An Tearmann 2-12
Bundoran 1-11

In what was very much a game of two halves, Termon held on at The Burn Road to prevail against a Bundoran team who left themselves too much to do in the second half to get the points.

Termon got off to a great start with John McCafferty kicking 2 points before setting up another for Daire McDaid with an Aidan Sweeney point in between to give the home side a 4 point lead after 12 minutes. Termon looked like they were going to run riot with Aidan Sweeney creating 2 goal chances but unfortunately he was only able to get 1 point in return for his great work that saw his shot clip the crossbar and go over after a terrific run from the middle of the pitch.

Bundoran finally got off the mark with a converted free from Tommy Hourihane. Ollie Doherty restored the 4 point advantage after great work from Bernard Alcorn, before Adam Coyne pounced on a mix-up in the Termon defence to reduce the lead to 3. A great team score that saw Joe O'Donnell start the move from full back with the ball passing through the hands of Kevin McGettigan, Thomas Cullen and Jamie Gallagher before Kevin McElwaine came up from half-back to finish the move with a well taken point. Not content with providing the assist for the previous score, Jamie Gallagher then got on the score-sheet with a powerful drive up the flanks before rifling the ball over the black spot to extend the lead to 5 points.

2 scores in quick succession from Adam Coyne and Tommy Hourihane reduced this lead and left the scoreboard reading 7 points to 4. Some great running from Ollie Doherty opened up the space to allow his midfield partner Bernard Alcorn to get his name on the score sheet, before Bundoran midfielder Gary Clancy added to his teams tally. Termon then finished the half strongly with points from Aidan Sweeney, Daire McDaid and John McCafferty in the final 2 minutes gave Termon a lead of 11 points to 5 when referee Hugo Wallace blew for the interval.

A score from Adam Coyne after some patient build up gave Bundoran a good start to the second half but this was to be short lived. A free in taken by Daire McDaid seemed to pose no threat, but the quick thinking Minor exploited some slackness in the Bundoran defence and fired to the net from a tight angle after some fumbling from Bundoran net-minder Ashley Mulhern.

A quick one-two from a free kick allowed Ollie Doherty to extend Termons lead to 1-12 to 6 points with less than 10 minutes played in the second half. A hamstring injury then robbed Termon of the influential John McCafferty who had been involved in everything good for Termon up to that point. Without his leadership in the forward line, the Termon men struggled badly and only added one more score before the end of the game.

Bundoran took advantage of this and frees from Adam Dunmore, Dara Hoey, 2 from Gary Clancy and a Tommy point from play brought them back to within touching distance and only 4 points adrift with Termon struggling to get back into the game with 5 minutes left. A great run from Aidan Sweeney punished the Bundoran team for leaving so much space at the back, with great play from Daire McDaid and Paddy McDaid setting Aidan free to fire the ball into the back of the net and allow their supporters to breathe easy once again.

There was still time for some more excitement however with Tommy Hourihane rifling the ball to the Termon net from a quickly taken free with the last kick off the game. However it was a case of too little too late as the Daireann Gibsons men got the rewards for building up a solid lead in the first 40 minutes.

Termon will be encouraged by the result with great performances from Kevin McGettigan, Jamie Gallagher, Ollie Doherty, Aidan Sweeney, Daire McDaid and John McCafferty but must surely take note of their failure to finish the game off when the chances presented themselves. Bundoran can take solace from the never-say-die attitude of their players, especially Shane McGowan, Gary Clancy, Adam Coyne and Tommy Hourihane and reflect on the fact that up to 7 of this team were playing for their Reserves last year.

Termon: Michael Boyle; Joe O'Donnell, Kevin McGettigan, Jimmy McElwaine; Jamie Gallagher, Thomas Cullen, Kevin McElwaine; Ollie Doherty, Bernard Alcorn; Kevin McDaid, Aidan Sweeney, Steve McElwaine; John McCafferty, Daire McDaid, Daniel Connaghan. Subs: Barry Nelis for Steve McElwaine, Paddy McDaid for John McCafferty, Antoin Friel for Jimmy McElwaine, Ricky Gallagher for Daniel Connaghan, Jimmy McElwaine for Bernard Alcorn.

Bundoran: Ashley Mulhern; Adrian Mullarkey, Peter McGinley, Johnny Boyle; Paul Sheridan, Shane McGowan, Shane Moohan; Gary Clancy, Niall Dunne; Diarmuid Spratt, Adam Coyne, Peader O'Keefe; Tommy Hourihane, Adam Dunmore, Dara Hoey. Subs: Barry McGowan for Peader O'Keefe. Tweet

Most Read Stories