NFL DIVISION ONE/Donegal 1-12 Galway 1-11:FOR THE third time in four games Donegal came out on the right side of a one-point game in Ballybofey on Saturday night.
They won their first two games by the minimum margin and then saw Kildare pip them with two late points in their last game in Newbridge two weeks ago.
In overturning league leaders, Galway, Donegal supporters were again biting their nails until the end as the Tribesmen, reduced to 14 men, came back from five points down to almost snatch a draw.
"Probably the turning point of the game was the sending off. We were playing really well but when they had a man sent off, we stopped and they had a good 15 minutes, " said Donegal manager, Brian McIver.
Galway were reduced to 14 early in the second half when corner back Damien Burke was dismissed for a second yellow card after tangling with Ryan Bradley.
At that stage Donegal were five points clear and dominating all over the field.
They had recovered from a disastrous start to the game with Galway going four points up after five minutes. But by half-time the home side led 0-9 to 0-6 thanks to points from Colm McFadden, Ryan Bradley and evergreen Brian Roper, playing his 140th game for the county.
"It was a very good gutsy performance and we played some great football. But after having made a disastrous start, we came back really strong and it was a very good performance," said McIver.
"Half-time probably came at the wrong time for us as we were going really, really well. That score at the start of the second half set us off well again but then after the sending off, as happens in many games, we stopped working all over the field and it suited them down to a tee," he added.
After the sending off, Galway, inspired by Pádraic Joyce, reduced the margin to two points only for Donegal to fire home the first goal, Brian Roper pulling first time along the ground to extend the margin to five once more in the 53rd minute.
But Galway hit back within a minute with Micheál Meehan beating Donegal goalkeeper Paul Durcan to the punch to leave the game on a knife-edge to the finish.
In the end Donegal just held their nerve although Joyce and Micheál Meehan both had chances to equalise in the final minutes.
"It was a very intense game by two fair sides," said the Donegal manager. "We are very pleased although it doesn't make up for what happened down in Kildare but it was still a very good two points," he said.
"They had a good chance at the end with that free from Meehan but in fairness to him it was a difficult kick with the underfoot conditions and there was a good wind at that end," said McIver.
Apart from the excellent Roper, Donegal had good performances from Neil Gallagher, Karl Lacey, David Walsh and Frank McGlynn, while Pádraic Joyce, Micheál Meehan and Matthew Clancy impressed for Galway.
It was an encouraging win for Brian McIver's men who had Rory Kavanagh back after a three-month suspension. Michael Hegarty was also back in the Donegal colours for the first time this year.
The two points gained puts them joint top of the table and they head to Healy Park, Omagh, in two weeks for a joust with near-neighbours Tyrone.
DONEGAL: P Durcan; K Lacey, N McGee, N McCready; F McGlynn, E McGee, K Cassidy; N Gallagher, R Kavanagh (0-1); K Rafferty, M Hegarty, B Roper (1-1); C McFadden (0-4, three frees), R Bradley (0-4, three frees), D Walsh (0-2). Subs: B Monaghan for McCready; C Toye for Rafferty; C Bonner for Hegarty; S McDermott for Roper.
GALWAY: A Faherty; K Fitzgerald, F Hanley, D Burke; G Sice, N Coyne, D Mullahy (0-2); P Geraghty, N Coleman; E Hoare, P Joyce (0-3, two frees), D Meehan; M Clancy (0-2), M Meehan (1-3), F Breathnach. Subs: M Lydon for Geraghty; B Cullinane for Hoare; G Bradshaw for Sice; C Bane (0-1, a free) for Coleman; P Conroy for Lydon.
Referee: A McAlynn (Derry).
