Peadar Mogan makes most of moment of confusion to kick Donegal to victory
Odhran Murdock of Down, centre, competes for the ball in the air against Caolan McGonigle, left, and Michael Langan of Donegal during the Dr McKenna Cup Round 1 match between Donegal and Down at Páirc MacCumhaill in Ballybofey, Donegal. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Declan Bonner and James McCartan’s careers intertwined plenty over the years and although there have been more heady chapters, tonight’s one was decided by two late scores.
Down were unfortunate as referee Sean Hurson, who had a decent match, seemed to momentarily point the wrong way and Donegal played their advantage tellingly. Peadar Mogan almost stopped and looked over his shoulder before continuing to score. Patrick McBrearty then scored his fifth of the evening to seal a two-point win.
A belting goal from the unlikely source of Tony McClenaghan some 19 minutes from time had put Donegal into a 1-10 to 1-6 lead with the opening goal of the contest coming late in the half from Down’s Andrew Gilmore.
However, McCartan’s team dug in and with Ruairà McCormack on the mark twice, were still within touching distance. Then, with just five minutes to play, Michael Langan of Donegal gave a sloppy pass in front of his goal and Odhran Murdock netted to put the visitors one up, 2-8 to 1-10.
Donegal kept their nerve, though, and kicked the final three points of the night, with Ciaran Thompson providing the prelude to Mogan and McBrearty’s points.
McCartan, a two-time All-Ireland winner in 1991 and 1994, was back for his second stint as manager of his native county, having taken charge from 2010 to 2014.
Last summer, Donegal ran out a record championship victory in their win over Paddy Tally’s Mourne County in Newry, waltzing to a 2-25 to 1-12 success.
The scene was in stark contrast on a crisp January night, Barry O’Hagan - who kicked eight points against Donegal at Pairc Esler - with a fifth-minute free prior to a levelling score from Carndonagh’s Conor O’Donnell from long range.
O’Hagan would score two more first-quarter frees but his Down side still trailed 0-4 to 0-3 with McBrearty, Shane O’Donnell, and, with the last kick before the water-break, a Langan free giving the hosts a 0-4 to 0-3 lead.
By pushed on to lead 0-7 to 0-3, with a decent second quarter consisting of two more McBrearty scores and one from Langan at midfield. However, it was the visitors who finished the half better when Gilmore slapped past Lynch from close range after Cormac O’Rawe had skipped around the side at the byline to set up the chance.
Then, in first-half injury time, Pat Havern tied things up at 1-4 to 0-7.
McBrearty, though, with his fourth point and his side’s first in 15 minutes popped over a free, and with the last kick of the half an excellent Mogan point meant Donegal led 0-9 to 1-4 at the break.
McClenaghan looked to have swung it one way, then Murdock the other but in the end, Donegal came through.
P McBrearty 0-5 (3 frees), M Langan 0-3 (2 frees), T McClenaghan 1-0, P Mogan 0-2, S O’Donnell, C O’Donnell, C Thompson 0-1 each.
B O’Hagan 0-4 (3 frees), A Gilmore, O Murdock 1-0 each, R McCormack 0-2, J McGeough (’45), P Havern 0-1 each.
 M Lynch; C Ward, B McCole, O McFadden-Ferry; T McClenaghan, E Gallagher, J Mac CeallabhuĂ; M Langan, C McGonagle; E Doherty, P Mogan, S O’Donnelll; P McBrearty, C McGuinness, C O’Donnell.
C Thompson for McGuinnes (h-t), E O’Donnell for McFadden-Ferry (h-t), C McColgan for Mac Ceallabhuà (47), A Doherty for E Doherty (50), O Doherty for S O’Donnell (60), J Grant for McClanaghan (64), R O’Donnell for Langan (66), M Curran for Gallagher (68), R McFadden for C O’Donnell (70+4).
 R Burns; D Murtagh, F McElroy, C McCartan; R McCormack, N McParland, J McGeough; A Doherty, J Connery, O Murdock, T Close, C O’Rawe; B O’Hagan, P Havern, A Gilmore.
B McArdle for Murtagh (34), R Beatty for Close (41), L Middleton for Connery (47), R O’Hagan for O’Rawe (58), T Prenter for McGeough (66).
 S Hurson (Tyrone).
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