DONEGAL turned on the style in the second half to overcome Galway and book their place in the All-Ireland quarter-finals – and a meeting with their old rivals Mayo.
Donegal 3-12 Galway 0-11
Rumours were quashed and notions were turned on their head as Michael Murphy proved beyond doubt his fitness levels on a night when Rory Gallagher’s bench raised its hand as a viable commodity.
Stories of Murphy’s ill health were greatly exaggerated as he showed with a colossal display in helping his men to what ended up a ten-point.
Murphy scored one of the points of the summer in the 48th minute when a majestic catch from Neil Gallagher’s pass resulted in the captain thumping over to put Donegal two up.
It was a delicate flick by Murphy that teed up Donegal’s second goal.
Colm McFadden (pictured above) – imperious throughout as he rolled back the years for a vintage display – lofted the ball invitingly and, from Murphy’s knock down, Ryan McHugh sweetly struck to the net beyond Brian O’Donogue.
McFadden had a hand in all three Tir Chonaill goals.
In the sixth minute, the veteran St Michael’s man worked the opening and Patrick McBrearty applied the finish in front of an eerily empty Hill 16.
Odhrán Mac Niallais had scored the first of three wonderful points to cancel out Danny Cummins’ opener and McFadden registered before McBrearty’s goal gave Donegal a real foothold.
By the 16th minute, they were 1-4 to 0-3 ahead with McFadden and McBrearty on the mark. That point from McBrearty could have ended in a goal for Frank McGlynn, who had been threaded in by Neil Gallagher’s pass.
As has been a feature of their summer, something went awry for Donegal and they wouldn’t score for another 29 minutes.
Galway came with a rigid defensive screen, but Donegal were content to play keep-ball, something that bizarrely led to the men in gold getting the raw end of the stick from the booing public.
Galway came back to draw level as Paul Conroy’s massive point pulled the Tribesmen onto an even keel after Gary Sice (two frees) and Adrian Varley had posted.
Donegal posted four wides in the first half and that tally would rise to 14 by the time Eddie Kinsella called for the ball, but Donegal still had enough nous about them to move up the gears and, ultimately, break Galway’s resistance.
Three early wides in the second half furrowed the brows of the Donegal faithful and Varley put Galway ahead for only the second time.
Finally, Donegal ended their famine when Murphy slotted over a free, moved in by Kinsella after Finian Hanley, the Galway full-back had a word too much to say to the Laois referee.
A beauty by Mac Niallais and Murphy’s monster moved Donegal two up, but Galway weren’t willing to die without a fight and Paddy McGrath couldn’t be faulted for the black card that ended his afternoon.
The corner-back was left hauled down Thomas Flynn as the Galway midfielder powered through.
Mac Niallais swept over in style and, ten minutes from the end, Donegal netted their second goal as McHugh, whose boundless endeavour went to the very last blow, stylishly finished.
Donegal’s bench worked a treat with Martin McElhinney helping give them a foothold following his introduction at the interval, while Anthony Thompson brought new energy to proceedings – although the withdrawal of an injured Eamon McGee was a worrying sight.
Leo McLoone, another sub, got his first score since his return and it was an effort that had slightly too much trajectory with the shot just clearing the crossbar.
For good measure, Christy Toye – just three minutes after his introduction – got on the end of McFadden’s pass to net a record fifth Championship goal at Croke Park.
Plenty to work on in the week, but the old dogs still stand poised for their next assignment on the hard road: Mayo. It’s a fire that will hardly need much stoking.
Donegal: Paul Durcan; Paddy McGrath, Eamon McGee, Neil McGee; Mark McHugh, Eamonn Doherty, Frank McGlynn; Neil Gallagher, Michael Murphy (0-3, 2f); Ryan McHugh (1-0), Hugh McFadden, Odhrán Mac Niallais (0-3); Martin O’Reilly, Patrick McBrearty (1-1), Colm McFadden (0-4, 1f). Subs: Anthony Thompson for E McGee (h-t), M McElhinney for O’Reilly (h-t), Declan Walsh for McGrath (black card, 51), Leo McLoone (0-1) for McBrearty (54), Christy Toye (1-0) for H.McFadden (68), David Walsh for C.McFadden (70).
Galway: Brian O’Donoghue; Johnny Duane, Finian Hanley, Cathal Sweeney; Liam Silke, Gary O’Donnell, Gareth Bradshaw; Fiontán Ó Curraoin, Thomas Flynn (0-1); Gary Sice (0-4, 4f), Paul Conroy (0-1), Michael Lundy; Adrian Varley (0-2), Damien Comer (0-1, 1f), Danny Cummins (0-1). Subs: Shane Walsh (0-1) for Varley (57), Patrick Sweeney for Conroy (57), Peardar Óg Ó Gríofa for Cummins (63), Seán Denvir for Lundy (67), Michael Martin for Flynn (69), Enda Tierney for Sice (69).
Referee: Eddie Kinsella (Laois).
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