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Patrick McBrearty under pressure from Cathal Sweeney and Micheal Lundy. Cathal Noonan/INPHO
AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Donegal v Galway, All-Ireland senior football Round 4B qualifier

Who would win out in today’s second game at Croke Park?

WE WERE FOLLOWING all the action from Croke Park. Get in touch in the usual ways. 

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Result: Donegal 3-12 Galway 0-11

***********************

Afternoon all, we’re building up to today’s second qualifier at Croke Park. Donegal still smarting from an Ulster final loss to Monaghan come up against a Galway team that saw off Derry last time out.

Here are the teams named to start, we’ll let you know of any late changes.

Galway

1. Brian O’Donoghue (Claregalway)

2. Johnny Duane (St James)
3. Finian Hanley (Salthill/Knocknacarra)
4. Cathal Sweeney (Killanin)

5. Gareth Bradshaw (Moycullen)
6. Gary O’Donnell (Tuam Stars)
7. Liam Silke (Corofin)

8. Fiontán Ó Curraoin (Micheál Breathnach)
9. Thomas Flynn (Athenry)

10. Gary Sice (Corofin)
11. Paul Conroy (St James) (C)
12. Michael Lundy (Corofin)

13. Adrian Varley (Cortoon Shamrocks)
14. Damien Comer (Annaghdown)
15. Danny Cummins (Claregalway)

Donegal

1  Paul Durcan (Baile Buadain Naomh Enna)

2  Paddy McGrath (Ard an Rátha)
3 Neil McGee (Gaoth Dobhair)
4  Eamon McGee (Gaoth Dobhair)

5  Ryan McHugh  (Cill Charta)
6  Anthony Thompson  (Naomh Conaill)
7  Frank McGlynn  (Ghleann Fhinne)

8  Neil Gallagher (Gleann tSúili)
9  Martin McElhinney  (Naomh Michael)

10  Christy Toye  (Naomh Michael)
11  Odhrán Mac Niallais  (Gaoth Dobhair)
12  Mark McHugh  (Cill Charta)

13 Pádraig McBrearty (Cill Charta)
14. Michael Murphy (Gleann tSúili)
15. Colm McFadden (Naomh Michael)

Three late Donegal changes with Eamonn Doherty, Martin O’Reilly and Hugh McFadden in for Anthony Thompson, Martin McElhinney and Christy Toye.

Referee for this one is Eddie Kinsella of Laois.

Big news is that Michael Murphy starts for Donegal.

All set for action here.

Galway 0-1 Donegal 0-0
2 mins – Good start by the underdogs as Danny Cummins clips a point from play.

Galway 0-1 Donegal 0-1
4 mins – Beautiful point by Odhrán MacNiallais from distance ties the teams.

Donegal 0-2 Galway 0-1
5 mins – What a piece of brilliant work by Ryan McHugh there as he surged from defence and offloaded to Colm McFadden who boomed over a lovely point.

Goal for Donegal from Patrick McBrearty!

Donegal 1-2 Galway 0-1
6 mins – Galway are rocked as Donegal smash home the game’s first goal. It’s Colm McFadden who breaks and squares to Patrick McBrearty. He has the simple task of blasting the ball to the net.

Michael Murphy warms up with the team Michael Murphy warming up with teammates before the game. Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO

The Galway subs today are:

Manus Breathnach, Sean Denvir, Eddie Hoare, Declan Kyne, Michael Martin, Peadar Óg Ó Gríofa, Patrick Sweeney, Ronan Steede, Enda Tierney, Paul Varley, Shane Walsh.

Donegal 1-2 Galway 0-2
10 mins – Galway needed that score to settle them down as Gary Sice knocks over a free. Chance then for Damien Comer to point but he shoots wide from play off his left.

The Donegal subs today are:

Mark A. McGinley, Anthony Thompson, Declan Walsh, Martin McElhinney, Christy Toye, David Walsh, Leo McLoone, Gary McFadden, Eoin Bán Gallagher, Ciaran McGinley, Daniel McLaughlin.

Donegal 1-2 Galway 0-3
12 mins – Galway are patient and work the space for midfielder Tom Flynn to launch over a super point.

Donegal 1-3 Galway 0-3
13 mins – Donegal respond with Frank McGlynn and Michael Murphy creating the chance for McFadden, who looks sharp so far, to point.

Donegal 1-4 Galway 0-3
17 mins – Donegal look like they can cause problems for Galway’s inside rearguard. McGlynn races forward again and there’s half a goal chance but Galway snuff him out and Donegal must be content with McBrearty popping over a point.

Donegal recycle the ball for a prolonged period, as boos ring out around Croke Park.

Donegal 1-4 Galway 0-4
23 mins – Galway eventually strip Donegal of possession and when they break the McHugh brothers can’t handle Damien Comer’s pace, resulting in a foul being conceded. Sice taps over the free.

Donegal 1-4 Galway 0-5
24 mins – Better play again from Galway as they win the checkout and when Gareth Bradshaw breaks, he pops a handpass that releases Adrian Varley into space. Maybe there was a chance to go for goal but from a tight angle, he elected to fist a point.

Donegal 1-4 Galway 0-6
26 mins – Now the gap is down to one. Sice taps over a free after he was fouled himself but the ball was brought into a more advantageous position due to Donegal protests.

