Donegal progress against awful
Roscommon
22.07.08
Bigger challenges await
for McIver’s men
Donegal...3-11
Roscommon...1-9
by Chris McNulty, Inishowen
Independent, at Sean MacCumhaill Park
DONEGAL booked their place in the next round of the
All-Ireland Qualifiers thanks to this convincing, if not
impressive, victory over Roscommon at rainy Sean
MacCumhaill Park on Saturday evening.
A brace of goals by Michael Murphy and another by
championship debutant Stephen Griffin helped Donegal to
an eight-point win over the Connacht outfit, though it
wasn’t until Murphy goaled a 49th minute penalty that
the home side were home and dry.
Murphy and Griffin had netted to give Donegal an early
two-point cushion, but a 20th minute penalty goal from
midfielder Karol Mannion brought Roscommon back from the
dead. At the break, despite having Cathal Cregg sent off
on the half-hour mark, the Rossies trailed by just two
points. |
Roscommon suffered a
further blow when sub Johnny Dunning was dismissed for
his part in an off-the-ball scuffle with Donegal
full-back Neil McGee that earned the Gaoth Dobhair man a
second yellow card five minutes into the second-half.
As the game got set to enter its final 20 minutes, just
the goal was between them, before Murphy riffled home
his penalty to set Donegal on their way to what turned
out to be a routine win.
Eager for a good performance and a win in front of a
good crowd of up on 7,000 by the Finn, Donegal – who
gave a championship debut to St Naul’s man Stephen
Griffin – got off to a dream start with a pair of goals
early on.
With just four minutes gone on the watch, Neil
Gallagher’s centre was missed by Ryan Bradley, though
Gallagher’s |
 |
Glenswilly club mate Murphy
seized possession and skilfully planted a thunderous
effort to the back of the River End net.
Murphy was involved in the initial stages of the next
Donegal goal as it was his delivery that was broken into
the path of Griffin by Colm McFadden. Racing onto the
knockdown, Griffin got his first outing off to the
perfect start by drilling home and send the green and
gold into a six-point lead.
The margin could have been more, but for a fine block in
between the strikes by Paddy O’Connor, who was down well
to divert McFadden’s goal-bound effort out for a 45.
McFadden clipped over a 20-metre free soon after, though
by the time Donegal registered again in the 23rd minute,
Roscommon were back to within two points. Gerard
Heneghan was successful with a pair of frees, while
Karol Mannion made no mistake with an 18th minute
penalty, that was most certainly a fortunate one from a
Roscommon perspective when Barry Monaghan was harshly
deemed to have fouled Senan Kilbride.
Murphy and Mannion traded points before Roscommon were
reduced to 14 men when Cregg was sent to the line for
allegedly striking Eamon McGee. The linesman on the
terrace side, Martin Higgins, called referee John
Bannon’s attention to the incident and the decision to
dismiss the corner forward was met with an irate
reaction in the visiting camp; not least from former
county ‘keeper Shane Curran, who darted from his vantage
point in the press gantry to the sideline, where he
remained for the rest of the game, to vent his anger
while manager Ryan was clearly incensed at the interval.
By that time, the deficit was just two points again as
McFadden converted a 45 after Kilbride brought Roscommon
a point from parity with a free after Murphy had palmed
an effort off the timberwork moments earlier at the
other end.
Having already lost Barry Monaghan to an injury close to
the end of the first-half, Brendan Devenney’s exile was
ended at the break when he replaced Ryan Bradley while
Roscommon introduced Seamus O’Neill.
David Walsh delightfully opened the second-half account
and Heneghan responded before both sides lost a man when
McGee and Dunning got embroiled in a tangle off-the-ball
and were given their marching orders, Dunning with a
straight red and McGee for a second bookable offence.
Thanks to points from Rafferty and McFadden, Donegal
were three ahead again when Murphy sealed the issue with
a superbly-taken penalty, awarded when Griffin was
hauled to the ground by Claffey, having rounded the
goalkeeper.
McFadden (twice), Toye, Murphy and Kavanagh were all on
target for Donegal in the closing stages, while two late
points from Heneghan and one from Seamus O’Neill were of
scant consolation to Roscommon.
Although far from their most polished performance,
Donegal still had some good performers, with McFadden,
Griffin and Murphy on song, as well as goalkeeper Paul
Durcan, who saved a couple of certain scores, once again
plucking balls from above the crossbar.
The Donegal train motors on and the hope remains in the
North West that it can gather some steam, starting with
Monaghan next week.
For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the
Inishowen Independent. |
|
