Glenfin were most impressive in this rather easy dismissal of an understrength Bundoran in a most one-sided affair on a bright day stolen from summer at Fintra.
Glenfin 3-11. Bundoran 0-8
The winners hit three good goals and could have scored at least two more and also won all the major battles.
By Gerry McLaughlin at Fintra
Corner-forward Ciaran Brady got two of their goals while his partner Gerard Ward was his usual accurate self from frees and orchestrated a number of scores as well.
And the impressive pacey Ross Marley was a very effective link between defence and attack against a strangely tepid Bundoran.
The losers created a lot of chances but hit a total of ten wides and repeatedly fluffed the last pass.
Midfielders Paul Brennan and Oisin Walsh tried hard throughout as did Timmy Govorov, but they lacked consistent support.
In contrast Glenfin were well set up in defence and were very swift on the counter.
They clearly showed that they are a club well worthy of senior status and certainly put it up to Gaoth Dobhair for long periods in the quarter-finals.
They were certainly stung by last week’s somewhat surprise narrow defeat to Killybegs and were in no mood to allow any similar occurrence.
Bundoran have been plagued with injury all year and started without Peter McGonigle, Ciaran McCaugey, Michale McEniff, Gary Clancy, Adam Russell, Tommy Hourihane (although the latter veteran came on and scored 0-3) and most of all Jamie Brennan.
The absence of these heavy hitters was always going to make it difficult for the Seasiders, who will have a last chance of staying up next weekend.
They lost the outstanding Oisin Walsh to injury and will be hoping to have at least some of these absentees back in action next weekend.
The opening was very cagey as both sides were circling each other like two heavyweights looking for a weakness.
There were nerves on show too as both sides swapped wides-with Bundoran being the biggest culprit and finished the half with six wides and two balls dropped into the keeper’s hands.
And it took all of nine minutes for us to get score when Glenfin’s Daniel McGlynn pointed to get the Gaeltacht men off the mark.
Bundoran launched a series of attacks, but the final pass was consistently letting them-before Brian McHenry opened their account with a well struck effort from an acute angle in the 11th minute.
But that was their last score for another 15 minutes as a much hungrier Glenfin took over spurred by some excellent play from Ross Marley who repeatedly drove his team forward.
And they were rewarded in the 14th minute when Marley started a lightning move that also involved the equally excellent Gerard Ward who found arch marksman Ciaran Brady and the Cavan native kept calm as he slotted the ball to the Bundoran net.
Gerard Ward was well in his stride by this stage, and he swivelled around a few Bundoran defenders and arced over a fine point in the 16th minute.
Cian McEniff got the Seasiders second point from a free after 22 minutes.
But there was little let up from the focused winners.
And they were most unlucky not to have another goal when speedster Aaron McGlynn bore down on the Bundoran goal only to see his screaming shot hit the side netting.
The winners were well worth their half time lead of 1-4 to 0-2.
And this one-sided affair was effectively sealed as early as the 36th minute when Gerard Ward found his deadly striking partner Ciaran Brady with a neat pass.
The county Cavan native, who is affectionately known as “Jaffa” had a bit to do-as he swivelled past a Bundoan defender before unleashing a low drive to the net for his second goal.
That put Glenfin ahead by 2-4 to 0-2, and already it looked like it was game over.
The winners tacked on two more points from Odhran McGlynn and Jason Morrow before the hard-working Bundoran midfielder Oisin Walsh replied for Bundoran.
Sadly Oisin later went off injured and was taken to hospital by ambulance.
Paul Brennan then led a bit of a Bundoran revival as they threw on veteran Tommy Hourihane, who was playing for Donegal Masters on Saturday and he obliged with three points.
Walsh landed another point for Bundoran from Cian McEniff, but they only offered feeble resistance.
And the game was well over, when Glenfin sub Kyle O’Mara hit the third goal for the impressive winners.
Glenfin: Andrew Walsh; Martin O’Donnell, John Harkin, Gary Herron; Ross Marley, Mark McGinty (Jnr) Odhran McGlynn (0-1); Stephen Carr,, Jason Morrow (0-21f); Daithi Carr, Stephen Ward, Aaron McGlynn (0-1); Ciaran Brady (2-1) Gerard Ward (0-5f) Daniel McGlynn (0-1).Subs; Stephen McGlynn for Martin O’Donnell (47), Ronan Carlin for Odhran McGlynn (49), Shane McGinty for Gary Herron (54) Ross O’Mara (1-0) for Gerard Ward (55).
Bundoran: Conor Carty; Adam Gallagher, Johnny Boyle, Niall Carr; Aaron Keaney, Mattie Duffy, Dara Hoey; Paul Brennan, Oisin Walsh (0-2); Niall Dunne Adam McGloin, Shane McGowan; Cian McEniff (0-1f) Timmy Govorov, Brian McHenry (0-2). Subs; Tommy Hourihane (0-3) Timmy Govorov (51), Ryan Walsh for Adam Gallagher (54), Timmy Govorov for O Walsh (inj..57)
Referee: Jimmy White (Killybegs)
