Defeat for Dublin Senior Footballers in their opening league clash against Donegal

DUBLIN 0-20 

DONEGAL 1-20

It proved a disappointing start for Dublin in the opening round of the Allianz National Football League as they fell to Donegal by three points in their Division 1 encounter at Croke Park on Saturday afternoon. 

Donegal were full value for their 1-9 to 0-6 interval advantage with Shea Malone’s well-taken goal in the 33rd minute just reward for the control that they exerted in the opening half. 

While the hosts improved significantly upon the restart, the goal required to ignite a comeback never materialised as Donegal added scores at crucial times to ensure they remained on the front foot throughout.  

Despite playing against the breeze in the first-half, it was the visitors that took an early lead through a point from late replacement Ryan McHugh in the 2nd minute.

Dublin made the most of the elements in their favour as Con O’Callaghan curled an excellent two-pointed score a minute later and the home captain added a ‘45’ in the 4th minute to double his team’s lead. 

These scores failed to settle the hosts as Donegal enjoyed generous amounts of possession and they deservedly drew level thanks to a two-pointed free from goalkeeper Gavin Mulreany in the 10th minute. 

The netminder repeated the trick within three minutes with Dublin indebted to Nathan Doran who burst forward to point early in the second quarter, ending a barren period of fifteen minutes in the process.

While Conor O’Donnell restored Donegal’s two-point buffer, O’Callaghan’s well-judged two-pointed free in the 23rd minute saw the stalemate return as both teams struggled for precision in the gusty conditions. 

Crucially, the visitors seized the initiative towards the end of the half, kicking three points on the bounce through Conor O’Donnell, Shane O’Donnell and Finbarr Roarty. 

Donegal then put a more accurate complexion to the scoreboard as Malone crashed home past Evan Comerford two minutes before the break to leave the away side six points to the good at the break. 

An O’Callaghan free and Doran’s second point of the contest saw Dublin resume in an impressive manner with the introduction of Sean Bugler and Luke Breathnach bringing life to the home attack.

While Jason McGee opened Donegal’s second-half account in the 38th minute, the Dubs made further inroads into their deficit with Paddy Small’s point preceding a Breathnach brace. 

Unfortunately, the momentum generated by those points stalled as Michael Langan kicked a brace of two pointers inside three minutes to leave the visitors with a six-point cushion once again. 

O’Callaghan and Breathnach added to their personal tallies by way of riposte but three Dáire Ó Baoil points saw Dublin facing an uphill task entering the final quarter. 

Four successive points from O’Callaghan (free), Conor Tyrrell, Small and Bugler brought a battling Dublin’s deficit back to a more manageable four points by the 60th minute as their opponents looked to take the sting out of the contest.

A Langan free allowed them to do just that with another Breathnach brace and a Tyrrell point proving in vain by the final whistle.

Scorers – Dublin: C O’Callaghan 0-8 (1 F2, 1 P2, 2f, 1 ‘45’); L Breathnach 0-5; P Small, N Doran, C Tyrell 0-2 each; S Bugler 0-1. Donegal: M Langan 0-6 (1 F2, 1 P2, 1f); G Mulreany 0-4 (2 F2); D Ó Baoill 0-3 (1 P2); S Malone 1-0; C O’Donnell 0-2; C McGonagle, J McGee, S O’Donnell, F Roarty, R McHugh 0-1 apiece.

Dublin: E Comerford; D Byrne, N Doran, E Murchan; R Shaw, S MacMahon, E Kennedy; EDunne, T Lahiff; K McGinnis, N Scully, B Howard; P Small, C O’Callaghan, L O’Dell. Subs: L Breathnach for O’Dell (half-time), S Bugler for Lahiff (half-time), C O’Connor for Shaw (half-time), C Tyrrell for Kennedy (47), P White for Dunne (58).    

Donegal: G Mulreany; C McColgan, B McCole, P Mogan; R McHugh, C McGonagle, F Roarty; H McFadden, M Langan; D Ó Baoill, S O’Donnell, C Moore; C O’Donnell, J McGee, S Malone. Subs: E Bán Gallagher for McColgan (48), K Gallagher for Malone (53), T Carr for Ó Baoill (63), C McCahill for C O’Donnell (68).    

Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan).