Disappointment for our Minor Footballers against Donegal

DUBLIN 0-17

DONEGAL 2-12

Dublin were pipped on the line as they succumbed to Donegal by the slimmest of margins in their entertaining Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor Football Paul McGirr Cup quarter-final in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Saturday afternoon. 

Joint-captain James McCaghy looked to have secured extra-time for Dublin as he converted his fifth free of the contest three minutes into injury time but up stepped Mark Anthony McGuinness to settle the issue with a cracking point into the breeze. 

As the scoreline suggests, it was the ability of Donegal to find the net that ultimately proved the difference between the teams with first-half goals by Finn Gillespie and Danny Óg Cooney worth their weight in gold by the final whistle. 

The Dubs played against the elements in the first-half and their lively start was rewarded through early points from David Lombard and Eoghan Madden. 

However, that initial momentum stalled as Gillespie crashed home past Jamie Galvin to leave Donegal a point clear by the 4th minute. 

Dublin bounced back impressively from that body blow with a brace of frees by McCaghy and a Mo Salami point restored their two-point lead towards the end of the first quarter. 

Gillespie replied through a free for Donegal’s first point in thirteen minutes and despite enjoying limited possession, they retook the lead as Cooney produced a clinical finish to hand the Ulster side the initiative. 

They built on that goal through two-pointers from Gillespie and Darragh O’Hare while scores from Madden and Salami saw Dublin reduce their deficit to four points (2-7 to 0-9) by the interval. 

Given the strength of the breeze, that didn’t look too imposing a deficit to overturn and Madden could well have netted in the early stages of the second-half but for an excellent block by Raynne Rowan. 

With full-back Adam Becton and centre-back Lombard both enjoying influential displays, Dublin continued to impress with points by Madden and Patrick Cahill (free) reducing their arrears further. 

Crucially, their opponents began to gain greater possession around the middle third as they kept their scoreboard ticking over through an O’Hare free while lively substitute Conor O’Brien replied at the opposite end to leave the Dubs trailing by 2-8 to 0-13. 

Another substitute, Luke O’Shea made a strong impression in what his first outing following a lengthy injury lay-off but Donegal looked to have made a decisive push for home following successive points by Lewis Cunnea and Gillespie. 

Salami had other ideas as he kicked a trademark booming two-pointer and with Andy McDonnell pointing soon after, the sides were back on level terms. 

McGuinness and McCaghy exchanged points in the dying minutes before the former made sure of Donegal’s victory with his pivotal late score. 

Scorers - Dublin: J McCaghy 0-5 (5f); M Salami (1P2), E Madden 0-4 each; D Lombard, C O’Brien, P Cahill (f), A McDonnell 0-1 apiece. Donegal: F Gillespie 1-2, M McGuinness (1P2), D O’Hare (1P2) 0-4 each; D Óg Cooney 1-1; L Cunnea 0-1.

Dublin: J Galvin; E Walsh, A Becton, A Davis; C Cassidy, D Lombard, B Doyle; C O’Carroll, L Lynch; M Morrison, C O’Dwyer, J McCaghy; P Cahill, M Salami, E Madden. Subs: L O’Shea for O’Carroll (half-time), P Glendon for Walsh (half-time), C O’Brien for Morrison (half-time), A McDonnell for Madden (45), F Carroll for Cassidy (52). 

Donegal: C Crossan; R Rowan, K Gallagher, F Coyle; T McHugh, N McBrearty, M McGinley; T McDaid, R Gill; O Mullen, M McGuinness, D Óg Cooney, Darragh O’Hare, Finn Gillespie, MJ Ward. Subs: