Bank of Ireland Ulster SFC: Donegal 1-15 Antrim 1-9
An adequate second half performance ensured that Donegal go through to the Ulster semi-final after defeating Antrim in MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey.
There were distress signals for Donegal as the half-time was reached with Antrim on level terms - 0-4 each. It was an opening half to forget as both sides struggled to find the posts, Donegal registering nine wides while Antrim had five.
The half-time team talk by Brian McEniff had the desired effect with Donegal man of the match, Michael Hegarty pointing within 22 seconds of the restart.
By the 50th minute Donegal had opened up a five point lead with points from Colm McFadden, Brendan Devenney and Adrian Sweeney.
The goal which killed the game came on 60 minutes, midfielder Brendan Boyle cutting through and playing a one-two with Colm McFadden before palming to the net.
With six minutes left Donegal led by 1-14 to 0-7 but Antrim staged a late comeback with a goal from Darren O'Hare and points from James Marron and their chief scoregetter, Kevin Madden.
Michael Hegarty was inspirational for the winners while Kevin Cassidy and Brendan Boyle also excelled, but there is plenty of room for improvement for Brian McEniff's side before they meet the winners of Tyrone or Fermanagh in three weeks time.
SCORERS:
Donegal - A Sweeney 0-5 (4f), M Hegarty 0-3, C McFadden 0-3, B Devenney 0-3 (1f), B Boyle 1-0, C Toye 0-1.
Antrim - K Madden 0-6 (5f), D O'Hare 1-1, K McGourty 0-1, J Marron 0-1.
Bank of Ireland Ulster SFC semifinal: Donegal 1-11 Tyrone 0-09
Donegal's 14 men sent Tyrone crashing out of the Ulster Football Championship with a 1-11 to 0-9 win after a stylish and superbly effective display of controlled football at Clones.
A goal and seven points from the sweet left foot of 20-year-old Colm McFadden set Brian McEniff's side up for a sensational victory, but there were stars everywhere in his courageous Tir Chonaill side.
Brendan Boyle and substitute Stephen McDermott ruled the midfield region, Brian Roper and Michael Hegarty ran and harried all afternoon, and Damien Diver and Barry Monaghan galvanised a well organised defence. And all that after the dismissal, for a second bookable offence, of corner back Niall McCready just before half-time.
A tense opening 10 minutes failed to produce a score, with packed defences very much on top in a tactical battle of wits. Owen Mulligan curled over the opening point, with Brian McGuigan extending the advantage with a replica from wide on the right.
Shane Sweeney, a late replacement for Gavin Devlin, was succeeding in his brief, to interpret and stifle the creative instincts of Donegal playmaker Michael Hegarty
It took Donegal 23 minutes to produce their first score, a McFadden free, and a further 15 to manage a score from play.
But they never allowed the All-Ireland champions to go more than two points clear.
Mark Harte angled over a point in response to McFadden's long range effort, but Adrian Sweeney converted another placed ball.
Brian McEniff's side suffered a blow in the 34th minute when defender Niall McCready picked up two yellow cards in the space of a minute following a prolonged tussle with Mulligan.
Mulligan tapped over the resultant free, but a wonderful Bran Roper point narrowed the gap again, and at the halfway stage the All-Ireland champions led by just a point, 0-4 to 0-3.
Adrian Sweeney dropped into a withdrawn attacking role on the restart, and with Hegarty beginning to find more space and possession, not to mention the fact that Boyle and McDermott were winning everything in midfield, Donegal suddenly slipped into top gear.
McFadden, with four frees, Christy Toye and Monaghan swept over points to open up a 0-9 to 0-4 lead, and in the 18th minute of the half came the decisive goal. Toye made a scything run along the right, passing inside to McFadden, who sent a screamer low past John Devine for a seven points lead.
Tyrone had captured the hearts of the GAA public last season with a series of memorable comebacks, and now they needed to dig deep once again.
But the resurgence never materialised. Joe McMahon and Stephen O'Neill did kick a couple of points, but this was Donegal's day, with McFadden appropriately signing off with his side's 11th and final point with a pinpoint free kick.
SCORERS:
Donegal: C McFadden 1-7 (5f, 1'45), A Sweeney (1f), B Monaghan, C Toye, B Roper 0-1 each.
Tyrone: O Mulligan 0-3 (2f), S O'Neill 0-2 (1f), M Harte, B McGuigan, S Sweeney, J McMahon 0-1 each.
