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Donegal's Oisin Gallen and Monaghan's Ryan O'Toole. Andrew Paton/INPHO

Donegal pip Monaghan for second place, Derry finish top with defeat of Clare

An exciting finish in Omagh.

Results

All-Ireland senior football championship Group 4

  • Donegal  0-19 Monaghan 0-17
  • Derry 1-20 Clare 1-13

*****

DONEGAL FINISHED SECOND in Group 4 of the All-Ireland SFC after they pipped Monaghan in an exciting finish in Omagh.

After a loose first half where a wind-assisted Donegal kicked 13 of the 22 points, the game gradually built to a tense finish. Donegal scored just three points after the 48th minute (all from frees), but their defence held firm as they secured home advantage for their last-12 outing.

Derry’s seven-point win over Clare meant that winning the group was out of the question
for either team, but it then became a battle for the second slot and a home venue for next
weekend. The tempo raised as Monaghan rallied from six points down to within a single
score, but a rejuvenated Donegal team held on.

ethan-doherty-and-ciaran-russell Clare's Ciaran Russell and Derry's Ethan Doherty. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

The teams kicked four points apiece in the first ten minutes, with Conor O’Donnell, Dáire
Ó Baoill, Jamie Brennan and Ciarán Thompson on target for Donegal and Monaghan
responding through Mícheál Bannigan, Gary Mohan, Conor Boyle and Darren Hughes.

Mohan’s second edged Monaghan ahead, but Donegal hit back with four unanswered scores from Ó Baoill, O’Donnell, Thompson and Odhrán Doherty. Ryan McAnespie and Hughes ended Monaghan’s scoring drought, only for Oisín Gallen, Thompson and Caolán McGonagle to extend Donegal’s lead.

Having led by 0-13 to 0-9 at half-time, Donegal pushed on with a brace from Gallen and
despite having the wind at their backs, Monaghan made little inroads into their deficit
during the third quarter. Jack McCarron burst into the game with three points in the space of five minutes, while he also had a goal attempt scrambled off the line as the game
slowly came to the boil.

jack-mccarron-is-tackled-by-brendan-mccole-and-stephen-mcmenamin Monaghan's Jack McCarron in action against the Donegal defence. Andrew Paton / INPHO Andrew Paton / INPHO / INPHO

O’Donnell struck on the counter to keep Donegal clear, however, while Gallen chipped
over his fourth point before being replaced by Patrick McBrearty. Monaghan had also
introduced some firepower off the bench via Conor McManus, who was on target late on,
along with Boyle and Stephen O’Hanlon, but when a long kick-out from Shaun Patton
led to the Donegal keeper sauntering forward to convert a brilliant free from distance, the
winning line loomed closer for his side.

Monaghan needed Ryan O’Toole to race back towards his goal to keep a Jamie Brennan
effort out as they poured numbers forward, but with a Conor McCarthy effort being
waved wide when they trailed by two late on, they were forced to go all-out for a winning
goal that never arrived.

*****

Derry powered forward in the second half to defeat Clare  by seven points in a game where the teams were tied 1-6 to 0-9 at the interval. Emmet McMahon netted for Clare in the first half and it was his point just before the break that brought the teams level at the midway mark.

Derry outscored Clare 1-8 to 0-2 at the start of the second half, Benny Heron raising the green flag, and they now advance directly to the quarter-finals.

*****

Scorers for Donegal: Oisín Gallen 0-5 (3f); Conor O’Donnell 0-3; Dáire Ó Baoill 0-3;
Ciarán Thompson 0-3 (1f); Jamie Brennan 0-2 (1f); Shaun Patton 0-1f; Odhrán Doherty
0-1; Caolán McGonagle 0-1.

Scorers for Monaghan: Jack McCarron 0-5 (3f, 1m); Gary Mohan 0-3 (1m); Conor
Boyle 0-2; Mícheál Bannigan 0-2; Darren Hughes 0-2; Conor McManus 0-1f; Ryan
McAnespie 0-1; Stephen O’Hanlon 0-1.

Donegal

1. Shaun Patton (St. Eunan’s);

5. Caolán Ward (St. Eunan’s), 3. Brendan McCole (St. Naul’s)

18. Odhrán Doherty (Naomh Cónaill)

7. Stephen McMenamin (Red Hughs), 2. Mark Curran (Dungloe), 6. Eoghan Bán
Gallagher (Killybegs)

8. Caolán McGonagle (Buncrana), 9. Hugh McFadden (Killybegs)

4. Caolán McColgan (Naomh Pádraig), 15. Conor O’Donnell (Carndonagh), 11. Jamie
Brennan (Bundoran)

12. Ciarán Thompson (Naomh Cónaill)

10. Dáire Ó Baoill (Gweedore), 14. Oisín Gallen (Seán Mac Cumhaills).

Subs

  • 20. John Ross Molloy (Ardara) for Ward (47)
  • 13. Patrick McBrearty (Kilcar) for Gallen (55)
  • 25. Rory O’Donnell (Milford) for Ó Baoill (59)
  • 26. Paul Brennan (Bundoran) for Doherty (69)
  • 21. Luke McGlynn (Glenfin) for C O’Donnell (inj., 71)

Monaghan

1. Rory Beggan (Scotstown)

2. Ryan O’Toole (Scotstown), 3. Kieran Duffy (Latton), 4. Ryan Wylie (Ballybay)

20. Darren Hughes (Scotstown)

5. Karl O’Connell (Tyholland), 6. Conor Boyle (Clontibret), 7. Conor McCarthy
(Scotstown)

14. Gary Mohan (Truagh), 9. Killian Lavelle (Clontibret)

12. Ryan McAnespie (Emyvale), 10. Stephen O’Hanlon (Carrickmacross), 8. Karl
Gallagher (Emyvale)

13. Jack McCarron (Scotstown), 11. Mícheál Bannigan (Aughnamullen).

Subs

  • 18. Conor McManus (Clontibret) for Gallagher (42)
  • 15. Shane Carey (Scotstown) for Lavelle (47)
  • 17. Kieran Hughes (Scotstown) for D Hughes (58)
  • 26. Colm Lennon (Ballybay) for O’Connell (59)
  • 25. Francis Hughes (Clontibret) for McCarron (67)

Referee: Liam Devenney (Mayo).

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