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Dunree fall to Quigley's Point
Jackie Crossan Premier Division 31.01.08

Quigley’s Point Swifts...3
(S McColgan ’13, Wallace ’27, Burke ’32)

Dunree United...1
(McGrory ’69)

by Jonathan Downey, Inishowen Independent, at Muff

THE Point lived up their favourite’s tag on Sunday afternoon, showing that form holds little influence when quality is exercised so profoundly.
Dee Dunne’s side only needed a 20-minute period of dominance in the first half to lead visitors Dunree by three goals to nil. Those goals effectively killed off Dunree, a side that were looking to continue their run of form in recent matches.
The first half was dominated by goals from Seanan McColgan, Kevin Wallace and Liam Burke as the visitors still looked to find their footing and lacking any viable opportunity on goal. However Dunree came out in the second half showing the hunger they lacked earlier in the game, pulling a goal back via Kieran McGrory and bombarding the Point goal. The first half began with little interest shown from either side. The early exchanges offered modest chances and the slack passing made the game look unattractive. As the game began to unfold creativity shone through with both teams showing good ideas and smart through balls. Dunree’s Philip McGuinness was the early playmaker and twice tempted the QPS goal with some testing crosses. This only sparked a period of dominance by the home side beginning in the 13th minute. Seanan McColgan collected a precise long pass from Paul Grant and he neatly
slotted it into corner from 18 yards.
Dunree tried to respond but the sturdy defending of Barry McColgan and Dean Barron made chances scarce. McGuinness attempted a standing shot but he was unlucky to see it fall narrowly wide. QPS made good of neat and sharp passing on 27 minutes when Dunree keeper Johnny Noone failed to collect a long free from Barry McColgan and an unmarked Wallace took advantage with a tap in.
Just after the half hour a third goal was recorded for the home side following a succession of corners. The heavily defended goalmouth scrambled the ball loose only for it to fall to the well-positioned Burke and his half volley found its way past a crowded box and crept over the line.
The match now looked over for Dunree but with an hour left of play there was still a lot of optimism throughout. It could have been worse before the break when Donny Bell’s snapshot hit the crossbar.
Daniel Carlin and company were kept very busy in the second half when a revitalised Dunree pushed everything forward to try and take something from the game. This was more like the form they had shown recently and it was led by the attacking prowess of McGuinness and McGrory.
Derek Murphy tested QPS keeper Carlin early on and that was followed by numerous opportunities but just couldn’t get past Carlin. That was followed by a counter attack by the home side but the aerial effort by Wallace was narrowly wide.
A Dunree goal was now impending and almost opened their account when McGuinness’ shot rebounded off the crossbar. Johnny Noone held Seanan McColgan on 64
minutes and despite QPS pleas for a penalty the referee called it outside the box.
Five minutes later Dunree pulled one back when McGrory cleverly lobbed Carlin on the hop. Much of Dunree’s revival had to do with Quigley’s Point playing very deep, perhaps falling victim to complacency after a three-goal lead.
It was obvious that the home side were looking to defend their lead with a new tactical purpose - they had Seanan McColgan in the centre half role marking McGrory and looking to cut out the wizardry of McGuinness.
This left Dunree players such as Derek Murphy, Damian Coyle and Liam Baldrick with space to search out attacking options. However the final ten minutes was subjected to fruitless opportunities by the away side and the long ball by QPS to Donny Bell, now acting as one man forward. The disappointment was shown after each failed attempt on goal by Dunree with Carlin equal to every shot, before Murphy’s well saved shot proved to be the last hope for a result.
The well organised Point outfit came out deserving winners proving a few minutes of class can back up a performance spent mostly on the back foot. Although leaving empty handed Dunree will feel that it is their other results against the bottom sides that really count.

Quigley’s Point Swifts: Daniel Carlin; Dean Barron (Adam Harkin ‘79), Paul Grant (Mark Duffy ‘76), Barry McColgan, Kevin Wallace; Liam Burke, Paul Hegarty, Sean Harkin, Terry McColgan; Donny Bell, Seanan McColgan.

Dunree United: Johnny Noone; Barry Nixon, Sean Doherty, Paul Craig, Jason McLaughlin; Kevin Murphy (Damian Coyle ‘38), Liam Baldrick, Derek Murphy, Seamus Gill (Benny McDaid half-time); Kieran McGrory, Philip McGuinness.

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