Donegal 0-15
Armagh 0-14
Paul Keane reports from Croke Park
JIM MCGUINNESS IS not just winning matches again but silverware too as Donegal finished strongly at Croke Park to claim the NFL Division 2 title.
Trailing by a point entering stoppage time after conceding five Armagh scores in a row, it looked like an injury hit Donegal side may come up just short.
But the 2012 All-Ireland winners ultimately outscored Armagh by 0-3 to 0-1 in the closing minutes with Aaron Doherty supplying the winning point at the death.
A draw to match their stalemate in the group wouldn’t have surprised anyone with the teams tied 10 times throughout a cagey encounter.
But Donegal showed their appetite for destruction in the closing minutes and will be particularly pleased to win in the absence of injury stars like Patrick McBrearty, Ryan McHugh and Eoghan Ban Gallagher.
Donegal will return to action on 20 April against Derry in the Ulster SFC while Armagh will play Fermanagh in Enniskillen on 14 April.
Despite their patched up team, Donegal hit the interval with a 0-8 to 0-7 lead after a tight and tense opening half. The sides were level on seven different occasions throughout the first-half and it was only back-to-back Donegal points from Peadar Mogan and Ciaran Thompson just before the break that nudged them ahead.
Thompson wore the captain’s armband on the occasion of his 100th appearance for Donegal and kicked three points from play in the first half. All of them were from long-range as Donegal coped admirably with the wind whipping into their faces from the Hill 16 End.
Kevin McGettigan was twice blocked with goal chances for Donegal in the fourth minute but they were content to bypass Armagh’s buttressed defence with points from distance for the most part.
Rory Grugan floated over two points on the stiff wind for Armagh at the other end while Aidan Forker was denied a goal by a Niall O’Donnell block, the ball eventually recycled for a Jarlath Óg Burns point.
Armagh’s scores dried up in the period either side of half-time with Donegal outscoring them by 0-6 to 0-1 in total between the 34th and 51st minutes to move 0-12 to 0-8 clear.
Armagh found scores much more difficult to come by when playing into the wind and they were further frustrated by Andrew Murnin and Grugan point attempts that hit the woodwork. Rian O’Neill was only fit enough to come on for Armagh for the final 20 minutes or so and winced too as he pulled a point attempt from a free wide of the posts.
Grugan eventually got Armagh going again with a 61st minute score from a free before adding another after a foul on O’Neill.
Now Armagh had the momentum and with their press on Donegal goalkeeper Shaun Patton’s kick-outs paying off, they penned in their opponents long enough to reel off five points in a row.
They led 0-13 to 0-12 after 68 minutes but only added one more score through Oisin Conaty as Donegal upped the ante with those three late points to steal the silverware.
Donegal scorers: Oisin Gallen 0-5 (0-2f, 0-1 mark), Ciaran Thomposon 0-3, Niall O’Donnell 0-3, Peadar Mogan 0-1, Shane O’Donnell 0-1, Caolan McGonagle 0-1, Aaron Doherty 0-1.
Armagh scorers: Conor Turbitt 0-4 (0-2f), Rory Grugan 0-4 (0-2f), Jarlath Og Burns 0-2, Oisin Conaty 0-2, Stefan Campbell 0-1. Oisin O’Neill 0-1.
Donegal
1. Shaun Patton
2. Mark Curran, 4. Caolan McColgan, 3. Ciaran Moore
7. Shane O’Donnell, 5. Kevin McGettigan, 6. Caolan McGonagle
28. Jason McGee, 9. Michael Langan
10. Peadar Mogan, 11. Ciaran Thompson, 25. Luke McGlynn
13. Aaron Doherty, 14. Oisin Gallen, 15. Niall O’Donnell
Subs
- 12. Jamie Brennan for McGettigan (h/t)
- 21. Odhran Doherty for McGlynn (h/t)
- 8. Hugh McFadden for McGee (42)
- 22. Jeaic MacCeallabhui for McColgan (60)
- 30. Cathal MacAonghasa for Niall O’Donnell (61)
Armagh
1. Blaine Hughes
4. Peter McGrane. 2. Paddy Burns, 3. Aaron McKay
23. Jarlath Óg Burns, 6. Aidan Forker, 7. Darragh McMullan
8. Ciaran Mackin, 9. Ben Crealey
5. Greg McCabe, 11. Rory Grugan, 12. Joe McElroy
14. Andrew Murnin, 13. Conor Turbitt, 15. Oisin Conaty
Subs
- 10. Stefan Campbell for Forker (42)
- 24. Rian O’Neill for McElroy (49)
- 21. Oisin O’Neill for McMullan (60)
- 20. Jason Duffy for Mackin (69)
Referee: Paul Faloon (Down).
