Buncrana maintain 100% record
All County League - Division 1B 15.04.08

BUNCRANA...2-14 FANAD GAELS...2-7 by Damian Dowds, Inishowen Independent, at the Scarvey BUNCRANA maintained their 100% start to the league with a comfortable victory over Fanad Gaels at the Scarvey on Saturday night. With Ryan Bradley unmarkable at full forward, Ciaran McCallum superb in midfield and Paul McGonigle marshalling the defence, Buncrana were well worth their seven point winning margin. Remarkably, all Buncrana’s scores came from play. For their part, Fanad were over-reliant on Seamie Friel’s free-taking to keep them in touch.

Buncrana signalled their intent from the outset and sliced through the Fanad defence to lead by 1-4 to 0-0 after ten minutes. Ryan Bradley opened the scoring in the third minute when he burst through a two man tackle and point from the right. Adrian McColgan used his speed to hare down the right wing and tap over a minute later before an Odhran Doherty ball into the right corner was collected by Bradley who pointed off his left foot. Fanad could barely get their hands on the ball as Buncrana harried and hounded them all over the pitch and the visitors had only two wides to show for their efforts when they conceded a ninth minute goal. Nigel Buchanan won a Buncrana kickout and punched over the top of the defence where Adrian McColgan was lurking. McColgan unleashed a powerful drive from outside the

20m line that gave Oisin Blaney in the Fanad goal no chance. Fanad were reeling, and when Christy McDermott fed Adrian Doherty, the corner forward had an easy tap over to put the home side 1-4 to 0-0 in front. A pointed free from Seamie Friel and a fine effort from play from half forward Shane McAteer brought Fanad back into it a little, but Buncrana still looked dangerous up front. Three points from Bradley (one off his right foot, one off his left and one punched) and one from midfielder McCallum pushed them further ahead, while Fanad could only muster a pointed free from Colm McIlwaine.

But Fanad were handed a lifeline three minutes before the break when Buncrana corner-back Simon McGrory misjudged a high ball that allowed Aidan McAteer to get through one-on-one on Buncrana keeper Noel O’Donnell. McAteer took his goal from close range and Seamie Friel added a point from play a minute later to put just four points – 1-8 to 1-4 – between the teams at half time. Buncrana weren’t quite as fluent in the second half, but they kept up their stranglehold on the game. Ciaran McCallum (2) and Christy McDermott scored on either side of a Seamie Friel free within ten minutes of the restart. Fanad staged something of a revival midway through the half. Aidan McAteer looked dangerous at corner forward and a Seamie Friel free followed by a point from play from substitute Mark Friel brought them to within four points of the home side in the 48th minute. But Buncrana re-established themselves with points from the impressive McCallum – who swapped with Bradley and played full forward for part of the second half – substitute Oisin Doherty and Odhran Doherty had them seven points to the good with only five minutes remaining.

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