DONEGAL BOSTON ADVANCED to the senior football semi-final with a firey win over the Shannon Blues on Sunday.
Donegal Boston 0-18 Â Shannon Blues 1-10
Donegal – who take on Galway in the semi-final this coming weekend – lined out with Killybegs’ Jason Noctor and Sean MacCumhaill’s Gavin Gallagher, as well as possessing former Derry forwards Paddy and Eoin Bradley.
Danny Monagle from Carndonagh, St Michael’s Lee Carr and MacCumhaill’s Rory Dunleavy all came on as sustitutes.
The teams were level at the break, although things looked brighter for Donegal heading into the second period. Â Towards the end of the half Conor Cox was shown a black card and the Blues lost their main scoring threat.
[adrotate group=”81″]The Blues had opened well. Â Ivan Parker, Cox and Damien Somers had pointed five times between them and Parker palmed the ball into the net after a floated ball from Cox across the square.
Donegal were struggling, Paddy Bradley had several chances that went wide of the posts, but as half time approached the northerners got a grip of the game.  It started with an Eoin O’Connor point, which initially was called wide, but the umpires decision was overruled and a point awarded. Â
After the goal, the Blues started to lose their way coming out of defence, and Donegal went on to point five times on the trot with Eoin and Paddy Bradley hitting 4 between them, and Darren Kavanagh the odd one of the number. Â
[adrotate group=”37″]It was 1-5 to 0-8 at half time.
As the second half took shape, the Bradley brothers began to find their range.
 The Blues had to resort to the long ball into substitute, Paudi McCormack, but Noctor was on high alert and on most occasions cleared for Donegal.
Two players got their marching orders entering the final stretch. Â Sean Moriarty for a strike on Eoin Bradley and Bradley presumably for retaliation.
There were unsavory scenes at the end of the game in front of the main stand. Â Two Blues players were sent to the line following a fracas during which some members of the Donegal support felt the need to leap the fence on to the field.
Blues:  E. Whelan, T. Wallace, P. O’Sullivan, C. Coffey, G. O’Cunniffe, D. McElligott, S. Moriarty, D. Somers, C. Fitzgerald, B. Ryal, M. Young, C. Cox, I. Parker.
Donegal:  B. Flynn, C. Benson, J. Noctor, G. Gallagher, G. Brennan, C. Russell, R. Caldwell, T. Darmin, V. Coyle, E. Bradley, E. O’Connor, P. Bradley, D. Kavanagh. Subs: L Carr, R Dunleavy, D Monagle.
For Rory O’Donnell’s full report please click here.
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