ARDARA 5-14 V 1-09 NAOMH MHUIRE Ardara retained their Senior Championship status for 2018 with this comfortable victory over Naomh Mhuire at O Donnell Park. The seeds for this win were firmly set in the second quarter of the first-half when the Ardara men scored 3-05 without reply from their opponents to lead by 15 points at half-time. Ardara got off to a fast start and were 1-03 ahead inside eight minutes, Conor Classon broke from the throw-in and pointed after an exchange of passes with two teammates. In the 5th minute Brendan Mc Nelis effort for a point dropped short and C J Molloy held off keeper Thomas Duffy and full-back Brian Gillespie to scramble the ball over the goal-line. Molloy pointed a free a minute later and then Tony Harkin burst forward to make it a six point game. Harry Harden’s free finally got Naomh Mhuire on the score-sheet in the 10th minute and a minute later Tom Mc Hugh set up Ultan Boyle to fist to the net from close range. It was back to a point between them in the 13th minute with a fine Adam O Brien point and then Lorcan O Donnell and Hugh Martin exchanged scores to leave it 1-04 to 1- 03 in Ardara’s favour in the 15th minute. However that was as close as it got as Adrara totally dominated the next quarter up to half-time scoring 3-05 without reply from Naomh Mhuire. Lorcan O Donnell pointed a free and then a 45 before C J Molloy fielded a long ball on the 13 mts line and turned to hammer the ball to the top corner. Paddy Mc Cafferty burst forward for Naomh Mhuire but pulled his shot wide and a minute later Lorcan O Donnell raced through to hammer a third Ardara goal past Thomas Duffy to make it 3-06 to 1-03. A minute later Conor Classon did the same and points by Gareth Concarr , C J Molloy and John Ross Molloy left the half-time score 4-09 to 1-03 and game over as a contest. Ardara again dominated the opening stages of the second half and added 1-04 to move to 5-13 on the scoreline before Naomh Mhuire added four points in a row , their first scores since the 15th minute. But it was all too little to late and Ardara coasted to an impressive victory and can look forward to senior championship football next year again. Naomh Mhuire have the consolation of Promotion and will be a strong force in the Intermediate Championship next year. ARDARA; Cathal Gallagher, Joe Melly, Declan Gallagher, Keelin Slowey , Nicolas Maguire ( 0-1 ), Tony Harkin ( 0-1 ), Oisín O Donnell , John Ross Molloy ( 0-1 ), Conor Classon ( 1-1 ), Brendan Mc Nelis , Peter Mc Hugh , Paul Watters ( 0-1 ), Gareth Concarr ( 0-1f ), C J Molloy ( 2-3 ) Lorcan O Donnell ( 2-4 ) . SUBS USED ; Johnny Herron , Brendan Boyle ( 0-1 ), Daniel Breslin , Shane O Donnell. NAOMH MHUIRE; Thomas Duffy , Patrick Rodgers, Brian Gillespie, Robbie O Donnell, Paddy Mc Cafferty , Aidy O Gara, Daniel Gallagher (0-1 ), Hugh Martin ( 0-1 ), , Adam O Brien ( 0-1 ), Ultan Boyle ( 1-2 ), , Darragh White ( 0-1 ), Harry Harden ( 0-2 ), Jack Boyle, Tom Mc Hugh , Sean Burns . SUBS USED ; Patrick Gillespie, Daniel Devlin ( 0-1 ), Darren Gallagher, Jamie Mc Gee. REFEREE ; Shaun Mc Laughlin. ( Malin ).
Chris McNulty
Author of 'Boxing In Donegal: A History (2021)' - the definitive history of the sport in County Donegal - and 'Relentless: A Race Through Time', the 2019 memoir of former Irish Athletics Team Manager Patsy McGonagle. From St Johnston and now based in Letterkenny, Chris was a nominee for NUJ Sports Journalist of the Year in 2010. Honoured by the Donegal Boxing Board in 2016 for his coverage on the sport.