Donegal snatch victory from jaws of defeat
GAA - National Football League, Division 1 20.02.08

Mayo 0-16 Scorers: Conor Mortimer 0-6 (3 frees), Alan Dillon 0-3 (2 frees), Keith Higgins 0-2, James Gill 0-2, Austin O’Malley 0-1, Andy Moran 0-1, Tom Parsons 0-1. Donegal 2-11 Scorers: Colm McFadden 0-7 (3 frees), Ryan Bradley 1-2 (2 frees), Eamon McGee 1-0, David Walsh 0-1, Kevin Rafferty 0-1. by Chris McNulty, Inishowen Independent, at McHale Park EAMON McGee netted a stunning last-gasp goal in McHale Park on Sunday as Donegal rescued a precious National Football League win from the jaws of defeat. With his side trailing by two points and with the stopwatch having gone over the three minutes of allotted injury time, Donegal launched one last hopeful attack on the Mayo goal. Frank McGlynn fisted to the unmarked McGee and the Gaoth Dobhair man had only one thing in mind. After collecting the pass, the centre-back made a bit of ground before picking his spot and planting an unstoppable effort beyond the reach of rookie goalkeeper Shane Nallen.

It was the first time in the game that Donegal found themselves ahead in the scoring stakes. Yet again Brian McIver’s side have pulled it from the fire when all seemed lost and on Sunday afternoon the writing was on the wall throughout with the visitors, Colm McFadden apart, lacking a cutting edge in attack and the performances of the likes of Conor Mortimer, Alan Dillon and Keith Higgins making for a tough afternoon at the office for the backs. Mortimer hit five points in the first half to give his men a 0-11 to 0-7 interval lead although Donegal could have been closer had Nallen not beaten away a 24th minute penalty from Colm McFadden. As it was, two Ryan Bradley frees brought Donegal back to within a touching distance again by the break and it

was the Buncrana full-forward who netted the crucial opening goal five minutes after the restart. Wing-back Higgins, a thorn in Donegal’s side all afternoon, had put Mayo’s lead out to five, before Bradley finished off a move involving Christy Toye and David Walsh, with the latter unselfishly squaring across goal to Bradley who gleefully bundled the ball home. Alan Dillon and Conor Mortimer added scores for Mayo before David Walsh and Kevin Rafferty did likewise for Donegal, but with just four minutes remaining Mayo were back in command thanks to James Gill and Tom Parsons. Colm McFadden was on target in between times for Donegal and the St Michael’s man reduced the deficit with his seventh point of the game, leaving the game well poised heading into the final chapter, where Eamon McGee wrote a memorable last verse after Mayo were reduced to 14 men – Chris Barrett dismissed for collecting his second booking.

As was anticipated, the Donegal team was along similar lines to the 15 that defeated Kerry in Ballybofey a fortnight earlier with just two switches in personnel made by Brian McIver. Kevin Rafferty replaced the injured Ciaran Bonner at centre-field while Michael Boyle deputised between the posts, in place of regular custodian Paul Durcan, who was involved in a minor car accident through the week. Mayo manager John O’Mahony also made alterations from the team that lost at Celtic Park against Derry on the opening day with goalkeeper Shane Nallen and corner back Tom Cunniffe called into the first XV. Included in the Mayo line-up was wing-back Keith Higgins, fresh from his excursion with the green and red’s hurlers the previous afternoon where he scored 1-3 in their defeat to Kildare in Newbridge. A chilly Sunday evening in early spring on which the summer sun shone amid the bitterly cold conditions, an opening fit to grace the Championship stage entertained the decent McHale Park attendance. The opening quarter saw no less than nine scores and by the break that tally was stretched out to 18, but the visitors were 0-11 to 0-07 in arrears at the conclusion of the first half. Mayo were in scintillating form during the initial exchanges, splitting the Donegal rearguard with all-too-frequent regularity and the

Return to > News