Malin threw the promotion race into Division 2 wide open when they defeated Carndonagh in an action packed game in Carndonagh on Saturday evening. The match was played in front of a massive crowd of at least 500 specators and was an excellent advertisement of Gaelic football in the Inishowen area.
Carndonagh got off to an excellent start and it was not long before Philip O'Donnell gave the home side the lead with a well taken score. Danny Lafferty levelled the match with his first score of the game. Darren Burke restored the home side's advantage with a point, but once again a Danny Lafferty point tied the game.
Carndonagh struck Malin with a superb goal when Philip O'Donnell broke clear and fired the ball in to the back of the net to give the home side a three point lead. Martin Lafferty soon reduced the deficit with a point, and this was followed by an excellent score from Danny Lafferty. A brilliant point from the impressive Anthony Kelly brought the sides back to level pegging. Carndonagh upped the ante again and the games top scorer was Philip O'Donnell goaled again much to the delight of the home following. Malin produced the perfect reply when Martin Lafferty was sent free but was followed at the edge of the square and Anthony Kelly fired the ball past Gerard Crossan in the Carndonaghgoal. The visitors then hit a purple patch and points from Anthony Kelly, Martin Lafferty and Paul Doherty put Malin 3 points ahead. Anthony Kelly knocked over an impressive long range Point.
Carndonagh hit back With well worked points, from, Philip O'Donnell and Kevin Doherty. Carn almost went in front minutes before the break when Darren Burke burst through the, Malin defence but saw his piledriver rebound off the post into the arms of a Malin defender. The half time score was Carndonagh 2-4 to Malin 1-9.
Carndonagh began the second period the much more determined side and a fine point from former County player Des Newton reduced the deficit to just one point. The homesters tied the match when Darren Burke knocked over a superb score. Malin produced some of their best football of the season in the closing quarter to win the match. Damian Ward burst from the Malin half back line to restore Malin's one point lead. An exce11ent Malin attack was rounded off by Anthony Kelly to put the visitors two points in front. Carndonagh brought John Ward and Michael Harkin into the action to try and swing the match into the home side's favour. Philip O'Donnell knocked over a point from a placed ball to put the bare minimum between the sides. Martin Lafferty pointed to put Malin back into a two point lead. With just two points separating the sides and the noise on the side lines reaching fever pitch, Malin stunned the home crowd with an excellent goal. Andrew Davison broke up a Camdonagh attack and fed Brendan McGonigle who burst through the home defence and gave a pin point pass to Liam O'Neill on the edge of the square. O'Neill superbly flicked the ball past the advancing Gerard Crossan much to the delight of the large and vocal Malin following.
The Carndonagh heads dropped in the closing stages and their fate was confirmed in the final minutes when they were reduced to 14 men. Malin were forced to withdraw Danny Lafferty near the end when he suffered a head injury. Malin held firm in the closing stages for a hard earned victory, in what was described by many as the best game of football seen in Inishowen for many a year.
This defeat for Carndonagh means that Malin, Moville and Carndonagh all tie for second place in Division 3. A play off will now take place to find out who will join Buncrana competing in Division 2 next season. The Match was superbly officiated by Jimmy White from the Killybegs Club.
Malin Team; Johnathon Byrne, Dennis McGonigle, Paul Lafferty, Liam Lafferty, Damian Ward (0-1), Andrew Davison, Patrick Doherty, Paddy Kelly, Paul Doherty (0-1), Anthony Kelly (1-4), Brendan McGonigle, Martin Lafferty (0-3), Danny Lafferty (0-3), Liam O'Neill (1-0), Shaun Kelly. Sub used was Terence Colhoun.