Daingean make winning start in return to higher grade

DAINGEAN made an impressive return to senior “B” football when they recorded an easy win over Walsh Island in Daingean on Saturday evening last.

Tullamore Court Hotel Senior “B” Football Championship Group 2 Round 1

Daingean 2-15

Walsh Island 1-6

The win by last year's intermediate champions was in no way a surprise but Daingean were very happy with their performance. With last year's intermediate player of the year, Shane Tierney only introduced as a second half sub after returning recently from a spell in Australia, they scored well and played some very good attacking football.

With no Mulhall, O'Connor or Connor starting for the first time in years, Walsh Island knew they would be up against it going in and so it proved.

Walsh Island competed well for much of the first half and were only 1-8 to 1-3 behind at half time. Charlie Hayes punched Daingean's goal to the net in the 30th minute with Oisin Murphy cancelling that out for Walsh Island a minute later after poor defending.

Daingean got on top in the second half and sealed the points in the 47th minute with an excellent Ciaran McEvoy goal, set up buy Shane Tierney.

The scorers – Daingean: Shane Marsden and Charlie Hayes (3fs) 1-4 each, Ciaran McEvoy 1-1, Danny Mangan 0-2, Ryan Conway, Adam Bolger, Cian Bracken and Shane Tierney 0-1 each.

Walsh Island: Oisín Murphy 1-0, Dara Cuddihy and Ian Duffy (2fs) 0-2 each, Tommy Brereton and James Dunne (1f) 0-1 each.

The teams

DAINGEAN: Conan Curley; Cathal McKnight, Ryan Conway, Adam Bolger; James Kelly, Cathal Ryan, Casey Evans; Danny Mangan, David Walsh; Cian Bracken, Sam Wright, Charlie Hayes; Jamie Duffy, Aaron Byrne, Shane Marsden. Subs: Jamie Hayes for C Hayes (39 min), Shane Tierney for Byrne (42 min), Ciaran McEvoy for Walsh (46 min), Colm Brophy for Conway (47 min), Byrne (reintroduced) for Marsden (51 min).

WALSH ISLAND: Ian Duffy; Evin Galvin, Colm Gavin, Daniel O’Keeffe; Reece Cuddihy, Ryan McKenna, Rory Galvin; Tommy Brereton, Emmet McKenna; Sean McCloskey, Oisín Murphy, Killian Duffy; Dara Cuddihy, James Dunne, Jack Haverty. Subs: Chris Mulhall for Galvin (10 min, injured), Michael Brereton for E McKenna (52 min).

Referee – Brian Gavin (Clara).