Donegal withstand Longford comeback 11.06.10
Gaelic Games – Lory Meagher Cup first round

Donegal 3-13 (D. Cullen 0-6 (3 frees); M. McGee 2-0; E. McDermott 1-2; L. Henderson 0-4; M. Patton 0-1) Longford 1-15 (G. Gee 1-8 (6 frees, 1 ’65); J. O’Brien 0-3; C. Egan 0-2; E. Donnellan 0-1; R. Ryland 0-1) Report: Inishowen Independent DONEGAL qualified for the quarter-final of the Lory Meagher Cup with a four point victory over Longford on Saturday. Leading by 12 points at half time, Donegal made it unnecessarily difficult for themselves in the second half, conceding a multitude of scorable frees that allowed their opponents back into the game. By the 69th minute, Longford trailed by just a single point, 2-13 to 1-15 but Enda McDermott made certain of the win with a 70th minute goal. The game ended with a flurry of red cards for the midlanders which will weaken their challenge for title. Full back Thomas Stakem got a straight red for striking McDermott with a hurley immediately after the goal; midfielder Seanie Stakem picked up a second yellow and red for a loose pull on McDermott on 72 minutes; and corner back Fergal Daly got a straight red for punching McDermott after the final whistle.

It was a sour end to what had otherwise been a sporting contest. Although Longford opened the scoring through Conor Egan, Donegal dominated the first half in every respect. Danny Cullen, who has taken over the free-taking duties from his Setanta clubmate Kevin Campbell this season, ran Longford ragged, totting up six points, including two massive frees from either sideline midway through the half. Cullen’s six points, and one apiece from Lee Henderson and Mark Patton, had Donegal 0-8 to 0-2 ahead by the 19th minute, Longford’s second point having come from Joe O’Brien on 11 minutes. Paul O’Brien then pulled off the first of a string of excellent saves when he bravely blocked a shot from his namesake O’Brien. Garrett Gee got his first point of the game on 22 minutes, and Henderson responded soon after.

The Donegal defence, for which the half back line of Barry Friel, Jamesie Donnelly and Joe Boyle excelled, dealt comfortably with everything that Longford threw at them in the first half, while up front Henderson’s pace and McGee’s eye for goal had Longford at sixes and sevens. Michael McGee got the first of his two goals on 27 minutes after Kevin Campbell’s driven 25m free was saved on the line and McGee followed in to poke home after a goalmouth scramble. Paul O’Brien saved at the other end in between points from Donnellan and Egan, but Donegal finished the half strongly. McGee set up Henderson for a 32 minute point, and Henderson returned to the favour when setting McGee up for a well worked 33rd minute goal. Enda McDermott finished off the scoring with a point as Donegal took a 2-11 to 0-5 half-time lead into the dressing room. Donegal may have thought the game was won, but Longford had other ideas. O’Brien pulled off an acrobatic save from Joe O’Brien within seconds of the restart. Enda McDermott pointed for Donegal but, despite leading by 13 points, they lost their way completely after that. Gee, Joe O’Brien and Robert Ryland all added points, before the pivotal moment of the second half arrived just ten minutes in. Kevin Campbell went for goal from a 20m free, but he didn’t connect properly with the sliotar and Longford saved comfortably, broke down the field and Garret Gee found the net from close range, making it 2-12 to 1-8.

Longford visibly grew in stature after that as Donegal wilted. The midlanders hit seven points, including six Garret Gee frees conceded in very scorable positions, with only a single effort from Lee Henderson breaking their run. By the 69th minute there was just a point between the teams and with the momentum behind them Longford looked the more likely victors. But Enda McDermott rose high to win a long puck inside the parallelogram and finished sharply to the net to secure the win. The action wasn’t over though, with referee Martin Mulholland flashing one yellow and three red cards to Longford players before it was all done. Donegal’s win sets up a quarter-final clash with Warwickshire on Saturday. There’s certainly room for improvement, but if they can play for a full match as well as they did in the first half on Saturday, they have every prospect of reaching the final and putting right last year’s Croke Park defeat to Tyrone. Donegal: Paul O’Brien; Mark Patton, Colm Breathnach, Justin McGee; Joe Boyle, Jamesie Donnelly, Barry Friel; Ardal McDermott, Paddy Hannigan; Michael McCann, Danny Cullen, Lee Henderson; Enda McDermott, Kevin Campbell, Michael McGee. Sub: Sean McVeigh for K. Campbell (49 mins). Longford: Eanna Daly; Brendan Stakem, Thomas Stakem, Fergal Daly; Conor Egan (Birr), Sean Browne, Ciaran Finucane; Seamus Hannon, Seanie Stakelum; Eoin Donnellan. Robert Ryland, John Newman; Garrett Gee, Joe O’Brien, Patrick Cullen. Subs: Brian Stakelum for E. Donnellan (half-time); Stephen Lynam for S. Browne (43 mins); John Minnock for J. Newman (58 mins). For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent.

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