Dublin dig deep to claim statement win against Donegal

DUBLIN 2-26 DONEGAL 2-22 AET

Dublin produced their most complete performance of the campaign as they overcame Donegal by four points after extra-time in their absorbing All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Round 3 encounter at a sun-kissed Croke Park on Sunday afternoon. 

Despite playing against a strong breeze in the first-half, goals from Shea Malone and Peadar Mogan helped Donegal into a narrow 2-7 to 1-8 interval lead with Con O’Callaghan raising a green flag for Dublin.

The Dubs were hugely impressive upon the restart and looked primed for a deserved victory as Paddy Small fired home in the 67th minute but a debatable decision from referee Martin McNally saw Michael Murphy ensure extra-time on a 2-18 apiece scoreline.

That decision didn’t prove fatal to Dublin’s chances however as they controlled extra-time with substitute Seán Guiden kicking four points to ensure Dublin’s path into the quarter-finals.  

It was Dublin that made the first impression on the scoreboard as O’Callaghan shrugged off the challenge of Brendan McCole to kick an excellent two-pointer in the 2nd minute. 

Playing into the wind, Donegal saw two presentable chances drift wide before Eoghan Bán Gallagher drove forward from corner-back to fist over in the 9th minute. 

Points followed soon after through Conor O’Donnell and Mogan as Donegal began to exert control at midfield and Dublin found themselves two points in arrears as Michael Langan curled over a trademark score towards the end of the first quarter. 

While Colm Basquel replied in an instant, Dublin needed greater reward for their relative solidity at the opposite end with Basquel duly obliging in the 18th minute. 

The hosts saw their challenge crumble early in the second quarter and after Langan has restored Donegal’s lead, an Evan Comerford restart was intercepted with Malone exacting full punishment with a rising shot from ten yards. 

Both Brian Howard and O’Callaghan pointed by way of riposte but the influential Langan was finding space all too readily as he clipped over his third point from play ten minutes before the break. 

Dublin managed to create a goal chance in the 27th minute but Cormac Costello blazed over the crossbar when found by O’Callaghan with the Dublin captain fisting over soon after to leave two points between the sides. 

Donegal netminder Gavin Mulreany suffered the same fate as Comerford in the 31st minute as his low restart was seized upon by Small with O’Callaghan rolling a delightful finish to the net to edge the Dubs back in front. 

There was one final sting in the tail of the half however as Dublin were caught short at the back and Mogan took full advantage with a smart finish past Comerford to push Donegal two points clear at the turnaround.  

Murphy (free) and Small traded points in the early stages of the second-half before the latter burst through from deep to leave just a point between the teams by the 41st minute. 

Crucially, Dublin spurned two chances to level matters in the immediate aftermath and they were punished as their opponents edged clear courtesy of points by Finnbarr Roarty and substitute Ryan McHugh. 

Dublin’s effort could not be faulted as Ciaran Kilkenny and Costello (free) brought them back to within a point and a superbly struck ‘45’ by O’Callaghan saw the Dubs back on level terms by the 54th minute. 

Donegal’s response was immediate as Shane O’Donnell raised an orange flag but once again, Dublin summoned up a positive reply as points in quick succession by Ross McGarry and Basquel saw the stalemate return. 

With excitement reaching fever pitch, both Jason McGee and Basquel exchanged two-pointers but Dublin looked to have secured a famous win as Small fired home from O’Callaghan’s pass three minutes from time. 

Lee Gannon pushed Dublin three points clear but a Langan score preceded a contested two-pointed free by Murphy with the last kick of normal time. 

A skirmish at the final whistle saw black cards for Dublin’s Niall Scully and Theo Clancy while Murphy and McGee were also forced to miss the first period of extra-time. 

The Dubs dominated the first-period of extra-time with Seán Guiden leading the way with four points and they could have effectively settled the issue but Charlie McMorrow’s low shot cannoned to safety off the upright. 

A brace of McHugh points early in the second period reduced Dublin’s lead to the slimmest of margins but with Basquel clipping over two points at the opposite end, the final word fell to Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne, who fisted over the insurance score in front of an ecstatic Hill 16.

Scorers – Dublin: C O’Callaghan 1-5 (0-1 ’45); C Basquel 0-7 (1f, 1 P2); P Small 1-2; S Guiden 0-4 (1 P2); C Costello (1f), R McGarry 0-2 each; B Howard, C Kilkenny, L Gannon, P Ó Cofaigh Byrne 0-1 apiece. Donegal: P Mogan 1-1; M Murphy (1f, 1 F2), M Langan 0-4 each; J McGee (1P2), R McHugh 0-3 each; S Malone 1-0; G Mulreany (F2), S O’Donnell (P2) 0-2 each; E Bán Gallagher, F Roarty, C O’Donnell 0-1 apiece.

Dublin: E Comerford; T Clancy, N Doran, D Byrne; S MacMahon, C McMorrow, L Gannon; P Ó Cofaigh Byrne, B Howard; C Basquel, N Scully, C Kilkenny; P Small, C O’Callaghan, C Costello. Subs: E Kennedy for Doran (29), R McGarry for Costello (54), S Guiden for Small (67), S Bugler for Gannon (75), T Deering for O’Callaghan (78), J Bannon for MacMahon (85), 

Donegal: G Mulreany; E Bán Gallagher, B McCole, P Mogan; M Campbell, C McGonagle, F Roarty; J McGee, H McFadden; S O’Donnell, M Langan, C Moore; C O’Donnell, M Murphy, S Malone. Subs: R McHugh for Campbell (half-time), O Gallen for Malone (half-time), C Thompson for C O’Donnell (63), S Martin for McFadden (65), Campbell for Roarty(71), D Ó Baoill for Martin (71), C O’Donnell for Thompson (71), Malone for C O’Donnell (81), Roarty for Moore (81), Thompson for Gallen (87).    

Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan).