Allianz National Football League, Division One: Donegal 1-20 Cork 2-6
The latest Jim McGuinness era begins with wind in its sails.
Donegal will have much tougher days, but the faithful left blustery Ballybofey on Sunday believing the second coming of McGuinness could indeed yet lead to another compelling odyssey.
It was certainly a lot more straightforward than his first league game as Donegal manager in 2011 when Donegal needed a last-gasp point to earn a draw against Sligo, because the result here never looked in any doubt.
After a tumultuous 2023 season, there is a sense in Donegal now of a slide halted and a team starting off from solid ground this term.
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“As I said to the boys in the team meeting before the game, there’ll be a big crowd in Ballybofey and all they want is to know that there’s an honesty and purity to what we’re doing and that we’re going to work hard for each other and try to do our best for them,” said McGuinness after his side’s 11 point victory.
“Last year the team got criticised and challenged a lot in that regard, so it was important that the energy was there, then try to match that with quality.”
A crowd of 5,092 turned out on a wet, windy, wintry afternoon to see the new old regime get underway – and for Cork it was just as well about 5,000 of those were locals because the Rebels delivered a very lacklustre display in this Division Two opener.
Donegal amassed a total of 21 scores, Cork had eight. Donegal had 12 different scorers, Cork had five (two of which were subs). The Rebels failed to score for the first 14 minutes in each half – though Donegal leaving the visitors waiting on the pitch in the wind and rain for several minutes before the start of the second half certainly didn’t help Cork on the restart.
And the wind did play a significant factor in this encounter. From before throw-in the town end goals were shaking in the wind like a pair of pylons secured to the ground by lumps of jelly. The wind swept up from that side of the pitch, but Cork actually chose to play against it in the opening half.
“We had played against the wind in the last three or four matches that we had, the McGrath Cup and challenge matches, and it worked out,” said Cork manager John Cleary. “If we had known the wind would die at half-time we certainly wouldn’t have.”
Donegal, for whom Odhran Doherty was very impressive, scored the opening four points and penned Cork inside their own 65 – visiting goalkeeper Patrick Doyle had three consecutive kickouts lost as the Rebels struggled to get out of their half.
Cork’s opening score came in the 15th minute after Eoghan McSweeney finished off a quick attacking move and with 10 minutes remaining in the opening half Cleary’s men only trailed by two points.
However, with Cork allowing Donegal to take possession from short kickouts, the home side managed to edge away coming up to half-time with three late points to lead 0-12 to 1-3 at the turnaround.
Donegal played with much more intensity and purpose, and that continued on the restart as points by Patrick McBrearty and Dáire Ó Baoill extended their lead. Ó Baoill’s effort was the score of the game, using the wind to curl his shot perfectly over.
Cork’s first score of the second half was a goal by Chris Óg Jones, after he capitalised on a mistake in the Donegal defence to slide the ball to an empty net. It wasn’t the start of a Cork rally, though.
Because while the rain continued to sweep in over Ballybofey, the intensity of the wind died off and Donegal closed out the game by driving forward with overlaps and strong support play which either drew frees or created scores.
McBrearty netted Donegal’s goal with five minutes remaining, Ciarán Moore feeding his captain possession after a strong run through the middle of the Cork defence.
Both teams were without key players, Cork were missing the likes of Sean Powter, Micheál Aodh Martin, Cathail O’Mahony and Killian O’Hanlon while Donegal’s absentees included Oisín Gallen, Shaun Patton, Hugh McFadden, Michael Langan and Jason McGee.
Cork are on the road again to Louth next weekend, while Donegal are away to Cavan.
“A successful league for us would obviously be promotion, but trying to find out as much about the players as possible and as much as possible where we want to fall come the summer and styles of play,” added McGuinness.
The journey back to Cork on Sunday night was a long one for the Rebels.
“Donegal were at it today, we weren’t,” said Cleary. “Maybe it’s the lesson we needed to try to get back up on the horse again.”
No opening day stumbles for McGuinness though as his second coming cleared its first significant hurdle. Donegal are off and running.
Donegal: Gavin Mulreany (0-1, 1f); Mark Curran, Brendan McCole (0-1), Kevin McGettigan; Ryan McHugh (0-1), Domhnall MacGiolla Bhride (0-1), Peadar Mogan (0-1); Caolan McGonagle (0-1), Ciarán Moore; Odhran Doherty (0-3), Ciarán Thompson (0-1), Shane O’Donnell (0-1); Dáire Ó Baoill (0-2), Paddy McBrearty (1-6, 0-6f), Jamie Brennan (0-1). Subs: Eoghan Bán Gallagher for McGettigan (23 mins); Oisín Caulfield for O’Donnell (55 mins); Jeaic McKelvey for Doherty (55 mins); Luke McGlynn for Brennan (63 mins); Aaron Doherty for Ó Baoill (68 mins).
Cork: Patrick Doyle; Maurice Shanley, Tommy Walsh, Seán Meehan; Luke Fahy, Rory Maguire, Matty Taylor; Ian Maguire, Colm O’Callaghan; Eoghan McSweeney (1-0), Brian O’Driscoll (0-2), David Buckley; Ruairí Deane, Brian Hurley, Chris Og Jones (1-2). Subs: Darragh Cashman for Shanley (46 mins); Mark Cronin (0-1) for Buckley (48 mins); Steven Sherlock (0-1, 1f) for Hurley (52 mins); Fionn Herlihy for Deane (57 mins); Daniel O’Mahony for McSweeney (66 mins).
Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan).
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