Bank of Ireland Ulster SFC Final: Donegal 0-11 Armagh 3-15
Awesome Armagh fired home three textbook goals to polish off their eleventh Ulster SFC title in the novel surroundings of Croke Park in convincing fashion against a less than dynamic Donegal side in front of over 57,000 fans at Croke Park.
In coasting to their fourth Ulster SFC title win in the last six years, the Orchard County were home and hosed by the 65th minute with Stephen McDonnell and Paddy McKeever combining for the latter to skilfully slide the ball under the advancing Donegal 'keeper Durkin for the clinching score.
Armagh's overall display was most impressive and Joe Kernan's men have set themselves up as the team to beat in the race for the Sam Maguire Cup.
Armagh started like an express train and were 0-4 to 0-0 in front after barely 12 minutes with the elusive Stephen McDonnell accounting for a fine brace.
Dominating midfield, providing excellent deliveries forward and very sharp up front, Armagh continued to dictate the tempo of the game and easily triumph in the physical exchanges.
It wasn't until the 17th minute that Donegal opened their account via a Colm McFadden converted free following a foul on Brendan Devenney.
Donegal worked hard to improve and the decision to employ just a two-man full forward line of Devenney and McFadden seemed to give the Armagh defence something extra to worry about.
And when Michael Hegarty profited from an incisive run by Brian Roper to fire over in the 22nd minute to leave just one point between the sides, Donegal hopes of a resurgence increased.
It was to be a false dawn though for Brian McEniff's side as they slowly but surely lost their grip on the exchanges in most sectors of the field.
A brace of points thereafter by Oisin McConville in the 24th and 25th minutes posted notice of Armagh's intentions and just two minutes later Donegal almost conceded a goal but Paul Durkin saved well from the over-lapping Kieran Hughes.
However from the resultant '45 by McConville, Diarmuid Marsden rose highest on the edge of the square to expertly flick the incoming ball over the advancing Durkin and into the Donegal net.
Marsden quickly followed up with a point and two other points from Paddy McKeever subsequently helped sweep Armagh into a decisive 1-9 to 0-4 interval lead.
Donegal badly needed to get quickly into their stride on the restart and within two minutes they had their first real goal chance but Colm McFadden's shot flashed off the crossbar and in the follow-up Brian Roper pointed to lose the gap to seven points.
But a minute later, Tony McEntee swept the ball over the bar before Rory Kavanagh replied for the rejuvenated north-westerners.
However Armagh proceeded to step up several gears while Devenney and McFadden's misses from close-range frees didn't augur well for the green and yellows.
Things got steadily worse for Donegal and while Adrian Sweeney and John Gildea pointed to to leave just five points between the teams, 0-10 to 1-12, after 58 minutes, Armagh decided to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and cut loose.
A brillant, skilful goal by Paddy McKeever in the 62nd minute kick-started Armagh's storming run to the winning post and another major by McConville in the 70th minute served to put the icing on a beautifully crafted and impressively finished-off cake.
Donegal - P Durcan, D Diver, R Sweeney, N McCready, E McGee, B Monaghan, S Carr, B Boyle, S McDermott, C Toye, M Hegarty 0-1, B Roper 0-1, C McFadden 0-3, A Sweeney 0-2, B Devenney 0-2. Subs - J Gildea 0-1 for McDermott, R Kavanagh 0-1 for Toye, P McGonigle for Roper, J Haran for Sweeney, K Lacey for McGee.
Armagh - P Hearty, E McNulty, F Bellew, A Mallon, K Hughes, K McGeeney, A O’Rourke, P Loughran 0-1, P McGrane, P McKeever 1-3, T McEntee 0-2, O McConville 1-3, S McDonnell 0-2, R Clarke 0-1, D Marsden 1-2. Subs - B Mallon 0-1 for Clarke, J Toal for Loughran, J McNulty for Bellew, J McEntee for Marsden, A McCann for McGeeney.
All-Ireland Qualifier: Donegal 0-12 Fermanagh 1-10
Fermanagh will contest an All-Ireland quarter-final for the second consecutive
year after they needed just two points in extra time to see off the challenge of
Donegal, who had two men sent off over the course of the 90
minutes.
