Gaoth Dobhair 0-17 Naomh Conaill 1-07

Gaoth Dobhair bridged a 12-year gap to convincingly win the Donegal senior title with a seven-point win over Naomh Conaill.

After a competitive first half, Gaoth Dobhair pulled away to win comfortably in the second half, led superbly by midfielder Odhrán Mac Niallais, who hit 0-8 for the winners.

Despite Naomh Conaill playing defensively, the first half was an end to end affair with some great scores.

Ethan O'Donnell had Naomh Conaill on the board inside 47 seconds but Gaoth Dobhair were on terms after two minutes with Eamon McGee finding Dáire Ó Baoill overlapping to fire over.

Ciaran Thompson and Kevin Cassidy (after another pass from McGee) traded scores by the sixth minute.

Eamonn Collum won and pointed a free on nine minutes while Ciaran Thompson responded for Naomh Conaill with another free from just inside the 45.

Naomh Conaill had a half goal chance on 15 minutes when a high cross from Eunan Doherty was connected by Kieran Gallagher but it was saved easily.

Gaoth Dobhair opened a two-point gap with points from Cian Mulligan and Odhrán Mac Niallais (free) with Kevin Cassidy involved in both.

Naomh Conaill were back on terms by the 24th minute with frees from Dermot Molloy and Leo McLoone.

But then before the break, Gaoth Dobhair opened a gap of three points. Cian Mulligan had the first after an incisive run. Kieran Gillespie won a free after another good run and Eamonn Collum pointed while in the 32nd minute Naoise Ó Baoill found Mac Niallais to score. The point came after a great flick from MacNiallais at midfield from a kick out.

In the third minute of added time Brendan McDyer lofted a great score from outside the 45 to leave it Gaoth Dobhair 0-8, Naomh Conaill 0-6 at the break.

Two Mac Niallais frees pushed Gaoth Dobhair four clear as Naomh Conaill lost Marty Boyle to a black card on 35 minutes and it left them down to 14 as he had been yellow carded in the opening half.

Mac Niallais added another free on 43 minutes and then missed a good opportunity as Ethan O'Donnell was just wide at the other end.

It took Naomh Conaill until the 53rd minute to get a score, John O'Malley, with his first touch after coming on.

The game was more or less put to bed when Mac Niallais landed his sixth point with three minutes left and Dáire Ó Baoill turned over a ball to open the gap to six points.

Naomh Conaill scrambled a goal in added time through Ciaran Thompson but it was fitting that man of the match, Mac Niallais and veteran Kevin Cassidy kicked the last three points.

Gaoth Dobhair: Christopher Sweeney; Gary McFadden, Neil McGee, Christopher McFadden; Niall Friel, Kieran Gillespie, Odhrán McFadden Ferry; Dáire ó Baoill (0-02), Odhrán Mac Niallais (0-08,6f); Cian Mulligan (0-03), Naoise Ó Baoill, Eamon McGee; Eamonn Collum (0-02,2f), Kevin Cassidy (0-02), Michael Carroll.

Subs: Donal McBride for Carroll, Seaghan Ferry for Collum

Naomh Conaill: Stephen McGrath; Kevin McGettigan, AJ Gallagher, Jason Campbell; Ultan Doherty, Anthony Thompson, Eoin Waide; Ethan O'Donnell (0-01), Kieran Gallagher; Marty Boyle, Leo McLoone (0-01f), Eunan Doherty; Brendan McDyer (0-01), Ciaran Thompson (1-02,0-02f), Dermot Molloy (0-01f).

Subs: Eoghan McGettigan for D Molloy, Aaron Thompson for U Doherty, John O'Malley (0-01) for E O'Donnell, Seamus Corcoran for E Doherty

Referee: Shaun McLaughlin (Malin)