They huddled around Paddy McGinty’s radio trying to make sense of it all but, once all the sums were finally totted, Glenswilly were confirmed as group winners.
Glenswilly 1-9 Burt 1-5
By Chris McNulty at Pairc Naomh Columba
They made life harder than they ought to have in disposing of Burt, but Glenswilly topped the pile on score difference, with Bundoran sneaking through in second place, by virtue of scoring more than Ardara.
Shaun Wogan’s goal, in the 20th minute, might have given Glenswilly a kick for a big win, but when Dara Grant netted for Burt, the visitors’ notions were aroused.
Glenswilly were wasteful and sloppy here for long periods, but they got the job done and will be a side no-one will relish being paired with in this evening’s draw.
Burt scored just once in the first half – through Sean McHugh in the final minute – but 12 minutes into the second half they came right back into a game that looked to have been gone beyond them.
Stephen Gillespie drilled over a point and it was game on when Dara Grant coolly slotted low past James Gallagher after being fed by Joe Boyle.
Grant had been sent off in last Sunday’s defeat by Ardara at Hibernian Park, but a successful appeal to the Competitions Controls Committee (CCC) late in the week meant he was given a reprieve to line out here.
McHugh and Conor Harkin converted to bring Burt to within two.
Glenswilly squandered a glorious goal chance ten minutes from the end when Leon Kelly batted wide from Caoimhinn Marley’s centre.
Glenswilly’s response was just what they needed as Mark McAteer, Joe Gibbons and Gary McFadden steadied the wobbles.
Neil Gallagher hadn’t been risked from the off by the Glen men, but they had the luxury of calling up the former Donegal star for the closing passages as they held on to claim the win they needed to move into the knockout stage.
There were 29 minutes and 40 seconds on the stopwatches before Burt registered their first score.
Burt had three wides and saw another good chance blocked by Caoimhinn Marley before McHugh opened their account with a splendid point off the outside of his right boot.
The Glenswilly goal arrived in the 20th minute. Marley and Cathal Gallagher were heavily involved in a move that ended with Wogan steering home from the edge of the square.
Oisin Crawford put Glenswilly in front after 12 minutes and, in a low-scoring opening, Caolan Kelly delightfully swung over from the ’45.
Wogan’s goal took Glenswilly into a position from which they shouldn’t have been rocked and frees from Gary McFadden and Michael Murphy had the hosts 1-4 to 0-1 in front at the break.
Burt made a game of it, but they must now tackle the relegation play-off.
Glenswilly, though, are just where they want to be – and that spells danger for any possible opponent, even if they were far from their best here.
Glenswilly: James Gallagher; Mark McAteer (0-1), Eamonn Ward, Ryan Diver; Ruairi Crawford, Shaun Wogan (1-1), Joe Gibbons (0-1); Leon Kelly, Caolan Kelly (0-1); Cathal Gallagher, Caoimhinn Marley, Cormac Callaghan; Oisin Crawford (0-1), Michael Murphy (0-1f), Gary McFadden (0-3, 1f). Subs: Shane McDaid for R.Crawford (black card, 34), Kealan McFadden for Callaghan (50), Brian Farrelly for Diver (55), Neil Gallagher for L.Kelly (56).
Burt: Kevin Glenn; Martin Donaghey; Stephen O’Donnell, Shane O’Donnell; Sean McHugh (0-2), Ciaran Finn, Darren Gallagher; Stephen Gillespie (0-1), Ronan McDermott; Joe Boyle (0-1f), Tom Doherty, Dara Grant (1-0); Christopher McDermott, Ciaran Dowds, Conor Harkin (0-1). Sub: Calvin Gallagher for C.McDermott (black card, 50).
Referee: Mark Brown (Four Masters)
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