Donaghmore and Loughmacrory share the spoils

Donaghmore 1-15 Loughmacrory 1-15

FORTUNES fluctuated for these two teams at sunny Donaghmore in Division One on Thursday but each had at least a league point in the pocket to show on behalf of their respective efforts.

The St Patrick’s and St Teresa’s were both keen to improve their respective league standings in this round seven encounter on Thursday evening. Loughmacrory began play positioned in sixth place on seven points, whereas Donaghmore started five spots back in 11th with five points.

As it turned out, both got something from the contest.

The two sides fielded minus some regular players but a decent tussle ensued in warm conditions and water breaks in each half helped get some welcome hydration on board for the participants.

Loughmacrory midfielder Shea Conway sent over the game’s opening point on two minutes, Donaghmore replying through Tom Grimes a couple of minutes later as the two sides settled into stride.

The St Teresa’s bagged the first goal of proceedings on seven minutes after quick-paced combination play between Gareth Donaghy and Cathaoir Gallagher before Gallagher fired low to the home net.

Cormac McCann pulled a point back for the St Patrick’s but Gareth Donaghy punched the ball over to claim Loughmacrory’s second point. Conor Kelly, in the St Teresa’s net, then thwarted a Donaghmore drive for goal prior to Shea McCartan pointing on behalf of the St Patrick’s.

Loughmamcrory’s Ronan Curran and Shea McCartan exchanged points, as did Cathaoir Gallagher and Rory McGee. The lively Cormac McCann subsequently registered Donaghmore’s fifth point not long afterwards but two Gareth Donaghy points in quick succession plus a Ryan Grimley score improved Loughmacrory’s situation.

Thomas McGuigan pointed for the St Patrick’s as the host team turned round trailing 1-7 to 0-7 at the interval. They were soon back on the offensive following the restart as Tom Grimes landed an effort but Cathaoir Gallagher landed the game’s only two-pointer in reply.

Niall McKenna set up Cormac McCann for the later to send over as Donaghmore rallied again. A McKenna free continued Donaghmore’s bright spell and sub Joe Kelly added further gloss when he was on hand to supply a cool 37th minute goal finish following a telling Rory McGee assist.

The St Patrick’s now had the scoreboard advantage plus Thomas McGuigan and Niall McKenna added points. Rory McGee and Oisin Howell also scored but the St Teresa’s responded to steady the ship and begin a feisty revival of their own.

Midfielder Eoin Donaghy lofted over a 42nd minute St Teresa’s score and indeed the industrious Donaghy added another two tidy efforts to make it three on the trot from play.

Arnoldas Macidulskas was driving forward from defence for Loughmacrory and he supplied Colm Logue who scored. Macidulkas then turned scorer himself with a St Teresa’s point and Gareth Donaghy tagged on one too.

There was still time for Donaghmore to rescue a point through Rory McGee. Loughmacrory held possession and tried to engineer a score opening but Donaghmore kept them at bay.

Scorers

Donaghmore: Joe Kelly 1-1, Cormac McCann 0-3, Rory McGee 0-3, Niall McKenna 0-2 (1f), Tom Grimes 0-2, Thomas McGuigan 0-2, Shea McCartan 0-1, Sean Donaghy 0-1.

Loughmacrory: Cathaoir Gallagher 1-3 (1f, 1 x 0-2), Gareth Donaghy 0-3, Eoin Donaghy 0-3, Shea Conway 0-2, Arnold Macidulskas 0-1, Colm Logue 0-1, Ryan Grimley 0-1, Ronan Curran 0-1.

Teams

Donaghmore: Conal Molloy, Dermot McCann, Paul McCann, Kealan McCloskey, Philip Donnelly, Sean Donaghy, Shea McCartan, Thomas McGuigan, Fergal Donaghy, Rian McAshea, Tom Grimes, Rory McGee, Deasun Quinn, Niall McKenna, Cormac McCann. Subs: Oisin Howell for P Donnelly, Joe Kelly for D Quinn, Dan Toner for N McKenna.

Loughmacrory: Conor Kelly, Cathaoir Logue, Nathan Kelly, Mark Grimes, Shane Dobbs, Arnoldas Macidulskas, Ollie Anderson, Shea Conway, Eoin Donaghy, Ronan Curran, Colm Logue, Cathaoir Gallagher, Gareth Donaghy, Ryan Grimley, Oisin McCallan. Subs: Mark Devlin for Colm Logue, Mansy Meenagh for Cathaoir Logue.

Referee: Fergal Ward (Errigal Ciaran)