Malin started very brightly and led by 3 points to no score after 5 minutes, Conor Farren, Anthony Kelly (free) and Michael Doherty getting on the score sheet while Buncrana struggled to get out of their own half, the visitors taking 7 minutes to stage their first attack, Oisin Doherty hitting his effort wide of the posts. Both sides were understandably fired up for this derby game and Ryan Bradley received a yellow card after a ninth minute flare up involving a number of opposing players and the same player picked up a second yellow less than a minute later after an altercation with Malin’s John McLaughlin, McLaughlin also getting his name taken. A second Kelly free put Malin four ahead mid way through the half before Oran Doherty opened the Buncrana account with 22 minutes gone, the same player adding a second soon after. Despite Malin’s dominance and Buncrana down to fourteen men, the home side were not driving home their advantage although Paddy McColgan was unlucky to see a fine effort come off the post, but late scores from Conor Farren and Anthony Kelly stretched the lead out to for again, a last minute free from Buncrana’s Gavin McConnell leaving the half time score 0-06 to 0-03.

Malin almost had the perfect start to the second half, Paddy McColgan again unlucky to see his fisted effort cleared off the line but Malin were still struggling to turn possession into scores and two frees from Paul McGonigle and Oran Doherty had Buncrana back to within one point with ten minutes gone in the second period. Anthony Kelly knocked over a free for Malin’s first score of the second half after 13 minutes but an excellently struck 45 from Buncrana substitute Gavin Cullen once more left the minimum between the sides.

With 12 minutes remaining Malin got the all important goal, Anthony Kelly finishing a penalty low to the corner of the net after Paddy McColgan was fouled as he bore down on goal, this score settling the game as a contest. Buncrana did record one more point by Paul McGonigle but late scores from Charlie Byrne and a fifth Anthony Kelly free gave Malin a 1-09 to 0-07 win to preserve their 100% home league record and move them to joint second in the table. 

Malin Team
Declan Lafferty, Kevin McColgan, Declan Walsh, Danny Greene, John McLaughlin, Charlie Byrne, Darren Doherty, Michael Doherty(0-1), Anthony Kelly(1-05, penalty, 5 frees), Conor Farren(0-2) Paddy Kelly, Damian Ward, Gary Farren, Matthew Byrne, Paddy McColgan sub used Gerard McLaughlin.

Gaoth Dobhair Team
Noel O’Donnell, Ronan Doherty, John Doherty, Ronan(x) Doherty, Gavin McConnell(0-1, free), Simon McGrory, Aiden McGonigle, Dara Irwin, Paul McGonigle(0-2, 1 free), Oran Doherty(0-3, 2 frees), Garvan Friel, Nigel Buchanan, Ryan Bradley, Steven McGonigle, Oisin Doherty subs used Gavin Cullen(0-1,45), Kevin Murphy, Benny McGee, Paddy McLaughlin.