TWO early goals set Gaoth Dobhair on their way to a comfortable home win over neighbours Cloughaneely as the All-County League belatedly got underway amid the CoVid-19 pandemic.
Gaoth Dobhair 4-15 Cloughaneely 0-7
Eamon Collum, on 90 seconds, opened the scoring when he shot past Shaun McCafferty for goal and then in the seventh minute, Kevin Cassidy added a second for the home side at Magheragallon having marked inside.
Cassidy was making a nuisance of himself inside and with the likes of Daire O Baoill in particular finding the former Donegal skipper ready and available. Odhran MacNiallais scored four first half points – three from frees – as former Naomh Colmcille clubman Michael Lynch, Donegal’s substitute goalkeeper, was also on the scoresheet from his midfield berth.
McCafferty in the visitors’ goal did provide good kick-outs but his teammates couldn’t use it as a foundation.
However, the understrength Falcarragh-based outfit did score three successive points at the end of the half, through McCafferty and Martin Maguire with his second point. Gaoth Dobhair were 2-8 to 0-5 in front having played against the wind.
Mervyn O’Donnell’s side were in complete control throughout and added two more goals in the second half. Firstly, Naoise O Baoill popped home a third on 45 minutes before the impressive Ethan Harkin held his feet when he might’ve gone down to smash home a fourth.
Cloughaneely had McCafferty to thank for saving from Harkin in injury time with his face.
Gaoth Dobhair: Christopher Sweeney; Eamon McGee, Neil McGee, Gary McFadden; Niall Friel, Donal McBride, Neasan Mac Giolla Bhríde; Daire Ó Baoill, Michael Lynch (0-1); Eamon Collum (1-1), Odhrán Mac Niallais (0-4, 3f), Naoise Ó Baoill (1-2); Gavin McBride (0-1, 1f), Kevin Cassidy (1-1), Ethan Harkin (1-3). Subs: Liam Wiggins for Friel (25), Michael Carroll (0-1) for D McBride (37), Eoghan de Burca for N McGee (41), Aiden Breatnach for Wiggins (44), Noel Kelly (0-1) for G McBride (47)
Cloughaneely: Shaun McCafferty (0-1, 45); Neil Kelly, Cian McFadden, Noel Sweeney; Kevin Mulhern, Mark Harley, Seán Geaney; Jason McGee, Martin Maguire (0-2); Ciaran Scanlon, John Fitzgerald (0-1), Shaun Curran (0-1, 1f); Shaun Maguire (0-1), Paul Sweeney , John McGarvey. Subs: Darren McGeever (0-1) and Ciaran McGeady for N Kelly and Geaney (25), Conor Coyle for S McGarvey (27), Killan Gallagher for J McGarvey (28)
Referee: James Connors (St Eunan’s)
Tags: