Naomh Colmcille CLG – Donegal

03/06/2010
The senior team hosted Lifford this evening at Páirc Cholmcille, in a rearranged fixture originally scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

There wasn’t much between the teams in the first quarter, with both sides guilty of giving away possession and finding it hard to create scoring opportunities.

Ryan McErlean opened the scoring when he collected a pin-point pass from Thomas McKinley, turned and sent the ball over. Lifford equalised with a good point from a tight angle on the right. Barry O’Hagan scored two points in succession, one from a free and one from play after Richard Clarke got a good block in as Lifford tried to play it out from the back.

Thomas McKinley’s game was cut short when he picked up a strain and was replaced by Ricky Hegarty after about 10 minutes.

Lifford had the best of the second quarter, scoring 3 points without reply before Ciaran Devine levelled when he latched on to a breaking ball 20 yards out with his back to the posts and managed to hook the ball over. However, Lifford went on to score another 2 points before the break, leaving the half time scores at 0-6 to 0-4 in their favour.

Naomh Colmcille came out for the second half and got off to a flying start. Barry O’Hagan fisted a point after Ciaran Devine, Ryan McErlean and Paddy O’Donnell combined to set him up. And soon after Ryan McErlean found the net at the second attempt after his first effort was saved and rebounded into this path.

The goal gave Naomh Colmcille the platform to dominate possession and scoring. O’Hagan sent over another free from 40 metres after Richard Clarke was brought down on a surging run forward. Paul Friel followed up with a well taken point from the centre. O’Hagan scored a further two frees and a point from play.

With 10 minutes to go, Mark Callaghan was brought on for Stephen Davenport.

Having opened the scoring in the first half, Ryan McErlean got the last score of the game, fisting over from a tight angle after Paul Friel broke down the left and played him in.

With some great scores and having kept Lifford scoreless in the second half, it was an excellent all round performance from Naomh Colmcille, who ran out deserving winners by 1-11 to 0-6.

Naomh Colmcille:
Marty Callaghan
Paul McGill, Alex Devenney, Paul Friel
Gerard Curran, Cathal Curran, Thomas McKinley
Ciaran Devine, Richard Clarke
Stephen Davenport, Barry O’Hagan, Ciaran Callaghan
Ryan McErlean, Joe Donaghey, Paddy O’Donnell

Subs:
Ricky Hegarty for Thomas McKinley
Mark Callaghan for Stephen Davenport
Anthony Grant, Marty Devenney, Declan McDaid, Eddie Gillespie