Letterkenny Gaels stun Gaeil Fhanada with a two-point win in the Donegal IFC

Liam McAlary and Kevin Lagan scored the goals as Letterkenny Gaels caused the biggest upset of the IFC so far with a two-point win over Gaeil Fhanada in Portsalon on Saturday.

It was their first win of the championship so far after coming close against Milford last time out and giving the hotly fancied Buncrana side a run for their money earlier in the championship. 

The defeat was a body blow for Gaeil Fhanada, one of the dark horses for the championship with the locals entering the game in prime position for a quarter-final place. 

They already registered two points in the league table and were one win or a draw away from a place in the last eight. 

Gaeil Fhanada led 1-3 to 0-3 with Liam McGrenaghan’s goal separating the teams at half-time. 

But the game turned in the second half thanks to the goals from Lagan and McAlary and points from sharpshooter Ronan Frain. 

And they outscored the locals 2-5 to 0-6 in the second half. 

It was doubly impressive for Letterkenny Gaels who started without regulars Conor Browne and Diarmaid O’Cathail, with O’Cathail getting injured in the warmup before throw-in.    

Gaeil Fhanada scorers: Liam McGrenaghan 1-3; Darren McElwine 0-3; Paddy Carr, and James Kerr, Eoghan Carr 0-1 each. Letterkenny Gaels: Ronan Frain 0-4; Liam McAlary and Kevin Lagan 1-0 each; Conor Walker 0-2; Rowan Smith, and Adam Duffy 0-1 each. 

Gaeil Fhánada: Mark McConigley; Shaun Kerr, Odhran Shiels, Ronan McAteer; Jimmy Coyle, James Gallagher, Brandon McClafferty; Paddy Carr, Oisin Shiels; Sean Carr, Darren McElwaine, James Kerr; Liam McGrenaghan, Alan McAteer, Paddy Heraughty. Subs: Eoin Logue for Oisin Shiels; Mark McAteer for A McAteer; Eoghan Carr for P Heraghty; Mark Friel for B McClafferty. 

Letterkenny Gaels: Shane Graham;  Liam McAlary, Niall Diver, Conor Cullen; Brian Diver, Conor Walker, David Franklin; Ben Gallagher, Paddy Doherty; Adam Duffy, Ronan Frain, Matthew Winter; Darren Hunter, Kevin Lagan, Rowan Smith. Subs: Shay Doherty for R Smith; Shaun McGilloway for C Cullen; Matthew Callaghan for M Winters; Gerard Gibbons for K Langan; Rowan Smith for S Duffy.