Banagher too strong for Glenfin in Ulster Championship

Ulster Intermediate Club Championship Quarter-final
Banagher's Brian Og McGilligan gives a pass out to Tiernan Moore against Glenfin during the Ulster Intermediate Club Championship in MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey. (Picture: Thomas Gallagher)Banagher's Brian Og McGilligan gives a pass out to Tiernan Moore against Glenfin during the Ulster Intermediate Club Championship in MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey. (Picture: Thomas Gallagher)
Banagher's Brian Og McGilligan gives a pass out to Tiernan Moore against Glenfin during the Ulster Intermediate Club Championship in MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey. (Picture: Thomas Gallagher)

Glenfin 0-08, Banagher 2-13

Banagher will meet Cavan champions Mullahoran for a place in the Ulster Intermediate Championship final after impressively dismantling Donegal’s Glenfin in Ballybofey on Sunday.

Enda Muldoon’s side over came the loss of captain Paul Cartin only two minutes in and then keeper Darrell McDermott before 20 minutes had elapsed, both players leaving the pitch after black cards, but still St. Mary’s always held the upper hand.

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Gavin O’Neill’s 40th minutes goal was the game’s critical score, the county forward pouncing on a fumble by Glenfin keeper Andrew Walsh to tap home a goal that meant Banagher were never likely to be caught.

Glenfin set up defensively and failed to take advantage of Cartin’s departure following a challenge on Gavin McDermott.

Indeed Banagher’s big scare in the opening half came largely through their own making as McDermott lost possession to Glenfin’s Conor Ward on 18 minutes and was forced to haul the forward down but otherwise, the strength and experience of the Derry champions was clear to see.

A 0-7 to 0-3 half-time lead barely told the tale, Banagher in cruise control against a Glenfin side who never really threw the shackles off.

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Glenfin did have opening for goal on 21 minutes when Stephen Carr teed up Gerard Ward but superb defending saw his effort deflected wide for a 45.

Banagher got the scoring underway when Mark Lynch played a quick free Ciaran Lynch after five minutes but Gerard Ward’s free levelled things a minute later.

Full-forward Shane Farren sold a lovely dummy before bending the ball over the bar with his right boot to put Banagher back in front before Brian Og McGilligan stretched the lead to 0-3 to 0-1 after a Tiarnan O’Neill free came off the post.

Ward narrowed the gap again but his free proved Glenfin’s last score for 13 minutes. In between, Mark Lynch was on target for the winners who were more comfortable at half-time than their four point lead suggested.

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Glenfin started the second half in a more positive manner with Ward splitting the posts to narrow the gap to 0-7 to 0-4 but that would be as good as it got for the Donegal men as Shane Murphy’s high speculative lob led to Walsh’s fumble and the O’Neill goal that rubber stamped Banagher’s progression.

Banagher lost a third man to a black card when centre back Sean McCullagh carded with Glenfin substitute Gavin McDermott also ordered off, this time on a straight red card.

Neither card mattered much in a game Banagher had won from a distance out and if they can maintain this form, they will be difficult to stop.

Banagher: Darrell McDermott; Shane Murphy (1-1) Ruairi McCloskey,Oisin McCloskey; Paul Cartin, Sean McCullagh, Darragh McCloskey; Brian Og McGilligan (0-1), Mark Lynch (0-2,2f); Gavin O’Neill (1-3), Peter Hagan, Ciaran Lynch (0-1); Niall Moore, Shane Farren (0-1), Tiarnan Moore (0-1).

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(Subs) Michael Anderson (0-1) for P Cartin (Black Card) 2mins; Killian McDermott for D McDermott (Black Card) 18mins; Conor Feeney (0-2) for T Moore, 50mins; Stefan McCloskey for C Lynch 52mins; John Lynch for S Murphy, Pauric McCloskey for Mark Lynch 59mins.

Glenfin: Andrew Walsh; Ross Marley, John Harkin, Gary Herron; Daniel McGlynn, Frank McGlynn, Stephen Carr; Stephen Ward (0-1), Pat Costello; Karl McGlynn, Jason Morrow (0-1) Gavin McDermott; Gerard Ward (0-5,3f) Ciaran Brady, Conor Ward.

(Subs) Eoin Donnellan for P Costello, HT; Paddy O’Connor for C Brady HT; Gary Dorrian (0-1) for S Ward (HT); Stephen McDermott for C Ward 40mins; Matthew McGinley for K McGlynn 44mins.

Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan).