RORY GALLAGHER took a look at his watch and felt sick.
The feeling was one that came over him a week earlier when Monaghan snatched a draw from the very jaws of a Donegal win.
Then, Conor McManus’ last gasp free, swung over six minutes into added time, earned Monaghan another bite.
They arrived back at Breffni Park again seven nights on to do it all again in the replay.
[adrotate group=”76″]For the most part, Donegal had the joystick and were in control, but Monaghan, who have had an Indian sign on Tir Chonaill over the years, were zooming back into it.
Both of them were down to 14 men, Rory Kavanagh sent off and Colin Walshe black carded when Malachy O’Rourke had already deployed his full quota of substitutes.
To Gallagher’s left, the sideline official, Derek Fahy, held up the board showing five additional minutes. The margin was just a point.
[adrotate group=”43″]“Thoughts crossed my mind and my stomach was churning: ‘Jesus Christ, we’re going to end up in extra time after playing so well’,” Gallagher said.
“We weren’t as fluid and didn’t have as much possession. We spilled a bit of possession. Monaghan are a serious credit. We knew they were always going to come.”
With Donegal ahead by the minimum, Monaghan were given a free.
The clock was almost run.
Same time. Same place.
Monaghan worked the free short and Kieran Duffy popped his shot short.
The time was up.
Donegal prevailed: 0-17 to 2-10. By a point.
The gap felt massive at the finish with Donegal off to a sixth Ulster final in a row.
[adrotate group=”70″]A week before they joust in the Ulster final at Clones, Monaghan have a rather less glamorous task at the same venue: A qualifier against Longford on Saturday evening.
Donegal, it must be remembered, have reached the decider without having had Neil McGee or Neil Gallagher.
McGee will return from suspension for the final and the Gaoth Dobhair man looked every inch a man about to walk free again after Saturday night’s win.
For Rory Gallagher, this was his most noteworthy yet as the Donegal manager.
He said: “It’s a massive achievement. You can’t put into words the effort that those guys put in.
“It was a big game last Saturday night; it was a bigger game tonight. We all know why.
[adrotate group=”74″]“There was a lot at stake between the two teams. I’m very proud of our boys’ effort on both nights. We were the better team on both nights.
“We went full games not scoring ten points against Monaghan. We looked really fluid and really lively
“Monaghan are a great team and will always come up with something. We’re very pleased.
“We worked equally hard on it the last six years on attack and defence. People think we spent six years working on defence. We work hard at it. It’s relatively easy when you have good quality players and we have a lot of them.”
Martin O’Reilly is a case in point for Gallagher.
[adrotate group=”54″]The Sean MacCumhaills man is one of the unheralded – under-rated and perhaps even under-appreciated – players in the Donegal squad, but was immense in Cavan.
“He kept Karl O’Connell quiet and kicked two points over the bar,” his manager nodded.
“It was a great day’s work. We’re working with him for five years now and he keeps coming back for more.
“Marty has had to fight for everything he’s got. He empties the tank and keeps on smiling. In the last 18 months he has really dug in and has got himself a lot fitter. He had glandular fever one year which kept him out.
“We have found a position for him now. He played inside when we were stuck for someone inside but, whether it’s in the half-back or half-forward line he’s comfortable.”
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