Donegal Under-21s fall to defeat against Sligo in North-West Cup

DONEGAL’S defence of the North-West Under-21 Cup ended in defeat to Sligo at O’Donnell Park this afternoon.

Donegal 2-7 Sligo 2-13

Nine points by the deadly Paddy O’Connor and goals in either half by Paul Kilcoyne and Kyle Cawley fired Sligo to a deserved win against what was a shadow Donegal Under-21 side.

By the time the Ulster Under-21 Championship rumbles into action in mid-March, it is unlikely that the side that jousts with Tyrone will bear much resemblance to the one that lined out at Sallaghgraine today.

Daniel Clarke and Lorcan Connor found the net for Donegal in the first half, but they lost their way in the second half and Sligo finished well for a six-point win.

Donegal won this competition last year, defeating Sligo in the final. Donegal originally drew with Mayo in the final but, after they withdrew from participating in the replay, Sligo stepped into the breach.

Danny Rodgers, Danny Monagle and Christian Bonner started here having been on the first XV that afternoon in Sligo, while Daniel Gallagher and Adam Neely, subs in the 2016 final, were in from the off this afternoon.

An experimental Donegal side included county first-timers Michael Lynch and Daniel Clarke from Naomh Colmcille, who began as the centrefield partnership.

It took Donegal some time to find a way, but Clarke’s goal, in the 24^th minute, was the catalyst for the comeback.

The lively-looking Connor, who could play against Donegal for UUJ in the Dr McKenna Cup on Sunday, did well along the endline after receiving a pass from Adam Neely.

Connor fended off attention before squaring to the rampaging Clarke, who tucked past Daniel Cafferkey from close range.

Before then, Sligo had been on top and a goal from midfielder Kilcoyne on 12 minutes arrived with an ominous tone.

Joe McHugh, Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch and, finally, Paul McNamara, were all involved before McNamara fed Kilcoyne, who drilled home in a crowded area.

Paddy O’Connor knocked over a pair of frees and Sean Power struck from play as Sligo led 1-3 to 0-1 on the quarter-hour.

Gavin McBride had given Donegal the lead after just 20 seconds, but that would be their only score until Connor posted in the 20^th minute.

Niall Friel’s fine score, after being set away down the flank by Lynch, came just before Clarke’s goal and when Conor Doherty split the sticks the Tir Chonaill men were ahead again.

Two minutes before half-time Downings man Connor bagged Donegal’s second goal, neatly converting after Friel applied the assist.

At the break, with O’Connor knocking over two more frees for Sligo, Donegal were 2-4 to 1-5 in front.

O’Connor clipped three frees in the third quarter as Sligo moved in front with Donegal having passed up four good scoring chances in that spell.

Bonner made a raft of substitutions and one of the introductions, Darragh Black, scored a brace of points for the home side.

However, O’Connor was on song and his tally went out to nine points for the day heading into the last ten minutes, although only a wafer-thing margin stood between the teams at that stage.

The Sligo men finished strongly for a deserved win with the coup de grace added by Kyle Cawley as a neat turn-and-shot was rewarded with a goal to put Sligo well on their way to victory.

Donegal: Danny Rodgers; Danny Monagle, Gary McFadden, Daniel Gallagher; Niall Friel (0-1), Tony McClenaghan, Daire Ó Baoill; Michael Lynch, Daniel Clarke (1-0); Christian Bonner, Conor Doherty (0-1), Ciaran Diver; Adam Neely, Gavin McBride (0-1), Lorcan Connor (1-1). Subs: Niall O’Donnell (0-1) for Neely, Stephen McBrearty for Diver, Eoghan Ban Gallagher for Ó Baoill, Michael Langan for Lynch, Caolan McGonigle for Clarke (all half-time), Stephen McMenamin for McFadden (37), Ciaran Gibbons for Friel (39), Shane Graham for Rodgers (41), Ethan O’Donnell for Bonner (41), Darragh Black (0-2) for McBrearty (42), Brendan McCole for McClenaghan (43), John Campbell for McBride, Ciaran McGeady for Monagle (both 46).

Sligo: Daniel Cafferkey; Nathan Mullen, Luke Nicholson, Michael Gordon; Darragh Cummins, Paul McNamara (0-1), Sean Power (0-1); Paul Kilcoyne (1-0), Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch; Stephen Connolly, Paddy O’Connor (0-9, 8f), Michael Clarke; Jason Perry, Joe McHugh, Kyle Cawley (1-0). Subs: Dillon Kilgallon for Perry (37), Darragh Kilcoyne (0-1) for McHugh (41), Darragh O’Brien for Connolly (50), Liam Gaughan (0-1) for Clarke (50).

Referee: Dan Mullan (Derry).