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Malin canter to third win from three 23.02.12
Ulster Intermediate Football League

Belfast side St Teresa’s put to the sword at Connolly Park

Malin...2-16

St Teresa’s (Antrim)...0-5


Damian Dowds at Connolly Park. Photos Herbie Barr.

Malin made it three wins from three in the Ulster Intermediate football league when they overwhelmed Belfast side St Teresa’s at Connolly Park on Sunday.
Goals in either half from Daniel McDaid and Paul McLaughlin put the gloss on a comprehensive victory for Terence Colhoun’s side who were superior in every department to their opponents from Belfast’s Glen Road. St Teresa’s were promoted to Antrim’s Division 2 last year, while Malin were relegated to the Donegal equivalent and from the moment they hit the opening score through Gary Collins in the second minute, there was only going to be one winner. Indeed, were it not for a litany of wides their margin of victory would have been even wider.
Malin have been a solid senior club team in Donegal for several years now, and their physical conditioning, even at this early stage of the season, was very apparent against this opposition.
St Teresa’s, who had beaten Derry side Ballerin in their opening match of the competition, drew level through an eighth minute point from corner forward Eoin Gault but Malin assumed near complete control hitting 1-5 without reply.
Paul McLaughlin (F) ran the visitors’ defence ragged over the hour, and got the first of his five points in the tenth minute after taking a pass from Gary Collins.
Declan Walsh started an ended a 70m move with a shot to the net, but his 11th minute effort was ruled out by the referee for a square ball infringement.
It was all Malin, with Patrick McColgan intercepting in defence and setting Declan Walsh up for a point before Anthony Kelly and Paul Fildara pointed to make it 0-5 to 0-1 midway through the half.
Malin got their goal on 18th minute when Patrick McColgan and Michael Doherty combined to set up Daniel McDaid who finished well and an Anthony Kelly free had them 1-6 to 0-1 ahead.
St Teresa’s were struggling badly to win their own kick outs, and taking the quick, short kick option didn’t work out too well for them with Malin hungrily snapping up the lion’s share of possession. Gault and Philly Maguire added points for the Belfast men, but Malin finished the half strongly with Fildara and Conor Farren pointing, the latter from almost 40 yards out. Fildara had the ball in the visitors’ net, but was pulled back for overcarrying and his side had to be content with a 1-8 to 0-3 lead.
Philly Maguire pointed for St Teresa’s within a few minutes of the restart, and keeper Declan Lafferty had to pull off an excellent diving left hand save, but it was only a brief respite from the Malin onslaught.
Anthony Kelly hit an excellent point off the outside of his right boot before Fildara hit 1-1 in double quick time to put his side 2-10 to 0-4 clear by the 45th minute.
Dan McDaid hit his second point of the day before Belfast substitute Dominic Adams scored at the other end, but Malin finished strongly hitting five unanswered points in the final five minutes through Kelly, Conor Farren, Fildara, Charlie Byrne from a 45, and Dan McDaid on the stroke of full time.
Malin travel to play Ballerin of Derry this weekend, and based on their form in the competition to date they should win it handily.

Malin: Declan Lafferty; John Doherty, Finbarr Collins, Michael McLaughlin; Charlie Byrne (0-1, 45), John McLaughlin, Paddy McColgan; Conor Farren (0-2), Declan Walsh (0-1); Gary Collins (0-1), Anthony Kelly (0-4, 2f), Gary Farren; Paul McLaughlin (1-5), Michael Doherty, Daniel McDaid (1-2). Subs: Daniel Mullarkey for D. Lafferty (38 mins); Kevin McColgan for G. Collins (42 mins).

St Teresa’s (Antrim): Conall Hamill; Ronan Campfield, Paul Johnston, Stevie O’Hara; Odhran O’Neill, Anton Taylor, Gerard O’Rawe; Colm McGoldrick, Aaron Thompson; Daniel McGuigan, Philip Maguire (0-2), Paul McGoldrick; Eoin Gault (0-2), Naoise Whelan, Declan McKiernan. Subs: Christopher Murphy for G. O’Rawe (38 mins); Dominic Adams (0-1) for D. McGuigan (40 mins); Brendan McLaughlin for N. Whelan and Gavin O’Neill for D. McKiernan (both 45 mins).

Man of the match
Good performances all over from Malin, but the opposition weren’t all that hectic. The Malin defence had a handy afternoon, and while midfielder Conor Farren and wing forwards Gary Collins and Gary Farren all shone, man-of-the-match Paul Fildara was almost unmarkable, ran the opposition ragged all afternoon and bagged 1-5 for himself.

Score of the match
Declan Walsh’s first half point was the pick of the bunch. Patrick McColgan intercepted a pass deep in his own half and charged forward, playing a long pass into Paul McLaughlin who laid the ball off to the unmarked Walsh who finished a good move with a well-taken point.

Ref watch
Tyrone referee Shane Meehan had an easy afternoon, with neither side really making a tackle in anger. Still, St Teresa’s somehow managed to rack up four yellow cards to Malin’s four.

For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent.
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