MacNiallais lives dream with Gaoth Dobhair

FROM his sitting room window in Magheragallon as a youngster Odhran MacNiallais used to gaze out and dream at the Atlantic with the last spot on the horizon being that of his local GAA club — Gaoth Dobhair.

Yesterday, those dreams became a reality as, in a man of the match performance, the Donegal forward kicked eight points to help his side overcame Naomh Conaill of Glenties and seal a first Donegal SFC since 2006.

“It means the world to me,” he said afterwards. “This is why I used to kick the ball against the house and it’s something that I’ve always dreamed of.”

At the break, MacNiallais had managed three points as Gaoth Dobhair went in 0-8 to 0-6 in front. It had been an interesting affair, without so much as a wide posted by either team until the 25th minute.

Kevin Cassidy, Eamon Collum, Daire O Baoill and Cian Mulligan all chipping in with supplementary scores to those of MacNiallais. Naomh Conaill were reliant on the fine place-kicking of Ciaran Thompson but and even though Leo McLoone shipped hits throughout, would’ve been satisfied with just a two-point deficit.

MacNiallais sat deep and when the kick-outs of Gaoth Dobhair goalkeeper Christopher Sweeney invariably bypassed a cluttered midfield, lived off the loose change. Five more points were added to his personal haul.

Naomh Conaill did manage to bundle a goal home in the fourth of seven minutes injury time, when Thompson got the final touch in a crowded square to reduce the arrears to four.

Their deficit, though, was too much. Gaoth Dobhair picked them off at will late on and that was enough to claim a long overdue victory for the Gaeltacht club.

GAOTH DOBHAIR: C Sweeney; G McFadden, N McGee, C McFadden; N Friel, E McGee, D Ó Baoill (0-2); K Gillespie, O MacNiallais (0-8, 6f); O McFadden-Ferry, C Mulligan (0-3), M Carroll; E Collum (0-2, 2f), K Cassidy (0-2), N Ó Baoill. Subs: D McBride for Carroll (60), S Ferry for Collum (60+4).

NAOMH CONAILL: S McGrath; K McGettigan, AJ Gallagher, J Campbell; E Waide, Anthony Thompson, U Doherty; L McLoone (0-1, 1f), C Thompson (1-2, 2f); M Boyle, E O’Donnell (0-1), E Doherty; D Molloy (0-1, 1f), K Gallagher, B McDyer (0-1). Subs: E McGettigan for Molloy (39), Aaron Thompson and J O’Malley (0-1) for O’Donnell and U Doherty (53), S Corcoran for E Doherty (57).

Referee: S McLaughlin (Malin).