Donegal win ugly after four years
21.05.11
IT was a case of
‘never-mind-the-quality-look-at-the-score’ as Donegal
earned their first Ulster Championship victory since
2007 with a six point victory over Antrim on Sunday.
Donegal bossed the game from start to finish without
ever performing tremendously well. With Michael Murphy
held scoreless from play by Richard Johnston and
deployed mostly at midfield, other players stepped up to
the mark. Ryan Bradley and Karl Lacey were outstanding
in the first half in particular, while Frank McGlynn,
Neil McGee and Kevin Cassidy also did well in defence.
Rory Kavanagh had a good hour at midfield, and Kilcar
wunderkind Patrick McBrearty was introduced midway
through the second half becoming the first Donegal
player in almost half a century to play in the Ulster
minor championship and senior championship on the same
afternoon. McBrearty, who hit 1-3 for the minors, didn’t
look out of his depth, and will press hard for a
starting place before the season is out. |
Antrim manager Liam Bradley
had criticised Donegal’s brand of ‘puke football’ in the
lead up to the game, and then set up his team to play
puke-lite.
But those tactics didn’t work: how could they? Trailing
by six points for a long period of the second half,
Antrim persisted with their ultra defensive strategy and
kept seven men in defence and didn’t seem interested in
adding to their meagre four point tally.
The introduction of substitute Mark Dougan in the 57th
minute spurred Antrim on and they hit two points,
including one from Dougan, to reduce their arrears to
four points. But Dougan’s time on the field lasted just
11 minutes as he was shown a straight red card for
dirtily elbowing Karl Lacey in the face. |
 |
Mark McHugh, who grew in
stature as the game progressed, found the back of the
net in injury time to put a gloss on the final scoreline.
He exchanged passes with substitute Kevin Rafferty and
finished low and hard to the net. Kevin Niblock hit a
late consolation free for Antrim, but Donegal were well
worth their six point victory against a distinctly
unambitious Antrim.
Colm McFadden and Kevin Niblock exchanged frees early
on, and despite those scores it took the sides some time
to settle down. Ryan Bradley, who turned in an excellent
performance before tiring in second half, hit an
excellent point in the 22nd minute and set up Adrian
Hanlon for an even better score five minute later. In
between times, Paddy Cunningham converted a free, but
points from Michael Murphy (a free) and another from
Bradley after Dermot Molloy was blocked had Donegal 0-5
to 0-2 clear on the half hour.
Cunningham got Antrim’s first point from play in the
33rd minute, and Dermot Molloy pointed on the cusp of
half time after Kevin Cassidy and Martin McElhinney
switched play from the left wing to the right.
Donegal led by 0-6 to 0-3 at the break, but Antrim
scored within a minute of the restart through Thomas
McCann.
Donegal enjoyed their best spell of the game after that,
hitting three unanswered points. The first came after a
patient build up over and back along the 45m line before
space opened up for Colm McFadden to stroke over with
this left foot. Cassidy and McFadden combined to set up
Mark McHugh for a point soon after, and Michael Murphy
won and converted a 43rd minute point to push Donegal
0-9 to 0-4 ahead.
Neil McGee proved his worth when bravely diving to block
a goal chance that fell to Kevin Niblock, and even as
Antrim rang the changes Donegal rarely looked troubled.
Ryan Bradley was hauled down as he sped towards goal
midway through the half and Murphy had the simply task
of extending Donegal’s lead to six points with the
resulting close range free.
With packed defences and worsening conditions, the teams
struggled to find their scoring rhythm. Substitute Mark
Dougan and Thomas McCann hit two points on the spin for
Antrim, before Dougan saw red for that nasty challenge
on Lacey.
Donegal had the last laugh though, when Kevin Rafferty
put Mark McHugh through and the youngster sidestepped a
defender before striking low past Sean O’Neill. Niblock
hit a late free at the end of a disappointing display
from the Saffrons.
Championships aren’t won in May, and the teams that
claim silverware usually peak as the summer wears on.
Donegal remain a work in progress and have much more to
give. The players know it. The supporters know it. Jim
McGuinness and his management team know it – and they’ve
four weeks to plan for Cavan and build on Sunday’s win.
Beating Antrim was a necessary first step. Job done.
DONEGAL: 1. Paul Durcan; 5. Frank McGlynn, 3.
Neil McGee, 4. Paddy McGrath; 7. A Thompson, 2. Karl
Lacey, 6. Kevin Cassidy; 8. Rory Kavanagh, 9. Martin
McElhinney; 10. Mark McHugh (1-1), 11. Dermot Molloy
(0-1), 12. Ryan Bradley (0-2); 13. Adrian Hanlon (0-1),
14. Michael Murphy (0-3, 3f), 15. Colm McFadden (0-2,
1f). Subs: 17. Marty Boyle for Thompson (20 mins), 23.
Michael Hegarty for Molloy (53 mins), 27. Patrick
McBrearty for Hanlon (53 mins), 22. Kevin Rafferty for
McElhinney (57 mins), 24. Daniel McLaughlin for Bradley
(66 mins).
ANTRIM: 1. S O’Neill; 2. K O’Boyle (capt.), 3. R
Johnston, 4. C Brady; 5. T Scullion, 6. J Crozier, 7. A
Healy; 10. C Murray, 9. A Gallagher; 23. B Herron, 11. T
McCann (0-2), 12. M Sweeney; 13. P Cunningham (0-2, one
free), 8. M McCann, 15. K Niblock (0-2, frees). Subs:
17. K Brady for M McCann (41 mins), 19. T O’Neill for
Sweeney (46 mins), 22. S Burke for Herron (48 mins), 25.
M Dougan (0-1) for Cunningham (57 mins).
Referee: Maurice Deegan (Laois).
For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the
Inishowen Independent. |
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