Donegal 2-07 Galway 2-08
Galway came from seven points down to a edge a four goal thriller in Letterkenny on Sunday. It was a game Donegal will probably wonder how they lost. In fact they also had chances from frees from Michael Murphy and Ciaran Thompson late on.
Shane Walsh and Robert Finnerty posted early scores for Galway. Peadar Mogan raised Donegal’s first white flag of the game with 13 minutes played. It could have been better though as it was a goal bound shot that had to be tipped over by Conor Gleeson. Declan Bonner’s side wanted goals. Michael Murphy powered a penalty into the net on 22 minutes. This was after Gleeson clipped the heels of Brennan. The scores at the break was 1-03 to 0-04 in favour of Donegal.
Donegal had another goal within 7 minutes of the restart. This time it came Ciaran Thompson after he was delightfully assisted by Kilcar’s Ryan McHugh. Galway to their credit hit back with a goal of their own through Johnny Heaney who raided forward from corner back to finish past Shaun Patton in the Donegal goal. Shane Walsh knocked over a point and the gap was now just three points. Galway took the lead once again on 53 minutes Sean Kelly buried the ball past Patton. Michael Murphy cut the gap, but Shane Walsh knocked over two points, Michael Daly also pointing to put Padraig Joyce’s men in a good position. Murphy and Thompson had late scores to level and may be even win the game but Galway held on just about. Donegal will be massively disappointed as they came into the game as favourites.
Scorers for Galway: Shane Walsh 0-4 (2fs), Séan Kelly, Johnny Heaney 1-0 each, Robert Finnerty 0-2, Michael Daly, Damien Comer, 0-1 each.
Scorers for Donegal: Michael Murphy 1-3, (1-0pen, 1f, 1 ’45, 1m), Ciaran Thompson 1-1 (1f), Jamie Brennan 0-2 (1m), Peadar Mogan, 0-1.
GALWAY: Connor Gleeson; Séan Kelly, Séan Mulkerrin, Johnny Heaney; Gary O’Donnell, John Daly, Cillian McDaid; Ronan Steede, Cein D’Arcy; Finnian Ó Laoí, Damien Comer, Michael Daly; Robert Finnerty, Shane Walsh, Michael Boyle.
Subs: Ronan Ó Beoláin for Gleeson (32), Conor Campbell for McDaid (35+3), Paul Conroy for Ó Laoí (44).
DONEGAL: Shaun Patton; Caolan Ward, Neil McGee, Eoghan Ban Gallagher; Ryan McHugh, Conor O’Donnell, Odhrán McFadden-Ferry; Caolan McGonagle, Michael Langan; Eoin McHugh, Peadar Mogan, Paul Brennan; Ciaran Thompson, Michael Murphy, Jamie Brennan.
Subs: Niall O’Donnell for Mogan (35), Andrew McClean for McGonagle (half-time), Daire Ó Baoill for E.McHugh (55).
