June 16 - Senior Football: Donegal v Wolfe Tones

Wolfe Tones 0-14 Donegal 0-9

Wolfe Tones defeated Donegal with a workmanlike performance in a game that was up for grabs going into the final minute.  The Tones had to work hard in the face of a determined effort from the Tír Chonaill men, who had worked themselves within two points with 5 minutes to go.  However, it was the Tones who got the vital scores down the stretch to secure their first 2 championship points of the season.



Anthony Williams with Martin Kelly in pursuit.

Wolfe Tones held a slight upper hand for the first half in the face of determined and spirited Donegal.  With 20 minutes gone the Tones held a three point lead.  The half back line worked hard to keep the ball moving in the right direction and scores were converted by Dan McCabe, Sean Higgins, Danny Egan, and Marty Farrell.  Donegal moved the ball well themselves and notched two points before the break to reduce the deficit to a point at the break.  Gavin Gallagher and Sean Kelly were the scorers, and the northerners will have fancied their chances of causing somewhat of a surprise when taking the field for the second period.

Sean Higgins looking for options.

The Tones opened the second half with a flurry of points and it looked as if the South Boston men had control of affairs.  Farrell, Jamie Gonoud, Egan and midfielder Thomas Moolick put the Tones into a five point lead.  James McClean saw plenty of the ball in the middle of the field and was key to many of the Tones forays forward.  Donegal, however, did not lie down easily and kept plugging away, proving hard for the Tones to shake off.  Kelly, Gavin Gallagher, substitute Ronan Reilly, and Michael McKeown  pointed to make it a one goal game with less than 10 minutes remaining as the northerners worked the ball well into the forward line.  Excitement grew as it was up and down the field for the final 10 minutes as Donegal went in search of the tying score, but it was the Tones who got the points that decided the contest.  After Reilly pointed, Thomas Moolick restored the lead to three and Dan McCabe put the insurance point over the bar in the final minute.  A first win for the Tones, though a much better performance will be required to turn Aidan McAnespies next Sunday.

Tones:  C. Hynes, C. Cleere, S. O'Hagan, S. Higgins (0-1), B. McShea, J. Gonoud (0-1), T. Moolick (0-2), J. McClean, M. Farrell (0-6), D. Egan (0-2), J. Hickson, D. McCabe (0-2), M. Kelly.  Sub: R. Johnson (0-1).  Donegal:  S. Connolly, M. Canning, C. Murray, A. Williams, P. Moynagh, M. McKeown (0-1), T. Gallagher, C. Geraghty, P. McLoughlin, P. Quigg (0-1), M. Cannon, S. Kelly (0-2), G. Gallagher (0-3).  Sub: R. Reilly (0-2)

By Rory O'Donnell