DUBLIN AND DONEGAL’S last meeting turned an entire summer on its head.
The consequences aren’t quite so serious in early February but both will want to make a point in this evening’s Division 1 league clash.
As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the action. Email niall@the42.ie, tweet @The42GAA, post a message to our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.
Good evening and welcome to Croke Park for this evening’s Division 1 clash between Dublin and Donegal.
The Walsh Cup final between Dublin and Galway has just finished up, James Regan’s 68th-minute goal snatching a 1-22 to 1-20 win for Galway.
Throw-in for the football is at 7pm.
Here are the teams as named earlier this week. We’ll keep you in the loop on any late changes.
DUBLIN
1. Sean Currie
2. Eoin Culligan
3. Rory O’Carroll
4. Daren Daly
5. Jonny Cooper
6. John Small
7. Jack McCaffrey
8. Denis Bastick
9. Shane Carthy
10. Tomas Brady
11. Dean Rock
12. Emmett O’Conghaile
13. Kevin McManamon
14. Eoghan O’Gara
15. Cormac Costello
DONEGAL
1.Paul Durcan
2. Eamonn Doherty
3. Eamonn McGee
4. Paddy McGrath
5. Frank McGlynn
6. Karl Lacey
7. Mark McHugh
8. Neil Gallagher
9. Christy Toye
10. Ryan McHugh
11. Martin O’Reilly
12. Odhrán Mac Niallais
13. Patrick McBrearty
14. Michael Murphy
15. Hugh McFadden
News just in of three changes to the Dublin side — Mick Fitzimons, Davy Byrne and Eric Lowndes all start; Rory O’Carroll, Jack McCaffrey and Shane Carthy drop out.
We’ve had a moment’s applause for Andy Kettle, and we’re just about ready to go in HQ.
Maurice Deegan gets us underway. Donegal attacking the Hill in this first half.
Donegal 0-1 Dublin 0-0: Toye ships it off to Murphy who kicks the game’s opening score.
Donegal 0-2 Dublin 0-0: Michael Murphy sticks over a big free
Dean Rock tries his luck with a sideline ball but it’s just wide.
GOAL FOR DUBLIN! Dublin 1-0 Donegal 0-2: Donegal have set up as defensively as you might expect but Dublin slice through them with their first meaningful attack. Great vision by McManamon to pick out Lowndes inside, and he feeds Cormac Costello who slips it past Paul Durcan.
Karl Lacey has plenty of time to steady himself and shoot but it’s a bad wide.
Donegal 0-3 Dublin 1-0: Maurice Deegan brings play back for a Donegal free and it gives Murphy a chance to slot his second free into the Hill.
Donegal try to build up patiently but McBrearty scuffs his point attempt and it drops short to Dublin keeper Sean Currie.
Dublin sub: David Byrne is on for corner-back Eoin Culligan
So far, it has been as expected from Donegal who have adopted their usual defensive shape with 14 men behind the ball. Paddy McBrearty is their lone man up front, with Muprhy occasionally venturing forward to join him.
Dublin 1-1 Donegal 0-3: Davy Byrne, the Ballymun Kickhams man, kicks the Dubs back into the lead.
Substitutions: Here’s two we didn’t really expect to see – Ciaran Kilkenny is on for Dublin, replacing Tomas Brady, and Neil McGee is on for the injured Paddy McGrath in the Donegal full-back line.
Dublin 1-2 Donegal 0-3: While all of that was going on around us, Emmett O’Conghaile pointed for the Dubs.
Dublin 1-3 Donegal 0-3: Eoghan O’Gara wriggles back inside Mark McHugh and Eamonn McGee. He might have gone on to test Donegal sub keeper Michael Boyle but takes his point instead.
Dublin 1-3 Donegal 0-4: Christy Toye controls possession well and finds Paddy McBrearty running off his shoulder. McBrearty points — that’s Donegal’s first score in 14 minutes, and their first from play since the opening minute.
Dublin 1-3 Donegal 0-5: Kevin McManamon and Neil McGee have been given a long talking to by Maurice Deegan, and promptly booked.
At the other end, Darren Daly sees yellow as well and Paddy McBrearty points the free.
Dublin 1-4 Donegal 0-5: Dean Rock points a free to push Dublin two in front.
