Errigal ease to victory at Galbally

Galbally 0-7 Errigal Ciaran 3-13

ERRIGAL Ciaran produced arguably their best performance of the season to date when they ran out emphatic and impressive winners over Galbally at Pearse Park on Friday evening in ACL Division One

The visitors led 1-5 to 0-5 at the break despite having played against the wind and in the second half they really took off. The Pearses had kicked the opening two points off the second half to reduce the deficit to the minimum but they failed to score for the remaining twenty three minutes as the winners assumed complete control hitting 2-8 without reply.

Man of the match Ben McDonnell and midfield partner Padraig McGirr gave Errigal Ciaran a strong platform with the former scoring a brilliant first half goal and the latter striking for a crucial second major in the next attack after Galbally had closed the gap to the minimum.

Galbally had scored some superb first half points from Ronan Nugent, Liam Rafferty and Daniel Kerr but you got the feeling that they were going to be up against it after the break having not made use of the significant breeze at their backs. Errigal Ciaran were dominant throughout the field in the second half with their bench making a telling contribution with 1-5 between them on an evening when 3-8 of their total came from outside their starting forwards.

Full forward Odhran Robinson had the game’s opening two points before Ronan Nugent registered for Galbally with a fine effort from fifty metres. Peter Harte then hit an outstanding score with the outside of his boot but by the end of the opening quarter the sides were level after Conor Donaghy and Rafferty had scored from distance.

In the 16^th minute Errigal Ciaran took a lead that they were never to lose when McDonnell surged through the middle of the Pearses defence before giving keeper Ronan McGeary no chance with an explosive finish to the top left hand corner of the net. McGirr and Kerr exchanged quality scores before McGeary denied McGirr a goal with Robinson blasting over the rebound from close range. Midfielder Nugent then landed another score from fifty metres plus to leave it 1-5 to 0-5 at the interval.

The hosts were against the wind in the second half but they made a promising start when a long range Donaghy free was followed by a well worked point from defender Marc Lennon to leave just the minimum between the two sides. That was as good as it got for Galbally though as Ciaran McGinley and Robinson combined for McGirr to run through and fire to the net and the winners never looked back. Wing half back Ryan Ward pointed with substitute Peter Og McCartan on target as well.

Galbally were in trouble and McDonnell cut in from the right wing past three players to land the point of the game. Harte converted a free in what was his last action of the game with Darragh Canavan coming on in his place to kick his side’s next three points. In between those three scores his brother Ruairi, who had entered the fray at halftime, got on the end of a defence splitting move to blast home his side’s third goal in the 52^nd minute. It was all Errigal Ciaran in those closing stages with Ruairi Canavan completing the scoring with an eye catching point from fifty metres out.

The Scorers

Galbally

Ronan Nugent 0-2, Conor Donaghy 0-2 (1F), Marc Lennon 0-1, Liam Rafferty 0-1, Daniel Kerr 0-1

Errigal Ciaran

Ben McDonnell 1-1, Ruairi Canavan 1-1, Padraig McGirr 1-1, Odhran Robinson 0-3, Daragh Canavan 0-3 (1F), Peter Harte 0-2 (1F), Ryan Ward 0-1, Peter Og McCartan 0-1