DESPITE SOME quivers at the start of the second half, Donegal’s minors advanced to the Ulster MFC final after a six-point win over Monaghan in Cavan.
Donegal 3-15 Monaghan 2-12
Shaun Paul Barrett’s men started and finished well, after Monaghan put them to the ropes for a spell in part two, when they came to within two points at one stage.
Donegal had a fine first half and were good value for a 2-7 to 0-5 lead at the break with Jason McGee and Eoghan McGettigan scoring goals early and late in the first period.
That lead was almost wiped out by Monaghan, who roared from the half-time blocks, hitting 1-3, including a deadly goal by Robbie McAlister, who capitalised on poor defending by Donegal.
Donegal steadied themselves as Odhrán McFadden-Ferry netted, only for Monaghan to issue an instant response.
Conor Leonard tapped in a second goal for the Farney after Michael Branigan cracked a crisp shot off the post and Donegal were still wobbling.
[adrotate group=”43″]McGee and Niall O’Donnell kept them in front and they’d be rocked, too, by the loss of Peadar Mogan to a black card.
But they finished well and scored five points in the last 10 minutes to win it.
The jitters experienced by Donegal early in the second half were in stark contrast to the first half when Donegal were impressive, bagging the game’s opening goal in the eighth minute.
McGee soared a shot high into the roof of the Monaghan net after a quick exchange of passes, the midfielder wonderfully blasting past Jack Kirk, the Farney goalkeeper.
[adrotate group=”53″]Donegal might have had a goal from their opening move, but the lively JD Boyle scorched over the top with the goal on in the second minute.
The Tir Chonaill men were goal hungry in the early moments. They had a chance of a second after just eight minutes, but McGettigan was blocked and Niall O’Donnell converted the resulting free.
Donegal were given a huge boost when they successfully contested McGettigan’s sending off against Antrim in their quarter-final in Belfast.
[adrotate group=”70″]McGettigan’s dismissal that night cast a cloud over the win, but the Naomh Conaill man was cleared to play.
Barrett made just one change from the 2-11 to 2-7 win over Antrim with Shane McGrath in for Enda McCormick.
With James Wilson and two from Brannigan on the mark, Monaghan were back within a goal, but another O’Donnell free widened the margins again for Donegal.
Three minutes before half-time, Donegal got their second major. After Kieran Gallagher was fouled, McGettigan stepped up and, after Kirk saved his penalty, tucked home the rebound.
[adrotate group=”46″]Aidan McLaughlin and McGrath tacked on points before the break, where Donegal led 2-7 to 0-5.
Wilson, Ryan O’Connor and Garland scored three points in as many minutes on the resumption and it was the cue for a big fightback from the Farney.
Late in the day, when the nerves were swirling, McGee, Aidan McLaughlin, Kieran Gallagher – who was immense throughout – McGettigan and O’Donnell fired over points.
[adrotate group=”74″]Donegal: Gavin Mulreany; Seaghan Ferry, Aaron McCrea, Mark Curran; Odhrán Shiels (0-1), JD Boyle (0-1), Aidan McLaughlin (0-2); Jason McGee (1-2), Kieran Gallagher (0-1); Nathan Boyle, Niall O’Donnell (0-4, 3f), Odhrán McFadden-Ferry (1-0); Peadar Mogan, Eoghan McGettigan (1-2, 1f), Shane McGrath (0-1). Subs: Brian O’Donnell for Mogan (39), Gary Molloy (0-1) for Boyle (52), Stephen Carr for McFadden-Ferry (60), Ryan Connors for Gallagher (60).
Monaghan: Jack Kirk; Josh Walsh, Colm Lennon, Fabian Beggan; Padraig McMahon, Ryan Mohan, Fergal Hanratty; Conor Leonard (1-0), Padraig Finnan; Ryan O’Connor (0-1), James Wilson (0-3), Robbie McAlister (1-2); David Garland (0-4, 3f), Michael Bannigan (0-2, 1f), Frank Connolly. Subs: Karl McMenamin for Beggan (h-t), Aaron Courtney for McAlister (50), Darragh Hughes for Wilson (60).
Referee: Paul Faloon (Down).
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