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Donegal march to quarter final
28.07.09
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Donegal...0-14 Galway...0-13 by Damian Dowds, Inishowen Independent, at Markievicz Park ALL-IRELAND quarter-finalists! It didn’t seem likely at the start of the year never mind last Friday week, but Donegal continued from where they left off against Derry seven days earlier and dumped Galway from the championship. In contrast to Donegal, both Galway and to a lesser extent Derry had been touted as All-Ireland contenders earlier in the year, but Donegal’s stunning season of Saturdays that has seen them reel off four wins on the trot means they are one of just nine teams left in the quest for Sam Maguire. Donegal will play Cork in the quarter-final after the sides were paired in Sunday night’s televised draw. The sides have met only once in the championship, in 2006 when Cork won by a point, and this gives Donegal a chance to right that wrong. |
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A greater will to win saw
Donegal overcame a robust Galway challenge on Saturday
evening. The intensity and workrate that they uncovered
for their game against Derry was again in evidence.
Galway took a two point lead ten minutes after the
interval as they enjoyed their best spell of the match,
but Donegal responded magnificently, with four
unanswered points from Colm McFadden, Michael Murphy,
Rory Kavanagh and David Walsh putting them two clear ten
minutes before the end. And while Michael Meehan pulled a point back for Galway, Donegal responded with another pointed free from McFadden put two between teams again. Meehan pointed again, but Donegal’s recent good form has been built on excellence in defence as much as in attack and |
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defended resolutely in the dying minutes. With Galway pressing for the equaliser, Donegal pulled a dozen men back inside their own 45. Galway moved the ball left and right, looking for a recognised score taker. The ball found its way to Meehan, but Karl Lacey – who had Meehan in his pocket for most of the 70 minutes – dispossessed the Galway man with a match-winning tackle. However, a poor pass gave the ball back to the Meehan who was quickly swallowed up. Again Galway probed and with both Meehan and Joyce passing off, the ball made its way to half back Gareth Bradshaw whose shot from 45m tailed left and wide. Referee Rory Hickey sounded the full time whistle soon after and Donegal fans raced onto the pitch to celebrate with their team. |
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Donegal opened at a
blistering pace with early ball into Michael Murphy
causing havoc in the Galway defence. The Glenswilly man
won the first three balls that he contested and Galway
full back Finian Hanley was soon booked for persistent
fouling. Donegal led by 0-3 to 0-0 after six minutes after Murphy (2) and McFadden converted the resulting frees. Points from Sean Armstrong and Paul Conroy reduced the deficit to the minimum before Leo McLoone – who had his best championship game of the season, helping out in defence and looking comfortable in possession – extended Donegal’s lead with a fine 14th minute point. But it was in defence that Donegal really excelled on Saturday. Pádraig Joyce, Michael Meehan, Sean Armstrong & Co. were tightly marshalled. Karl Lacey and Barry Dunnion nullified the threat presented by Meehan and Joyce respectively, while Barry Monaghan had another good game at centre back and Neil McGee was solid at full back. Two frees from Meehan kept Galway in touch before Murphy converted a free for Donegal after Brian Roper was felled in the left corner forward possession. |
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Matthew Clancy added a
point from play for the Tribesmen before Colm McFadden
swung over a sublime point from the near the left
sideline to give Donegal a two point lead, but Galway
drew level before the break with points from Clancy and
Paul Conroy. Galway enjoyed their best spell of the game in the ten minutes after the break. Gareth Bradshaw gave them the lead for the first time when goalkeeper Michael Boyle couldn’t stop his long range shot going over the bar, but Donegal responded with McFadden free from near the sideline. Three time All-Star Pádraig Joyce punched Galway into the lead in the 39th minute before Galway created their only goal chance of the game. Matthew Clancy picked up the ball close to goal and slid his shot under the advancing Boyle only for Barry Monaghan to clear the ball off the goal line. Michael Meehan won the loose ball but punched the ball left of the upright and wide. It was a let off for Donegal and they moved swiftly down the field to create a goal chance of their own. Brian Roper, who operated as a bridge between Donegal’s ten man defence and two man full forward line, played a diagonal ball into McFadden. McFadden beat his man and unleashed a fierce goal-bound shot that Galway keeper Adrian Faherty did well to tip over the bar for a point. Galway’s response to that reprieve was immediate with Kieran Fitzgerald and Sean Armstrong pointing to give them a two point lead by the 11th minute. The game was Galway’s for the taking at that stage but Donegal, although visibly weary from playing a fourth game in four weeks, raised their game to another level. David Walsh came in for Leo McLoone and as well as taking a good point made a telling contribution, while Johnny Gallagher came on for Frank McGlynn and put the clampers on Sean Armstrong. Colm McFadden hit a 48th minute free before Rory Kavanagh got caught in two minds soon after, electing to chip his 25m shot from the left, perhaps in the hope of getting a goal. The ball sailed over the keeper, but rebounded off the crossbar and was cleared by the Galway defence. Donegal drew level in the 57th minute when Michael Murphy pointed a free from more than 50 metres before Kavanagh scored after excellent team work. Karl Lacey intercepted a Galway attack and released his clubmate Dunnion who steamed down the left wing and found David Walsh. Walsh slipped past a couple of defenders and passed to Kavanagh who gave Donegal a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Conal Dunne, who won a huge amount of breaking ball, chased a poor ball from Eamon McGee into the left corner forward position. Dunne’s perseverance paid off as he laid off to the unmarked David Walsh and the Ballintra man pointed from close range. Nickey Joyce was fortunate to stay on the field after a cynical head high challenge on Barry Dunnion. However, for the only time in the game the Donegal defence lost their cool and started a schemozzle that allowed the referee to bottle what should have been a straight red card. Hickey yellow carded both Joyce and Karl Lacey and awarded a throw-in rather than a free out. Galway won the hop ball, and Michael Meehan pointed to put just one point between the teams. Centre back Diarmuid Blake picked up second yellow card moments later as Galway were reduced to 14 men with six minutes remaining. Colm McFadden won and converted a late free to put two points between the teams before Joe Bergin broke down a ball to Michael Meehan for the full forward reduce the deficit to just a single point. There was still a kick in Donegal though. A long McFadden free was broken down to Walsh by Murphy but the Naomh Bríd man hit the side netting with a goal at his mercy. Galway pressed desperately into injury time but Donegal’s determined defence kept them at bay to secure another famous Qualifier victory. Cork had better beware. Donegal: Michael Boyle; Frank McGlynn, Neil McGee, Karl Lacey; Barry Dunnion, Barry Monaghan, Eamon McGee; Brendan Boyle, Kevin Cassidy; Conal Dunne, Brian Roper, Leo McLoone; Rory Kavanagh, Michael Murphy, Colm McFadden. Subs: David Walsh for McLoone (45 mins); Johnny Gallagher for McGlynn (48 mins); Adrian Hanlon for Roper (61 mins). Galway: Adrian Faherty; Kieran Fitzgerald, Finian Hanley, Damien Burke; Gareth Bradshaw, Diarmuid Blake, Declan Meehan; Joe Bergin, Niall Coleman; Sean Armstrong, Pádraig Joyce, Paul Conroy; Matthew Clancy, Michael Meehan, Nickey Joyce. Subs: Cormac Bane for Conroy (52 mins); Barry Cullinane for N. Joyce (64 mins). For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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