Donegal Takes Their First Game in the 2007 Senior Championship Over the Wolf Tones.

Inishowen man Donnacha Gallagher was in fine form for Donegal on Sunday [Photo Neil McDaid]

By Neil McDaid
Canton Ma. USA - May 27, 2007. With the return of Billy Gavigan as manager, his Donegal panel would face a tough, hard hitting Wolf Tones side as they opened their assault on the 2007 Boston Northeast Senior Football Championship.
From the throw in it was obvious that the Tones were out for a physical game, but their aggression might very well have turned against them as Donegal would convert any free within range to their advantage.

Shoulder to Shoulder.

Donegal’s Thomas Dennehy gets into it with Tones' Danny McCann [Photo Neil McDaid]


Despite being tightly marked by the Tones' Cian Flanagan, Donegal’s midfielder Donal McNulty was getting above the rest and bringing down the high ball. But, getting the ball into the Donegal forward line proved a lofty task to say the least.
Numerous physical exchanges between the teams were obvious. Referee Brian Gallagher would keep things in check, awarding frees at will. Capitalizing on the frees for Donegal was their latest addition, Donnacha Gallagher, who proved to be the sting in the tail driving home 4 of Donegal’s first half points.
The Tones added a few new additions of their own for '07. The most notable is David [Dotsy] O’Callaghan, a former Dublin hurler turned Gaelic footballer. Lined out on the forward line, it was not too long before Dotsy had the score board rolling over for the Tones.

Preserving Donegal‘s Lead.

Keeper Marty Callaghan makes a great save on a penalty in the first half [Photo Neil McDaid]

With 20 minutes gone in the first, Donegal would offer some overly aggressive play resulting in a penalty being awarded to the Tones. Shane O'Brien would step up to take the penalty for the Tones but Donegal’s keeper, Marty Callaghan, was letting nothing in. Timing the kick perfectly, Callaghan deflected it to the right of the net. With a charge of waiting Tones players lunging forward, Callaghan then made a great effort and recovered the loose ball. Shortly thereafter an altercation would ensue. As a result Donegal’s Dennis Ferry and Tones' Cian Flanagan would go to the line on a straight red. Donegal would hold a single point advantage over the Tones at the half.
The action stayed lively into the second. Moving on a hand pass from Michael Molly, Donegal’s Paul Roper would solo forward on the Tones' goal. But, Tones' keeper Willie O’Dowd would move out to meet Roper and broke up his play. Donegal would eventually begin to add to their margin with points coming from Donal McNulty and Brian Gelthus. Continuing a great effort on the day, Donnacha Gallagher would drive home three more for a total of 7. In the end Donegal would capture a hard fought victory while collecting two championship points along the way. From here it’s on to meet Galway on the 3rd of June.

Final score Donegal 0-11 to 0-07

*Note: The Donegal junior game was cancelled

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