Donegal see off Down to book Ulster senior football final spot
Patrick McBrearty of Donegal in action against Pierce Laverty of Down during the Ulster GAA Football Senior Championship semi-final match between Down and Donegal at St Tiernach's Park in Clones, Monaghan. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Donegal booked a spot in Saturday week’s Ulster final after seeing off Down in Sunday’s semi-final.
Patrick McBrearty’s first half goal put the reigning champions into a commanding nine-point lead at the interval.
Down hit three points in the middle of the second half to bring the margin back to six points. They needed two excellent saves from Ronan Burns to keep out Dáire Ó Baoill and Aaron Doherty.
At the other end, there were two sides to Shaun Patton late in the game. Otherwise flawless, with his side leading 1-18 0-14, he scuffed a kick-out into the path of Down substitute Shay Millar.
Donegal’s dashboard lights were flashing. With all eyes on him, Millar decided against squaring the ball to a teammate and his angled shot was saved by Patton. A goal would’ve turned up the heat.
“If our goal chance goes in, the rules, the way they are now, the momentum, everything,” said Down manager Conor Laverty, “I'm not saying that we would have beat Donegal, but I'm saying it would have made it very interesting coming down the home straight.”
Pat Havern did add a two pointer, but Donegal were on their way to the final. Ulster GAA confirmed it as a Saturday evening game as part of a double header in Clones with the Ulster Senior Ladies final between the two counties.
“I think Down had a very similar game plan to the approach they had against Armagh last year,” Donegal manager Jim McGuinness said.
“They were patient on the ball, they were probably trying to slow the game down initially. They flooded a lot of players inside and then looked to bring more players out the way so to open pockets of space there inside the D.”
Oisín Gallen made his first start since victory over Derry in Ballyshannon eight weeks ago. Down were unchanged from their dramatic late win over Fermanagh.
Eugene Branagan and Conor O’Donnell opened the scores before Down pushed ahead with scores from Micéal Rooney and a Pat Havern free.
Trailing 0-3 to 0-1 after 11 minutes, Donegal had Patton to launch them back into the game. Long or short, he continues to be Donegal’s ace card. It was the Letterkenny man’s short kick-out and ended up with a Gallen fisted point.
When Dáire Ó Baoill was fouled on the run by Odhrán Murdock, Donegal skipper McBrearty landed a two pointer for a 0-4 to 0-3 lead.
Danny Magill and Murphy had scores at either end before Donegal hit the net. Down did have a sniff of a half goal chance but it was Patton that worked the magic for the champions.
His kick-out over midfield shaved the fingertips of Murphy. It found Gallen who linked with Langan. All the pieces were beginning to fit. Langan squared for McBrearty to palm to the net at the far post for a 1-5 to 0-4 lead on 20 minutes.
Ó Baoill dipped into his repertoire for another two pointer as Donegal pushed into a commanding 1-12 to 0-7 interval lead.
Conor O’Donnell had a head injury but came back on at half time and had the ball over the bar in the first attack with a sniff of goal after he was played through by McHugh.
Pat Havern replied with a two-point free with Branagan taking Down back to within six points.
From the next kickout, Donegal took the sting out of the game with a spell of patient play into the wind with Ó Baoill adding a score.
Moore and McBrearty (free) added to the Donegal tally as they pushed into the comfort zone before Danny Magill added his second point in the 50th minute.
Daniel Guinness added a score but it was Donegal who were able to control the tempo of the game and without the need to chase. They were able to rest Finnbarr Roarty ahead of Wednesday’s U-20 decider with Tyrone.
When Donegal injected pace with Moore, Dáire Ó Baoill was denied a certain goal by a brilliant Burns save with 15 minutes to go.
Donegal dug into their bench further but it was a Langan two point free that stretched the margin to eight points.
After Havern landed a two pointer from play, Donegal won the next two kick-outs to keep control of the crucial closing stages.
Aaron Doherty had a goal chance, but, again, Burns came to the rescue before Patton drilled the 45 between the posts ease any concerns of a Down comeback.
“We’re delighted to get over the line,” McGuinness said of their win. “Obviously, Armagh and ourselves know each other very well at this stage.
“They're All-Ireland champions; they were in an enthralling (semi-final) game against Tyrone. It’s massive challenge ahead of us but we have to look forward to it.”
P McBrearty 1-4 (1 tpf, 2f), M Murphy 0-3 (1 45), D Ó Baoill (1 tp) 0-3 each, M Langan (tpf), C O’Donnell,0-2 each, C Moore, O Gallen, R McHugh, S Patton (45) and J Brennan 0-1 each.
P Havern 0-8 (1 tpf, 1 tp, 2f), E Branagan 0-3, D Magill 0-2, M Rooney 0-1, R McEvoy 0-1 and D Guinness 0-1 each.
S Patton; F Roarty, B McCole, P Mogan; R McHugh, S McMenamin, C Moore; C Thompson, M Langan; D Ó Baoill, M Murphy, S O’Donnell; P McBrearty, O Gallen, C O’Donnell.
J Brennan for C O’Donnell (Temp sub 31, reversed HT), J Brennan for Murphy (45), J McGee for Gallen (50), O Mac Paidin Ó Fearraigh for Roarty (52), N O’Donnell for McBrearty (55), A Doherty for C O’Donnell (58).
R Burns; P McCarthy, P Fegan, C Doherty; R Magill, P Laverty, M Rooney; D Guinness, Ryan McEvoy; D Magill, O Murdock, E Branagan; J Guinness, P Havern, J McGeough.
C Mooney for J Guinness (44), S Millar for R Magill (50), F McElroy for McCarthy (55), C McCrickard for McGeough (58), A Crimmins for McEvoy (63).
J McQuillan (Cavan).
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