Glenfin progressed to the under-21 A Championship Final as they put on a stunning performance in the second half to overcome Naomh Conaill at Pairc Naomh Columba in Glenswilly.
Glenfin 3-04 Naomh Conaill 1-09
Report by Charlie Collins.
It was a great triumph for Glenfin who were the hungrier team on the day, especially in the second period.
Naomh Conaill started the better of the two sides in the opening 15 minutes, pulling together three impressive scores following some excellent integrate play.
Eoghan McGettigan opened the scoreline after two minutes from a free-kick, the Naomh Conaill man accurately placing his first charge of the day over the Glenfin goal.
Three minutes later, Naomh Conaill took advantage of a moment of madness from the Glenfin goalkeeper, Liam O’Meara, who kicked the ball straight into the path of Naomh Conaill’s Paul McGuinness and the forward made no mistake adding an early goal to Conaill’s tally.
After 10 minutes, O’Meara redeemed himself with an excellent save following another McGunniess effort on goal – parrying the ball to safety.
Danny Gallagher added another score after 13 minutes for Naomh Conaill, opening up a five-point lead.
However, Glenfin showed plenty of heart of their own just before the 20-minute mark. Pulling off a fantastic move, Matthew McGinley managed to infiltrate the Naomh Conaill defence to score a superb goal.
While Glenfin reduced the deficit, the gap in quality was alarming as they continued to concede possession to Naomh Conaill time and time again and ten minutes before the interval Connaill extended their lead.
A well-placed Eoghan McGettigan free-kick after 19 minutes and an Odhran Doherty score from open-play was enough to give Naomh Conaill breathing space at half-time.
Glenfin needed a turnaround in the second half and whatever Frank Mc Glynn said to his boys at half-time it worked as they put on a splendid display in the second period.
When Ordhran Doherty got his second score of the match, it looked like normal order would continue, but as Glenfin cranked up their performance it managed to pay dividends.
Four huge scores in a 20-minute spell got Glenfin back into the game and had Naomh Conaill just about hanging on with a slender lead.
After 32 minutes, Stephen Carr added a tidy score for Glenfin before Kyle O’Meara made it a three-point game – the contest was sitting at narrow 1-05 to 1-02.
However, Naomh Conaill showed plenty of grit against a much ravenous Conaill side – adding three painstaking scores to make it an uphill battle.
Midway through the second-half, Kealan McGill added a well-worked point either side of Nathan Byrne and Paul McGuinness’s free-kicks.
Conor McBride contributed much-needed point again for Glenfin after 46 minutes and it wasn’t long before Aaron McGlynn went on a commanding run – causing Naomh Conaill all sorts of issues.
As McBride navigated himself through Naomh Conaill’s defensive structure, he brilliantly and cooly found an end product – scoring Glenfin’s second goal of the game – making it 2-03 to 1-08.
Going into the final ten minutes, with a place in the final up for grabs, the game was end-to-end.
The best form of defence was becoming the attack, with Kieran Gallagher getting a score for Naomh Conaill after 49 minutes, while Jason Morrow scored from open play for Glenfin a minute later.
With the two-point game hanging in the balance, Naomh Conaill’s was dealt a blow when Kieran Gallagher was sent off after receiving his second yellow of the game for a high tackle.
As Gallagher left the field, Glenfin really began to turn the screw and after 52 minutes the pressure combusted.
Naomh Conaill appeared to have been saved by the post following a long-range effort by Stephen Carr, but Karl McGlynn was there to score Glenfin third goal and to give them the lead for the first time in the semi-final.
Approaching the final minutes of the game, Naomh Conaill were helpless. With a man to the good, Glenfin should have extended their narrow lead, but Conor McBride and Eoin Donnellan missed glorious chances.
However, their profligacy didn’t cost them in the end as they held on to advance to the U21 A Final where they will meet St Eunan’s next week.
Glenfin: Liam O’Meara; Ross Marley, Packie McGrath, Shane O’Donnell; Stephen Carr, Aodhfin McGlynn, Matthew McGinley; Jason Morrow, Kyle Doherty; David Carr, Eoin Donnellan, Aaron McGlynn; Karl McGlynn, Conor McBride, Kyle O’Meara.
Subs: Darren Marley Ordhan McGlynn
Naomh Conaill: Jordan O’Donnell; Odhran McDevitt, Tony Byrne, Jamie Cranley; Kealan McGill, Logan Quinn, Cian Doherty; Ultan Doherty, Kieran Gallagher; Odhran Doherty, Paul McGuinness, Shane McDevitt; Eoghan McGettigan, Nathan Byrne, Danny Gallagher.
Subs: Maitis McKelvey
Referee: Pat Barrett
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