Parish spoils go to Donaghmore against the leaders

Donaghmore 3-18 Galbally 3-5

The last surviving unbeaten record fell by the wayside at Father Devlin Park on Friday night with Donaghmore securing an emphatic thirteen point victory over parish rivals Galbally in Division One.

It was a contest that the St.Patricks were always in control off with Galbally chasing the game after conceding 1-4 in the opening ten minutes.

A goal just before halftime gave Galbally hope of taking something from the game as they reduced the deficit to four points but despite spring four regular starters from the bench in the second period they always struggled to stay in touch with their fast-moving opponents.

Going into the final quarter four points still separated the two sides but the hosts then blitzed their opponents 1-7 to 0-1 in the closing stages to secure a victory that eases them away from the danger zone while at the same time damage Galbally’s title playoff hopes.

Man of the match John McKenna opened the scoring inside sixty seconds before Ryan Cush added to their advantage with a well taken two pointer. It wasn’t the start that the Pearses were looking for and it got worse for them moments later when defender Conor Donnelly was black carded for a foul on Cush.

Tom Grimes tagged on point and in the 9^th minute the opening goal of the game arrived when Cormac Drayne capitalised on a poor kickout to finish to the bottom corner of the net.

Mark Donnelly eventually got the Pearses up and running with a two pointer and when Sean Hughes hit a similar score, this time from a placed ball, they were right back in contention.

Donaghmore though were always able to keep their opponents at arms length and when singles from Drayne and Cush was followed by a two pointer from wing half back Conor O’Neill they were well in control with the interval approaching.

With just a minute to go until halftime Galbally were given a huge boost when full forward Oisin McGee won a long ball in and turned sharply to fire past keeper Cormac McCartan to leave it 1-8 to 1-4 at the break.

The visitors made a triple substitution at the break with leading scorer Daniel Kerr, Christopher Morris and Sean Wylie all entering the fray but it was Donaghmore who were again the quicker out of the traps.

Cormac McCann fisted a point before Ronan Cassidy got off the mark with a point from play as well as one from a free. Galbally badly needed a response and they got it in the 40^th minute through a Moris goal to wipe out those opening three second half points from the hosts.

Galbally though were never able to get any closer and when McKenna cut in from the left to shoot past keeper Conan McGarvey they were back in control once more.

Within sixty seconds though Kerr responded with a major at the other end of the field but instead of sparking Galbally into like if had the opposite effect as they were to score just one more point in the remainder of the contest. Donaghmore moved the ball at pace and with purpose as they played their best football of the campaign to date.

Cassidy converted a trio of frees with John McKenna adding a brace and substitute Niall McKenna also on target as they landed half a dozen points without response.

Mark Donnelly, the only starting Galbally forward to score from play, stopped the rot for the visitors but Donaghmore then closed the game out in style. Substitute Noah Grimes cut in from the left and drew keeper McGarvey before offloading to wing half back Shea McCartan to smash the ball to the roof of the net before McCann concluded the scoring.

Scorers

Donaghmore

John McKenna 1-3 (1 x 45), Ronan Cassidy 0-5 (4F), Cormac Drayne 1-1, Ryan Cush 0-3 (1 x 2pt), Shea McCartan 1-0, Cormac McCann 0-2, Conor O’Neill 0-2 (2pt), Tom Grimes 0-1, Niall McKenna 0-1

Galbally

Mark Donnelly 0-3 (1 x 2pt), Oisin McGee 1-0, Christopher Morris 1-0, Daniel Kerr 1-0, Sean Hughes 0-2 (2ptF)

Teams

Donaghmore

Cormac McCartan, Conal McGee, Sean Donaghy, Dermot McCann, Conor O’Neill, Jude McNally, Shea McCartan, Thomas McGuigan, Peter McKenna, John McKenna, Tom Grimes, Ryan Cush, Cormac McCann, Cormac Drayne, Ronan Cassidy. Subs: Noah Grimes for Drayne, Niall McKenna for McGuigan

Galbally

Conan McGarvey, Conor Donnelly, Darragh Corrigan, Enda McLaughlin, Ryan McElroy, Liam Rafferty, Aidan Carberry, Enda McGarrity, Ronan Nugent, Rory Hetherington, Sean Hughes, Joseph Corrigan, Mark Donnelly, Oisin McGee, Barry Carberry. Subs: Daniel Kerr for McGee, Christopher Morris for McElroy, Sean Wylie for Hetherington, Darragh Donaghy for Barry Carberry, Darragh Carberry for Aidan Carberry

Referee: Niall Conlon, Moortown