Great wins for both Donegal teams
It proved to be a very fruitful weekend for both Donegal teams. The Seniors overcame an eight point deficit with ten minutes on the clock to defeat Kerry while the juniors kept the Wolfe Tones from going two points clear at the top of the junior division. The Shannon Blues victory over Aidan MacAnespies means that the seniors are 2 points clear of Christophers and the Macs with 3 games left to play. Next up for the seniors is Galway this weekend, while the juniors have a bye week and meet Kerry on Saturday July 25th.
Follow link to read the Senior report in Rory's blog on www.tharantrasnan.com
Junior Report
Donegal 0:11
Wolfetones 1:06
Donegal got back to winning ways after a painful defeat to the Macs the previous weekend. The Macs games left Donegal without Midfielders Patterson and Byrne through injury, Ruddy and Boyce were also suspended. Donegal management faced some difficult decisions regarding the remaining playing personnel, Felix Granaghan made some unorthodox positional switches but his tactics worked out for the better. John Deery put in easily his best performance in a Donegal shirt at centre forward. His tireless running meant that Donegal played with a tempo that was sadly lacking the previous Sunday.
Early exchanges were equal as point teams tried to get the measure of each other. Doonan was getting the better of the Tones centre forward and pushed forward at every opportunity even getting his name on the score sheet. Micheal Byrne knocked over a few frees to keep Donegal in touch. The Tones were awarded a fortuitous penalty as their centre forward looked like he fell into the Donegal box. Marty McGeogh coolly slipped the penalty beyond Colin Murphy's outstretched hand and in off the post. The Tones went in at the break with a 2 point lead.
The second half started with Donegal getting a grip in the middle of the field. The centre field paring of Thomas Caldwell and Eamon McCarney eventually got the better of Murrier and Foley. Caldwell defended well while the Fermanagh man McCarney attached at every opportunity. Donegal clawed back the Tones lead with scores from McCarney and Byrne and took the lead through an excellent score from Malin man John Deery. The Tones weren't giving up easily and continued their attached. Despite the Tones adding three more points the Donegal full back line of McNulty and Porter stood tall.
With 15 minutes left on the clock and James Troy out of gas, Donegal sent in last years winning captain Paul Friel. He immediately made a nuisance of himself winning two frees converted by Byrne. Sean Doherty of Urris came into the back line for Porter and was unlucky not to covert on his first foray forward. Donegal held out for a much deserved victory and they now find themselves in a 2 way tie at the top of the junior division with Cork. Also many thanks to Paddy O'Connor for making a flying visit from the nations capital to star at wing forward.
Donegal Team: Colin Murphy(Galway),Paul McNulty(Tyrone),Robert Porter(Malin),Felix Granaghan(Bundoran),Emmet Doonan(Fermanagh)0:02,Ciaran McGee(Robert Emmets),Thomas Caldwell(Galway),Eamon McCarney(Fermanagh)0:02,Paddy O'Connor(Tipperary),John Deery(Malin)0:01,James Troy(Westmeath),Michael Byrne(Malin)0:06,Christopher Rush(Dedham,MA) Subs: Paul Friel(Urris) for Troy, Sean Doherty(Urris) for Porter, David Bell(Buncrana) for Byrne, Brian Boyce(Carrigart) for O'Connor(blood sub), Donny Bell(Buncrana), Fearghal Matthews(Carndonagh), Kieran O'Hara(Derry), Rory Flannery(Kerry), John Carr(St.Eunans), Eamon Kelly(Buncrana)
Also congratulations from all the Donegal club to Paul Boyce and his wife Erika on the recent birth of their baby boy a few weeks back.
The new Donegal polo shirt is on sale for $20, please contact club secretary Denise Trimble.
I hope to post pictures with my next report.