Mark McHugh seems to have all the time in the world but he slices his shot off the outside of his boot and it clips the upright before dropping wide.
Dublin 1-5 Donegal 0-5: Nice link-up between Denis Bastick and Kevin McManamon. Bastick tries his luck from a good distance out but Boyle gets down to push it around the post.
Rock points the 45.
Ryan McHugh twists and turns and twists and turns and eventually buys himself a yard of space. He deserves to score but his shot fades just at the end and goes right and wide.
Dublin 1-5 Donegal 0-6: Fine score by Donegal. Toye plays a one-two with Frank McGlynn and when he gets the return ball, turns, shoots and scores.
Dublin 1-5 Donegal 0-7: We’re into the third of three additional minutes. Dublin look to have a pretty decent shout for a free out but Maurice Deegan waves play on. The ball breaks to McBrearty who points.
That should be it for the first half.
Or not. Maurice Deegan decides to play another minute for the craic despite the whistles from the Hill. Christy Toye has a chance to level it with the last attack but it’s wide.
Dublin 1-5 Donegal 0-7
Back in five.
22,968 is the attendance in Croke Park this evening.
We’re up and running again. Hopefully the second half is a bit more lively.
Dublin 1-5 Donegal 0-8: That didn’t take long. Donegal win the kickout, lump it up to Murphy, and we’re all square after 20 seconds of the second half.
Michael Murphy could be in a spot of trouble here. He clatters John Small with a late tackle and the Dublin defender is badly shaken.
Maurice Deegan deems a free to be sufficient punishment for Murphy. It looked considerably worse on the replays.
Dublin 1-6 Donegal 0-8: Dean Rock sizes up a free from about 35 yards out, and makes no mistake. Dublin edge back in front.
Dublin 1-7 Donegal 0-8: There’s another bit of a kerfuffle involving Eoghan O’Gara and a couple of the Donegal players. Maurice Deegan brings the Dublin free forward and Rock points.
RED CARD! Kevin McManamon is involved in an off-the-ball incident that leaves Mark McHugh on the deck. He’s shown a second yellow and Dublin are down to 14 for the remainder.
Dublin 1-7 Donegal 0-9: Paddy McBrearty comes back in from the right wing and curls over another point.
The Donegal blanket is in full effect. O’Gara is crowded out but then Costello wriggles free. He tries to centre it to Rock but it’s slightly too high and Donegal recover.
Dublin 1-8 Donegal 0-9: Dean Rock’s free-taking has been superb tonight and he’s just swung over another beauty. Dublin lead by two again.
Dublin 1-8 Donegal 0-10: Christy Toye has been a real threat and he’s the man to keep Donegal in touch again. We’re set up for a tasty finish.
Another surprise sub: Colm McFadden, wearing 27, is in the building (but not in the match programme). He’s on for Hugh McFadden.
Dublin 1-9 Donegal 0-10: Jack McCaffrey works himself enough space to shoot and takes his point.
Brilliantly sharp counter attack from the Dubs, headed up by Costello, Rock and McCaffrey. It falls to Costello to shoot but his effort is dropping under Boyle’s crossbar and is knocked clear.
Dublin sub: Philly McMahon on for Jonny Cooper.
That’s a rarity. Murphy completely fluffs what should be a straightforward point to bring Donegal back to within one, and the jeers ring out around Croker.
GOAL FOR DUBLIN! Dublin 2-9 Donegal 0-10: Take a bow, Jack McCaffrey – that’s a cracking goal which should seal it for Dublin. With Murphy desperately trying to keep up, McCaffrey races onto Davy Byrne’s pass and fires a looping shot over Boyle.
Substitutions: Berno’s back! Brogan on for Costello for the final minutes.
For Donegal, Darach O’Connor replaces Eamonn Doherty.
Dublin 2-10 Donegal 0-11: McFadden gets one back for Donegal but Ciaran Kilkenny responds in kind at the other end.
BLACK CARD! Michael Murphy’s night is over following a trip on a Dublin player. He’ll be replaced by Daniel McLaughlin.
We’ll have two additional minutes.
Dublin 2-10 Donegal 0-11
So that’s it. Jim Gavin’s Dubs get their Division 1 defence up and running at the second time of asking.
There was plenty of bite to the game for a February fixture and both managers will most likely find the positives in such a competitive outing.
We’ll have more later this evening. Thanks for reading.
