Down 1-10 Donegal 1-9:DOWN HELD off a late Donegal onslaught to win the only All-Ulster tie in the National League on Saturday night. A cold night in Newry with arguably the most defensive team in Ireland coming to visit may not have seemed an enticing prospect but those who went to Páirc Esler were rewarded with an entertaining game.
A draw perhaps would have been a fair result and had Donegal pointed a few chances in the dying minutes the visitors could actually have won, a fact not lost on Down manager James McCartan.
“It’s a very satisfying two points but it could have gone either way.”
If Donegal are to survive in Division One they may need to restore the defensive prowess and organisation so constant during last year’s run to the All-Ireland semi-final. It was glaringly absent early on Saturday night as Down hit a goal and three points within six minutes of the throw-in. Aidan Brannigan and Benny Coulter pointed before Liam Doyle blasted the ball into the Donegal net.
Points from Mark McHugh, Paddy McBrearty and Karl Lacey meant Donegal only trailed by two points at half-time.
The visitors turned a two-point deficit into a two-point lead largely thanks to a well-taken goal from substitute Martin McElhinney.
It was man-of-the match Doyle who dragged Down back level when the game appeared to be slipping away. Dermot Molloy reduced the arrears to the minimum but was guilty of missing a relatively easy free two minutes before full-time.
Donegal manager Jim McGuinness said afterwards: “It’s tough to take, particularly away from home. It’s our first night in Division One after working hard last year in Division Two to get here. That’s a learning curve for some of the young lads in particular.”
DOWN: B McVeigh; O Costello, D McCartan, K Quinn; A Brannigan (0-2), L Doyle (1-4, 0-3 frees), D Turley; P Turley, D Gordon (0-1); G McCartan, A Carr (0-1, free), M Poland; M Miskelly, C Laverty, B Coulter (0-1). Subs: R Brady for M Miskelly (32 mins), C Garvey (0-1) for O Costello (50 mins), A Rodgers for A Brannigan (53 mins), N McParland for K Quinn (53 mins), E McCartan for M Poland (69 mins).
DONEGAL: P Durkan; F McGlynn, N McGee, P McGrath; A Thompson (0-1), K Lacey (0-1), L MacLoone; R Kavanagh, N Gallagher; D Walsh, M McHugh (0-2), R Bradley; P McBrearty (0-2, frees), C Classon, S Griffin (0-2, frees). Subs: M McElhinney (1-0) for C Classon (24 mins), M Reilly for D Walsh (half-time), D Molly (0-1) for S Griffin (50 mins), A Hanlon for L MacLoone (67 mins).
Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan).
