Late Mogan two-pointer ensures Donegal remain unbeaten
Donegal's Peadar Mogan signs autographs after the game. Pic: John McVitty
Jim McGuinness hailed Peadar Mogan for taking on the responsibility to kick a dramatic late two-pointer as 14-man Donegal came from six points down in the second half to seal a late draw with Galway in Ballyshannon.
Galway, at the time, were 0-16 to 1-7 in front, and looked strong, even though they were against the wind, were picking their scores, with Oisin Mac Donnacha and Ciaran Mulhearn to the fore.
Donegal battled back and it was Mogan who took on the shot in the 69th minute, when Galway might’ve been looking to stop the long-rangers.
“I think the focus could have been on Michael Murphy and Michael Langan as a two-point shooter,” McGuinness said.
“Then Peadar went through a gap there, steadied himself down, and he kept it, so it was really positive from Peadar's point of view. He kicked a very good score.”
It looked as though McGuinness’ side was about to be beaten for the first time this season, when they lost Stephen McMenamin to a second yellow card for a high and late challenge on Cian Hernon on 44.
Donegal had only just got Langan back on the field, with the All-Star midfielder having been black-carded three minutes before the break. His absence was felt, trundling towards the sidelines with Galway 0-11 to 1-7 in front, playing with the conditions and returning with the away team having kicked five in succession without reply.
A brilliant goal by Conor O’Donnell lit up the first half in the grey surroundings, when a clearance from goalkeeper Gavin Mulreany cleared everyone. O’Donnell was putting the foot to the floor, accelerating clear and smashing past Conor Gleeson on 20 minutes.
That put Donegal into a 1-4 to 0-5 lead, although it was the team managed by Padraig Joyce who got the better of the end of the half, with Mac Donnacha, Matthew Tierney and Liam O Conghaile helping set up an interval lead of 0-13 to 1-7.
Murphy, Finnbarr Roarty and Mogan had been summoned at half-time, with the 2012 All-Ireland winning skipper making his 194th appearance, equalling Neil McGee’s record.
Again, though, it was Galway who were dominant, with John Maher playing a starring role from the middle of the park as they pressed Donegal back, despite facing into the wind.
Donegal were four-from-four in Division 1 this term, but for the first time all year, they were creaking.
Brendan McCole somehow kept a rebounded shot from Maher out of the Donegal net on 58, with Mulreany having got behind Cian Hernon’s first belter.
It looked as though the hosts were about to lose their 13-game unbeaten run in Ballyshannon, a run that goes back to Dublin's departure with the points in 2009.
But with Langan back on, Jason McGee began pulling the strings and Roarty was impressive as the tide turned. Murphy took Donegal back to just two down on 60 and Galway might’ve been in bother, but finally managed to work the ball in a way that reflected their numerical advantage.
Daniel O’Flaerty got away with five to play, with five to play and with McGee putting on the pressure, Mulreany made a stop that was to prove vital.
Ciaran Mulhearn punched them into a lead of two, only for Mogan to have the final say. Paul Conroy, feeling his way back into things, had a tricky chance to pip it for Galway, only for it to fall wide.
“From a character point of view, it was brilliant,” McGuinness added of his team’s comeback. “That's what you want, you want to be in the middle of those types of games, because you always get answers, and you always get questions asked.
“That was the big one today. Galway were always going to bring that level of physicality, because there are so many big men all over the pitch.”
Conor O’Donnell 1-2; Michael Murphy (1f) 0-3; Jason McGee, Jamie Brennan, Michael Langan, Gavin Mulreany (1 2pt f), Peadar Mogan (1 2pt) 0-2 each; Finnbarr Roarty, Ryan McHugh 0-1 each.
Oisin Mac Donnacha (3f, 1 2pt) 0-8; Ciaran Mulhearn 0-3; Shane McGrath, Robert Finnerty, Matthew Tierney, Liam O Conghaile 0-2 each; Cian Hernon 0-1.
Gavin Mulreany; Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Brendan McCole, Stephen McMenamin; Ryan McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, Shea Malone; Hugh McFadden, Michael Langan; Paul O’Hare, Conor O’Donnell, Jamie Brennan; Conor McCahill, Jason McGee, Eoin McGeehan.
Michael Murphy, Peadar Mogan and Finnbarr Roarty for McGeehan, Brennan and McCahill (all half-time), Kevin Muldoon for Malone (57).
Conor Gleeson; Johnny McGrath, Cian Hernon, Jack Glynn; Liam Silke, Dylan McHugh, Sean Kelly; John Maher, Matthew Tierney; Shane McGrath, Ciaran Mulhearn, Liam O Conghaile; Robert Finnerty, Cein Darcy, Oisin Mac Donnacha.
Fionn McDonagh for O Conghaile (57), Paul Conroy for Darcy (60), Daniel O’Flaherty for S.McGrath (60).
Barry Cassidy (Derry).
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