Aidan McAnespies 1-19 Donegal 0-13
Following last week's close run defeat to Wolfe Tones, Aidan
McAnespies won their first 2 points of the championship with relative ease
against a Donegal team that lacked a bit of bite. McAnespies pulled away as the game wore on
and in the second half the sending off of Matt Smyth put a hole in the Donegal
hull, and the northerners boat struggled to stay seaworthy. McAnespies cruised for the final 20 minutes
with their lead in little danger of being overcome, and claimed their first
points of 2014.
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| Donegal rallied a little at the end of the first half, but it was curtains in the second. |
At the break it was McAnespies in a six point lead thanks in
large part to a Mattie Campion goal.
With Dean Matthews out to injury, Donegal seemed to be lacking in
options up front. Gary Clancy who lined
out at center forward dropped deeper as the half wore on and his effectiveness
was limited. McAnespies on the other
hand had the services of Liam Boland to keep their front line of attack
running, as well as goalscorer Mattie Campion.
The sides traded points to in the early going, and with the score a 2 a
piece, McAnespies proceeded to put their stamp on the game. A lead opened up with points from Boland,
Campion and Sean O'Kane. After the goal Donegal enjoyed some success
with scores converted by Matt Smyth and Ciaran McDevitt, but it was McAnespies
in command at the break by a score of 1-9 to 0-6.
Donegal hopes hit rocks as Matt Smyth was shown a second
yellow card and consequently, the line.
With the extra man McAnespies could afford to let up a little. The scores continued to flow with Gareth
McAlinden chipping in with a well taken point.
Donegal were at this stage fighting for a bit of pride, and kept thins
decent on the scoreboard as points came from Pauric McLaughlin and Clancy. Traffic was mostly one way however, the ease
of McAnespies win underlined by a score where the ball effortlessly made its
way the length of the field to be finished by Campion. And so it continued until the final whistle. Donegal will be heading back to the drawing
board, while McAnespies might have the answers to a few of the questions for
this season.
Macs: P. Coakley, N. Gallen , M. Bogue, S. McAleer, P. Daly, P. Meade, C.
Donnelly, J. McGourty, G. McAlinden, M. Campion, E. Hamill, L. Boland, S.
O'Kane. Donegal: S. Houten, C. McCarron, D. Green, S. Doherty,
M. Canny, P. McNulty, M. Smyth, G. Gallagher, C. McDevitt, G. Clancy, M.
Dunphy, C. Bell, D. Doherty.
By Rory O'Donnell
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