Connemara Gaels 1-13 Donegal 3-16
With the sky threatening to burst, and in drizzly conditions, Donegal and the Gaels played an entertaining game of football Sunday afternoon. Donegal looked like they would run away with it in the early going, but the Gaels bounced back and made a game of it. Donegal, though, always held the edge and saw it through to a comfortable win in the end. The win puts Donegal firmly in third place in the junior A table with the Gaels and McAnespies tied for fourth spot.
Donegal went into the break with a 2 goal lead thanks to
some early pressure that paid off handsomely.
For the first 15 minutes it was Donegal who held a decided upper hand. An early point was followed by a goal from
Eoghan McGettigan, the number 11 from Naomh Conall in Donegal was very
instrumental in Donegal’s attacking moves.
With the Gaels on the ropes early, Donegal hit with a second goal, this
time it was corner forward, Ashley Carr who did the honors. With Donegal’s defence on top and the scores
coming easy, it looked as though there could be a whitewash on the cards.
The Gaels got a grip on things after Beragh, Co. Tyrone man, and top class handballer, Johnny Woods, was introduced to the game. After several missed opportunities to score from frees or from play, the Gaels began to find some steam and converted points. There could have been a goal after a nice passing move ended up the hands of Sam Feerick, but he got under the ball with the keeper bearing down and put it over. More scores from Niall Collins, Kevin Owens, and Tom Duignan meant that it was a two goal Donegal lead at the break, 2-6 to 0-6.
The Gaels got the second half off to a good start by rattling off 3 unanswered points, Collins, Feerick, and youngster, Ger Davoran, did well around the middle of the field as the Gaels were on top. Donegal had plenty in the tank however, and eventually got back into their rhythm, putting 3 over themselves and restoring the 2 goal advantage. McGettigan pointed nicely twice, and Darren Grant once. It was tit for tat after that, with each Gaels point answered by Donegal and the difference between the teams enduring.
The final 15 minutes saw Donegal take a firm grip of affairs. Grant, Pauric McLaughlin, and McGettigan put four points over between them, and the result looked in little doubt then. The Gaels pulled goal back as the westerners kept working at it. Paddy McGee was pulled down in the box, and Duignan dispatched the kick into the back of the net. Donegal still had plenty of a cushion to work with however, and in the end Ashley Carr netted a third goal to make it a handsome win in the end.
Gaels: Steven Murray, Ken Murphy, Oisin McCormack, Tom Griffin, Sam Feerick, Tom Duignan, Ger Davoran, Niall Collins, Paddy McGee, Liam Costello, AJ Maguire, Aidan Joyce, Kevin Owens.
Donegal: Lee McCarron, Declan McBride, Darren Doherty, Sean Winston, Aidan McLaughlin, Gavin Reilly, Darren Grant, Rocky Ivers, Conor Brennan, Padraig McLaughlin, Eoghan McGettigan, Ashley Carr, Ethan McDevitt.
By Rory O'Donnell
With the sky threatening to burst, and in drizzly conditions, Donegal and the Gaels played an entertaining game of football Sunday afternoon. Donegal looked like they would run away with it in the early going, but the Gaels bounced back and made a game of it. Donegal, though, always held the edge and saw it through to a comfortable win in the end. The win puts Donegal firmly in third place in the junior A table with the Gaels and McAnespies tied for fourth spot.
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| Eoghan McGettigan clips another point for Donegal. |
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| Sam Feerick and Lee McCarron up close and personal. |
The Gaels got a grip on things after Beragh, Co. Tyrone man, and top class handballer, Johnny Woods, was introduced to the game. After several missed opportunities to score from frees or from play, the Gaels began to find some steam and converted points. There could have been a goal after a nice passing move ended up the hands of Sam Feerick, but he got under the ball with the keeper bearing down and put it over. More scores from Niall Collins, Kevin Owens, and Tom Duignan meant that it was a two goal Donegal lead at the break, 2-6 to 0-6.
The Gaels got the second half off to a good start by rattling off 3 unanswered points, Collins, Feerick, and youngster, Ger Davoran, did well around the middle of the field as the Gaels were on top. Donegal had plenty in the tank however, and eventually got back into their rhythm, putting 3 over themselves and restoring the 2 goal advantage. McGettigan pointed nicely twice, and Darren Grant once. It was tit for tat after that, with each Gaels point answered by Donegal and the difference between the teams enduring.
The final 15 minutes saw Donegal take a firm grip of affairs. Grant, Pauric McLaughlin, and McGettigan put four points over between them, and the result looked in little doubt then. The Gaels pulled goal back as the westerners kept working at it. Paddy McGee was pulled down in the box, and Duignan dispatched the kick into the back of the net. Donegal still had plenty of a cushion to work with however, and in the end Ashley Carr netted a third goal to make it a handsome win in the end.
Gaels: Steven Murray, Ken Murphy, Oisin McCormack, Tom Griffin, Sam Feerick, Tom Duignan, Ger Davoran, Niall Collins, Paddy McGee, Liam Costello, AJ Maguire, Aidan Joyce, Kevin Owens.
Donegal: Lee McCarron, Declan McBride, Darren Doherty, Sean Winston, Aidan McLaughlin, Gavin Reilly, Darren Grant, Rocky Ivers, Conor Brennan, Padraig McLaughlin, Eoghan McGettigan, Ashley Carr, Ethan McDevitt.
By Rory O'Donnell
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