Naomh Colmcille CLG – Donegal

Reserves progress in Championship after a win at St Michaels

25/07/2010
Following on from their home win against St Michaels on July 4th, Naomh Colmcille travellled to Dunfanaghy yesterday for the second leg. A win would see Naomh Colmcille through to the next round whereas St Michael’s needed a home victory to take the tie to a play off.

The home side won the toss and played with a strong breeze at their backs in the first half.

Naomh Colmcille had a good chance to get an early score on the board when Adrian Marsh won a free 20 metres out in the centre. The wind caught Aidan Friel’s effort however, and the ball drifted wide. St Michael’s used the wind to their advantage for their first score, when a long range effort from the right sailed between the posts.

Eddie Gillespie levelled for Naomh Colmcille after good work from Adrian Marsh and Damien Moore and was unlucky a few minutes later when he burst through the middle and saw a great effort rebound off the crossbar. Aidan Friel made amends for his earlier miss when he sent over two frees in succession.

St Michael’s levelled the scores at 3 points each before a point each from Damien Moore and Paul McGill gave Naomh Colmcille a 0-5 to 0-3 lead at half time.

After the break Oisin McMenamin came on for Adrian Marsh and he was on the scoresheet within a few minutes, latching on to a breaking ball and sending it over with his left. With the wind at their backs, the Naomh Colmcille full forward line were getting more of the ball in the second half, and Ruction Callaghan capitalised with a point from a free he won after winning a long ball, and another when he gathered the ball after the goalkeeper made a good save from an effort from Kelvin Callaghan.

Naomh Colmcille had the lion’s share of possession at this stage, but a goal from St Michael’s got the home side back into the game when the ball broke to a forward in front of goal who left goalkeeper Cass McDaid with no chance and brought the score to 0-8 to 1-3.

Indeed Cass McDaid was called into action a few minutes later with a smart save at his near post as St Michael’s sought another goal to reduce the defecit. However Naomh Colmcille responded with a goal of their own to restore their lead. Aiden Friel put in a great block in midfield, won possession and played the ball up the right wing to Damien Moore. Moore carried the ball forward before laying it off to Oisin McMenamin, who guided the ball into the net from a tight angle.

Davy O’Brian came on for Don Hegarty and Marty Nolan came on for Damien Moore.

Aiden Friel sent over another free before Ruction Callaghan finished the scoring with a point after a long ball from Gerard Devenney to leave the final score at 1-10 to 1-03 in Naomh Colmcille’s favour and see Naomh Colmcille progress to the next round.

Naomh Colmcille:

Cass McDaid
Andrew Doherty, Anthony Grant, Marty Devenney
Damien Moore (0-1) (Davy O’Brian), Paul McGill (0-1) , Paul Friel
Gerard Devenney, Aiden Friel (0-3)
Adrian Marsh (Oisin McMenamin (1-1)), Eddie Gillespie (0-1) , Alistair Doherty
Kelvin Callaghan, Ruction Callaghan (0-3) , Don Hegarty (Martin Doran)

Unused Subs: Kenny Doran