St Michaels : 1-14 Milford : 1-11
The All County Brian McCormick Division 1 season began a week ahead of schedule on Sunday March 31st as St Michael’s got their new era under Gary O’Neill underway, welcoming north-west neighbours Milford to the Bridge. After a nip and tuck battle, the home side ran out winners on a three point margin with the game on a knife edge until two minutes from time when Martin McElhinney set up Andrew Kelly for the goal that sealed victory.
With the league officialy starting on April 7th this was a re-arranged fixture with both teams missing key players. St Michael’s lined out without Michael Langan, Christy Toye, Oisin Langan and Stephen Doak and had Colm McFadden among the reserves but Stephen Black returned after a number of years out of football. Milford lined out without Gary Merritt, Joey Cullen and Kyle Black.
St Michaels played again the stiff breeze in the first period and were happy to go in level, 0-5 each, after a half where the lead changed side three times. The home side hit the frist three scores of the second half but the game was back in the balance when Christopher Barrett palmed a Ronan Docherty cross to net seconds after he had opened Milford’s second half account. It was tit-for tat until Kelly’s goal put daylight between the sides again although Milford did have a penalty claim for a foul on Padraig Curly but Mark Dorrian, who had a fine game, waved play on.
Naomh Micheál : Mark A McGinley (0-1,f); Jamie Hunter, Stephen Black, Liam Kelly; Michael Cannon, Ryan Langan, Christopher McElhinney (0-1); Ciaran Gallagher (0-1), Liam Paul Ferry; Odhran McFadden (0-2), Colin McFadden, Edward O’Reilly (0-2); Daniel McLaughlin (0-3,2f), Martin McElhinney (0-2), Andrew Kelly (1-2). Subs: Peter Sweeney for S Black, Colm McFadden for O McFadden, both 51
Baile na nGalloglach : Caolan Bolton; Anthony Fisher, Sean Black, T J Evesson; Ronan Docherty, Paddy Peoples, James Doyle; Luke Barrett (1-5,4f), Rory O’Donnell; Conor McHugh, Christopher Barrett (0-1), Ryan McMahon; Kane Barrett (0-2), Cathal McGettigan (0-2,1f),Darragh Black (0-1). Subs: Padraig Curley for C McHugh, Conor Coll for A Fisher, both 4
(Thanks to Milford PRO, Moses Alcorn, for this report)
By Sinéad Breen Donegal PRO Mon 1st Apr
