ULSTER CHAMPIONS DONEGAL had no significant difficulty in dispatching a young Cavan side on Sunday.
Colm McFadden hit an impressive 1-6 as Jim McGuinness’ side ran out 1-16 to 1-10 winners in the preliminary round tie.
While the Breffni County started well, Donegal took control of the game as the first half went on and they had a 1-7 to 0-4 lead at the break, thanks to McFadden’s penalty.
Niall McDermott pulled a goal back for Cavan – also from a spot-kick – but the greater experience of Donegal told in the finish.
Rory Kavanagh and Leo McLoone added points to seal the win.
Leinster
Louth and Longford got their Leinster Senior Football Championship campaigns off to the perfect start on Sunday, beating Westmeath and Laois respectively.
Danny O’Connor was the hero for Louth, as his injury time goal helped his side to beat Westmeath – who had the game sewn up at one stage – 2-9 to 1-14.
The sides were split by Ronan Carroll’s goal at the break, 1-6 to 0-7, with three of Westmeath’s points coming from the boot of John Heslin.
Heslin helped the midlanders to move back in front in the second half but ultimately it was Louth that finished the stronger, setting up a clash against All-Ireland champions Dublin.
Pearse Park was home to the comeback of the day, as Longford produced an excellent second half revival to beat Laois 1-10 to 0-12.
However, with full-time fast approaching, Laois had what would have been a match-winning goal disallowed for a square ball.
The first half of the game was a low quality affair, with Justin McNulty’s side dominating their opponents to lead 0-9 to 0-3.
Five minutes into the second half, the fightback began, when Paul Barden flicked substitute Paul Kelly’s delivery into the net.
That made the game 0-9 to 1-3, before Ross Munnelly added to the Laois total and Damien Sheridan made a crucial save to deny Kevin Meaney.
With 15 minutes remaining, Longford were within a point after four on the spin from David and Paul Barden and Sean McCormack (2), before Michael Quinn – with a quite brilliant point – and McCormack once more turned the game on its head.
Longford had outscored their opponents 1-6 to 0-2 after the restart, while the late Laois ‘goal’ will be subject of much scrutiny on The Sunday Game.
Munster
Finally, in the Munster Senior Football Championship, Limerick held Waterford scoreless in the second half to win by 2-12 to 0-7 at the Gaelic Grounds.
A missed penalty from the Déise early in the second half, with Mark Ferncombe thwarted by Brian Scanlon, was the pivotal moment in the game.
Ian Ryan was the Treaty County’s hero on the day, scoring 1-8, with the other goal coming from Seamus Carroll in the first half.
