Donegal up the gears to seal their place in last eight
WHEN THE LOUTH team bus took a wrong turn and ended up in county Sligo instead of Ballybofey, they might’ve figured it wasn’t going to be their day.
Coming from Enniskillen, where they had stayed, Louth eventually pulled into MacCumhaill Park less than 50 minutes before throw-in, behind the Garda sirens.
Donegal, on rally weekend, eased through the gears to seal their place in the last eight of the All-Ireland SFC.
Conor O’Donnell’s goal from a thundering Shaun Patton kick-out two minutes before the break gave Donegal a 1-6 to 0-7 lead at half-time.
And although Louth would’ve been content enough with their first half, Jim McGuinness’ hosts clicked in the second and Ciaran Thompson slammed home a second goal on 50 minutes.
In their seventh championship outing of the year so far, Michael Murphy was withdrawn a minute later with his return to Croke Park in mind.
The Ulster champions settled well and manufactured a lead of 0-5 to 0-1 by the 16th minute.
Peadar Mogan, Conor O’Donnell, a Michael Murphy free, Oisin Gallen and a fine Finnbarr Roarty point from distance did the damage, and all seemed routine enough. Louth’s only score in that first quarter came from Paul Matthews
Ger Brennan’s Louth were well-structured and, as they blocked the channels for Donegal to run into, picked away at their disadvantage, with four successive points to level, with Ryan Burns personally responsible for three of those, while Craig Lennon was also on a mark.
At 0-5 to 0-5 and with Donegal looking jittery, Sam Mulroy had the chance to put Louth ahead, only to miss the free from in front of the terrace wide at the near side. And when Gallen restored Donegal’s lead with their first score in 16 minutes, Dara McDonnell soon equalised.
O’Donnell’s goal gave Donegal some breathing space, although Burns’ fourth of the half meant there was just the two in it at the changing of ends.
Although Mulroy took Louth back to just one down with a free, at 1-6 to 0-9, from the 41st minute on, Donegal outscored the Leinster winners 1-16 to 0-4.
Two-pointers from Murphy and then Michael Langan helped stretched the fap between the sides, as Gallen took his tally for the day up to five, with Daire Ó Baoill and Finnbarr Roarty ending up with two.
Scorers for Donegal: Oisin Gallen 0-5; Conor O’Donnell 1-2; Ciaran Thompson 1-0; Michael Langan 0-3, 1tp; Michael Murphy 0-3, 1tp 1f; Finnbarr Roarty, Daire Ó Baoill 0-2; Peadar Mogan, Shane O’Donnell, Niall O’Donnell, Caolan McColgan, Hugh McFadden 0-1
Scorers for Louth: Ryan Burns 0-4; Sam Mulroy 0-3, 1f; Paul Matthews, Craig Lennon, Dara McDonnell, Peter Lynch, Ciaran Downey 0-1
DonegalShaun Patton
Finnbarr Roarty Brendan McCole
Peadar Mogan
Ryan McHugh Eoghan Bán Gallagher
Caolan McColgan;
Jason McGee Michael Langan
Ciaran Moore Ciarán Thompson
Shane O’Donnell
Conor O’Donnell Michael Murphy
Oisín Gallen.
Subs:
Hugh McFadden for McGee (half-time) Dare Ó Baoill for McHugh (49), Patrick McBrearty for Murphy (51)
Niall O’Donnell and Odhrán McFadden Ferry for C O’Donnell and Gallagher (54)
LouthNiall McDonnell
Daire Nally Dermot Campbell
Donal McKenny
Emmet Carolan Peter Craig
Craig Lennon
Tommy Durnin Dara McDonnell
Conall McKeever Ciaran Downey
Paul Matthews
Dan Corcoran Sam Mulroy
Ryan Burns.
Subs:
Conor Grimes for Carolan (half-time) Seán Callaghan for Durnin (48) Ryan Walsh for Matthews (51) Kieran McArdle for Lennon (53)
Ciaran Byrne for R Burns (56)
Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry).
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