The game in Clones was delayed as the Fermanagh fans, who easily outnumbered their Donegal counterparts
in a crowd of 16,340, were delayed coming in on the Lisnaskea Road. Those same
fans might have been worried early on if the short trip to the Monaghan pitch
was worthwhile, as Donegal raced into an early 0-3 to 0-0 lead and had rattled
the Erne men’s crossbar as well.
Points from Adrian Sweeney and Michael
Hegarty helped Brian McEniff’s men to that early advantage while centre back
Barry Monaghan saw his shot rebound off the crossbar with Niall Tinney beaten in
the Fermanagh goal.
Fermanagh found their range with a Colm Bradley point
before a goal put them a point ahead on 15 minutes. Tom Brewster, who was on the
field as a blood substitute, broke through two tackles before laying the ball
off to Eamon Maguire who slid the ball under Paul Durcan for a vital
goal.
Bradley shot over from 50 metres to put Fermanagh 1-2 to 0-3 ahead
but Michael Hegarty’s second score reduced the deficit to a
point.
Fermanagh were now winning plenty of breaking ball but they were
hitting some poor wides. That trend stopped as Stephen Maguire’s free increased
his side’s lead to 1-3 to 0-4 with 25 minutes played.
On 35 minutes
Brendan Devenney’s 13 metre free brought Donegal back to within a point and in
the three minutes of injury time played at the end of the half the sides
exchanges scores.
Stephen Maguire’s excellent free was cancelled out by a
fine score from play off the boot of midfielder Brendan Boyle, as Fermanagh went
in leading by the minimum at the break, 1-4 to 0-6.
Ten seconds into the second half Martin McGrath stretched the lead to two points. Devenney then
reduced the deficit before Maguire made it 1-6 to 0-7.
Donegal, who had up to that point hit ten wides, finally found the range and four successive
points put them two points clear with 20 minutes remaining.
Adrian Sweeney and Christy Toye had the sides level on 45 minutes before two quick
scores from Brian Roper put Donegal 0-11 to 1-6 ahead. That advantage could have
been five points but Fermanagh ‘keeper Tinney made a brilliant save from Stephan
McDermott to keep his side in contention.
The importance of that save became apparent when Devenney got himself sent off thanks to a second yellow
card with eleven minutes left to play. Within 30 seconds the Donegal lead was
down to just a point after Shane McDermott steamed up from centre back to fire
over.
Fermanagh kept driving on and with two minutes left of normal time
they were rewarded with an equaliser as McGrath got his second point of the
day.
Both sides has a chance to win the game as first Brian Roper sent
the ball wide from 13 metres while Colm Bradley’s sideline kick fell short just
before Joe McQuillan blew the full time whistle, as the game headed for extra
time.
Donegal were back to 15 players for extra time but that reprieve
lasted only three minutes before Stephen McDermott made the walk to the line
after receiving a second yellow card.
Stephen Maguire put Fermanagh back in front after a minute of extra time before Donegal suffered their second
sending off of the day. Tom Brewster then doubled the advantage with a difficult
free and Donegal looked to be struggling, but Colm McFadden, who had just been
reintroduced, slotted over a free to leave his side trailing by 0-12 to 1-10 at
the end of the first period of extra time.
Amazingly there were no further scores in the second period of extra time despite both sides having
plenty of chances to get a point. Adrian Sweeney was off target with a 13 metre
free from a difficult angle two minutes into the period.
Fermanagh had a chance to wrap up the game six minutes from the end but Mark little shot
straight at Paul Durcan who easily smothered his goal bound shot.
Michael
Hegarty had Donegal’s last chance but it wasn’t to be as Fermanagh held on for
another famous win.
Donegal - P Durcan, N McGinley,
R Sweeney, N McCready, K Lacey, B Monaghan, S Carr, B Boyle 0-1, J Gildea, P
McGonigle, M Hegarty 0-2, B Roper 0-2, C McFadden 0-1, A Sweeney 0-3, B Devenney
0-2. Sub – C Toye 0-1, B Dunnion, S Cassidy, C McFadden.
Fermanagh - N Tinney, N Bogue, B Owens, R McCluskey,
R Johnston, S McDermott 0-1, D O’Reilly, M McGrath 0-2, L McBarron, E Maguire
1-0, J Sherry, M Little, C O’Reilly, S Maguire 0-4, C Bradley 0-2. Sub – D
Kelly, P Sherry, T Brewster 0-1, H Brady
CarnGAAClub@Hotmail.com