Patrick McBrearty scores the opening goal Patrick McBrearty fires the opening goal of the game. Cathal Noonan / INPHO Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO

28 mins – Donegal try to get a score to steady themselves but Ryan McHugh fires wide from the Cusack Stand side after being played in by his brother Mark.

29 mins – Another Donegal wide, this time from the boot of Mac Niallais.

30 mins – Galway work a good move through Liam Silke, Varley, Flynn and Bradshaw but Paul Conroy can’t finish it off from a tricky angle under pressure on the right wing.

32 mins – Yellow card for Galway’s Gary Sice. Relief for the Tribesmen that a black card wasn’t shown there to one of their key players.

32 mins – A good chance there and the type Galway need to be taking but Varley kicks wide after being fed by a fine delivery from Ó Curraoin.

Donegal 1-4 Galway 0-7
34 mins – Now that’s a rousing point for Galway. Captain Paul Conroy with a beauty from the left wing after an incisive run initially from Damien Comer.

35 mins – Yellow card for Michael Murphy after he commits high tackle on Sice. Big turnover before that from Sice on McFadden.

Half-Time: Donegal 1-4 Galway 0-7

So an interesting opening half then and the teams are level at the break. Donegal stormed from the blocks with McBrearty smacking home a goal but his 16th minute point was their last score of the first-half. Galway working ferociously hard and they’ve struck the last four points of the opening-half to draw level.

Here’s the first-half scorers:

Galway: Gary Sice 0-3 (0-3f), Thomas Flynn, Paul Conroy, Adrian Varley, Danny Cummins 0-1 each.

Donegal: Patrick McBrearty 1-1, Colm McFadden 0-2, Odhrán Mac Niallais 0-1.

We’re back under way here for the second-half.

Two half-time Donegal changes in Anthony Thompson and Martin McElhinney coming in for Eamonn McGee and Martin O’Reilly.

39 mins – Early second-half wides from Donegal from Murphy (play) and McBrearty (free).

Galway 0-8 Donegal 1-4
42 mins – Galway hit the front. Adrian Varley chipping in with his second point of the game.

43 mins – A good chance for Galway to move in front by two but Paul Conroy pulls a free wide.

Galway 0-8 Donegal 1-5
44 mins – Donegal peg Galway back as Murphy slots a free.

Frank McGlynn with Paul Conroy Frank McGlynn with Paul Conroy. Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO

Donegal 1-6 Galway 0-8
45 mins – Magnificent point by Mac Niallais nudges Donegal in front.

Donegal 1-7 Galway 0-8
48 mins – That’s an incredible catch by Michael Murphy over Finian Hanley and he fires over a point that sends Donegal two clear.

50 mins – Black card for Donegal’s Paddy McGrath for dragging down Thomas Flynn.

Donegal 1-7 Galway 0-9
51 mins – Sice slots over the resultant free for Galway as Donegal bring in Declan Walsh for McGrath.

54 mins – Six second-half wides now for Donegal with McBrearty the latest culprit and he’s just been taken off after that wide with Leo McCloone coming in.

Hugh McFadden and Neil Gallagher with Thomas Flynn, Fiontan O Curraoin, and Damien Comer Galway and Donegal players battle for possession Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO

Donegal 1-8 Galway 0-9
57 mins – McFadden strikes a free for Donegal after Murphy was fouled by Finian Hanley.

Subs: Galway bring in Shane Walsh and Patrick Sweeney for Paul Conroy and Adrian Varley.

57 mins – Bad wide there by Galway corner-back Cathal Sweeney at a stage where Galway were attacking strongly and had numbers over.

Donegal 1-9 Galway 0-9
58 mins – No problem for Mac Niallais at the other end for Donegal as he floats over his third point of the evening.

Goal for Donegal by Ryan McHugh!

Donegal 2-9 Galway 0-9
60 mins – What an amazing team move by Donegal. Duncan’s kickout is palmed down at midfield by McElhinney to Mac Niallais. He floats a neat pass to McFadden, who swivels and sends in a ball towards Murphy that hangs in the air. The Donegal captain rises above Finian Hanley and palms it one-handed into the path of Ryan McHugh and he slots to the net. Brilliant goal.

Donegal 2-10 Galway 0-10
62 mins – Some respite for Galway as Comer curls over a free but then McLoone bangs over a point at the other end for Donegal.

Donegal 2-10 Galway 0-11
63 mins – Stunning point off his left by Shane Walsh for Galway as he moves up the left wing and finishes stylishly.

Sub: Sean Denvir on for Galway for Michael Lundy.

Donegal 2-11 Galway 0-11
67 mins – Murphy slots a free and Donegal are six clear.

Sub: Christy Toye on for Donegal for Hugh McFadden.

Donegal 2-12 Galway 0-11
68 mins – McFadden fires over for Donegal.

Goal for Donegal!

Donegal 3-12 Galway 0-11
70 mins – And that is most certainly that! McFadden lays Donegal’s third goal on a plate for Christy Toye who finished expertly. Then David Walsh comes on with McFadden receiving a huge ovation from Donegal’s supporters as he’s taken off.

Full-Time: Donegal 3-12 Galway 0-11

That’s it, Donegal sail into the quarter-finals by a comfortable ten-point margin in the end. But it was a tough battle for long stages against a Galway team that were in this game for long stages until Ryan McHugh fired in the second goal that broke the game open for Donegal.

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