Malin win for the third time in Division 2 - this time against St Mary's Convoy
The Inishowen side maintained their 100 percent record with a four-point victory at Connolly Park
Malin added to their victories over Downings and MacCumhaill’s with a three-point victory over St Mary's Convoy at Connolly Park.
Malin 0-12
St Mary's Convoy 1-5
St Mary's nearly goaled from the off when Pauric Gordon found himself through on goal but his effort came off the bar and the rebounded effort went out for a 45', which was then put over by Paddy Dolan.
Josh Conlan replied, scoring when under pressure from the 21' after good work from John Gerard McLaughlin. Dolan then hit a free from way out on the right but Christopher McLaughlin replied with a free of his own after a good run by Conor O'Neill.
Christopher McLaughlin put Malin ahead for the first time on 18 minutes when he cut in from the right and fired over with the left.
He repeated the feat a minute later from the same position from a free. Anthony Browne freed for Convoy but Malin responded with a great score from tight on left from Joseph Doherty. Peter Blake salvaged a wayward Dolan free to score from a tight angle just before the half time whistle to leave the half time score Malin 0-5 St Mary's Convoy 0-4.
Malin capitalised on a poor sideline ball to work the ball to Joseph Doherty to open the second half scoring and then Josh Conlan extended the lead with a free after Conor O'Neill was fouled. Matthew Byrne then found his groove with two in a row as Malin stepped it up in the third quarter, the first from outside the D and his second hung in the air for an eternity before dropping just over from out on the right.
Josh Conlon then hit the score of the game, a point that was over all the way from when it left his boot, just under the stand. Matthew Byrne again scored from the right to stretch the lead out to seven. St Mary's stuck with it and substitute Jason McDaid then goaled with five minutes left, a cool finish after winning a ball over the top.
Convoy gained momentum from that score and when Sweeney tagged on another score shortly after there was only a goal between the sides.
Paul McLaughlin made the game safe when Conor McGeoghegan did well to win a poor kick out and not even a late black card for Christopher McLaughlin for a deliberate pull down would stop Michael's Byrne side from making it three wins from three at the start of the league, though a tough test awaits next week away to Dungloe.
Malin scorers: Matthew Byrne 0-3; Christopher McLaughlin 0-3, 2f; Josh Conlon 0-3, 1f; Joseph Doherty 0-2; Paul McLaughlin 0-1
St Mary’s Convoy scorers: Jason McDaid 1-0; Paddy Dolan 0-2, 45; Peter Blake, Gavin Sweeney and Anthony Browne 0-1.
Malin: Ben Miller; Gary Farren, Ciaran Doherty, Oisin McGonagle; Conor Farren, Charles Byrne, Paul McLaughlin; Daniel Houghton, John Gerard McLaughlin; Josh Conlan, Matthew Byrne, Christopher McLaughlin; Conor O’Neill, Joseph Doherty, Damien Harkin. Subs: Connor McColgan for McGonagle (48), Stephen McLaughlin for J Doherty (51), Conor McGeoghegan for Houghton (52) Darragh McGeoghegan for C Farren (54), Adam McGonagle for Conlan (58).
St Mary's Convoy: S Patton; J Moore, K Gillen, J Blake; N Sweeney, B McNamee, C McDermott; P Blake, P Gordon; A Browne, C Dolan, C Prunty; G Sweeney, P Dolan, M Colye. Subs: C Bonner for N Sweeney and McDaid for Coyle (44 mins), O Kennedy for Prunty (51).