DONEGAL MINORS CAME BACK from the brink to reach the All-Ireland MFC semi-finals thanks to a superb second-half display at Croke Park.
Donegal 2-13 Cork 0-13
Cork led 0-10 to 1-3 at half-time, when Jason McGee’s goal had Donegal closer than perhaps their efforts deserved at that point – but Shaun Paul Barrett’s team turned the tables in the second half.
When Shane McGrath fired home a second Donegal goal three minutes from the end, the Ulster champions were on their way into the last four.
Picture caption: The Donegal minor squad before today’s game against Cork in Croke Park. Picture by Geraldine Diver.
The third quarter has been the forte of Donegal teams in recent years and it was in this spell that Barrett’s team had the winning of this one.
There, Donegal went from four behind to one ahead with Niall O’Donnell’s quarter of points and scores by the outstanding Aidan McLaughlin and Enda McCormick edged Donegal ahead for the first time.
[adrotate group=”38″]Cork had been dominant in the first half, but scored just three points in the second half with Donegal outscoring their opponents – who had Alan McCarthy sent off – 1-10 to 0-3 in part two.
Eoghan McGettigan and McCormick arched over points to put Donegal two in front heading down the home straight, but they were still thankful for that priceless second goal.
McGrath, after good work by O’Donnell, didn’t get the cleanest of connections to his shot, but it was still enough to take it to the net and secure Donegal’s spot in the semi-finals.
After winning the Ulster MFC for the seventh time, Donegal came into this game with confidence brimming and Barrett noting the belief garnered by his side on the way to the Ulster League and Championship double.
[adrotate group=”46″]Yet, it was Cork who looked like the side with the spring with Donegal’s nerves inhibiting their play.
Donegal kicked six wides and dropped another two efforts short in the first half with Cork’s winning of kick-outs and their forcing of turnovers making it a chastening experience for Donegal, who found themselves five down by the 26th minute.
At that stage, Donegal had only a free from Peadar Mogan to show for their endeavours with the ticks in the wides column mounting.
Donegal manager Barrett kept faith with the same XV that defeated Derry in the Ulster final two weeks’ ago.
[adrotate group=”68″]That meant McCormick retained his place, staving off competition from the fully-fit-again McGrath, who had been kept as a substitute in the Ulster final 13 days ago.
After just 12 minutes, Cork goalkeeper Mark White charged out to meet McCormick’s long ball in, but White took a heavy blow in falling to the turf and had to be replaced by Kevin McMahon.
It was the Rebels who began to boss the game on the resumption, with Mark Buckley putting them ahead and Tadhg Corkery polishing off a neat move for another score.
Donegal survived a scare in the 22nd minute when Chris Óg Jones intercepted a kick-out by Donegal goalkeeper Gavin Mulreaney and found Rory O’Driscoll. The wing-back’s pass almost found Seán O’Sullivan, but Seaghan Ferry got back to divert out for a ’45.
[adrotate group=”70″]Buckley converted the ’45 and Damien Gore landed another to make it 0-6 to 0-1.
Just when they needed it, Donegal played the lifeline. JD Boyle found the big midfielder and the Cloughaneely man hammered to the net.
O’Donnell won and converted a free to bring Donegal to within a point, but Cork – in seven minutes of added time at the end of the opening period, owing to White’s injury – scored four-in-a-row from Buckley (2), Cathal Maguire and Colm O’Callaghan to lead 0-10 to 1-3 at the short whistle.
[adrotate group=”53″]Cork had the look of a side that had their work done as they headed for the changing rooms, but Donegal came good on the restart and claimed an impressive win.
Galway await in the semi-finals.
Donegal: Gavin Mulreany; Seaghan Ferry, Aaron McCrea, Mark Curran; Odhran Shiels, JD Boyle, Aidan McLaughlin (0-2); Jason McGee (1-0), Kieran Gallagher; Nathan Boyle, Niall O’Donnell (0-5, 4f), Odhran McFadden-Ferry; Peadar Mogan (0-3, 3f), Eoghan McGettigan (0-1), Enda McCormick (0-2). Subs: Aaron Deeney for McCrea (30+6), Shane McGrath (1-0) for Shiels (half-time), Brian O’Donnell for JD Boyle (54), Gary Molloy for McCormick (60).
Cork: Mark White; Alan McCarthy, Aidan Browne, Liam O’Donovan; Seán Minihane, Nathan Walsh, Rory O’Driscoll; Cathal Foley, Tadhg Corkery (0-1); Chris Óg Jones, Colm O’Callaghan (0-1), Cathal Maguire (0-1); Damien Gore (0-4, 3f), Mark Buckley (0-5, 1 ’45), Seán O’Sullivan. Subs: Kevin McMahon for White (12), Seán Ryan for Minihane (half-time), Cathal O’Mahony (0-1, 1f) for Maguire (45), Jason Twomey for O’Driscoll (46), Ryan Fowley for O’Sullivan (50), Luke Fahy for Jones (54).
Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo).
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