 2-2.
A key aspect of the game was the breaking ball, the naomhcolcille midfield of Daniel Clarke and Ryan McErlean where prime examples of the clean catch above the head which every coach will tell you is the hardest skill to master in a game which left Fanad dazed from time to time.
This game was just one of thiose games where things just didn’t go peoples way, multiple wides and shots dropping short just summed it all up.
FAnad took the lead yet again on the 22nd minute through a 13m free which Niall carr executed finely which to some extent redeemed him for the few short free that he missed throughout the 1st half.
Paul Friel was given the benefit of the doubt for his trip on Niall Carr by Referee Aidan McAleert towards the end of the 2nd half which on another day could have left him seeing black.
Naomh Colmcille enede the 1st half with a flourish with 2 points from Willie Gillespie after a John Fullerton and Mark Dowds Linkage and with the 2nd conjuring up a DEJAVU moment with the same key players.
Half Time Thoughts:
Michael Sweeney was the man to be watched from Fanad as his off the ball movement allowed fanad extra options time and time again on each and every attack, his most influencial moment was his 40 m run which could have realised a score for the fanad men but the Naomh colmcille back line composed themselves each and every time and maintained control.
Daniel Clarke was the main focus of the Naomh ColmcilleSide, work rate was definitely not an issue here, wherever the ball was he was right there on top of it. His pass and go allowed almost every one of the Naomh Colmcille Scores, Influential ? – MOST CERTAINLY!!!
This match could really go either way as both teams were aseverely unlucky in their endeavours!!!
On a day where the grand national was on the tip of everyonestongues so too should be “falling at the last Fence”!!
Second half:
Daniel Clarke yet again was the primary mover with the immediate attack from the restart and the one two with conor Grant just falling short.
First blood in the 2nd half went to the fanad men with seamus friel doing his club men justice on this occasion.
A tight angled shot on the 40th minute by Joe Donaghey seen him hitting the woodwork for the 3rd time of the day.
Fanads Niall Carr started to influence his team on the 45thminute with a fine point on the right hand side obtaing the levelling score and minutes later getting a crucial point to put them ahead.
Ryan McErlean stepped up to the plate alost immediately getting Naomh colmcille back on level pegging. (6-6)
Willam and Michael Lynch were Introduced on the 50thminute.
Conor Grant did well to get out in front of his man each and every time and shoots just to fall short into the keepers arms.
Low drive on goal; By eddie Gillespie just goes to the right and wide with 5 minutes left to go.
Cross field play didn’t seem to be the most effective for Naomh Colmcille losing possession on multiple occasions.
Fanads Paul coyle put the Ball over from 13m to give the Fanad men the advantage (6-7) leaving Naomh Colmcille only minutes to try and level the score.
This final seconds dictated that this was not to be Fanads day when a finely executed downfield pass by Michael Lynch to Danniel Clarke out wide on the left hand side which graciously slotted over by Daniel Clarke.
Final thoughts
This is a day that Naomh Colmcille could look back on and think of points that they have left behind them as over the two halves they had 14 wides and 8 balls dropping short as well as a lot of wasted possession but the game did end with a lot of determination being shown by the red and white army to never give up to the final whistle is blown!!
Man of the match:
Man of the match was an easy call in this case going to Daniel Clarke as the work ethic and influence over the 60mins was second to none!!
Club lotto:
There was no winner of this weeks jackpot which rolls over to next weeks jackpot of €3,150
