Donegal take on Fermanagh in an Ulster SFC quarter-final this afternoon at Sean MacCumhaill Park in Ballybofey. We’re doing live updates throughout the day
FULL TIME: Donegal 2-12 Fermanagh 0-11, but could be a costly day for Donegal…
70 +4 mins: Colm McFadden gets his first point of the year for Donegal. Donegal 2-12 Fermanagh 0-11
70 mins: Colm McFadden is on for Donegal, who lead 2-10 to 0-11
55 mins: Martin McElhinney gets in on the act for Donegal. 2-10 to 0-8 they lead
52 mins: Patrick McBrearty puts over and Donegal lead by seven points while Rory Kavanagh has come back on to replace Frank McGlynn. Donegal 2-9 Fermanagh 0-8
50 mins: Murphy is coming into this game and he tees Martin O’Reilly up for a point. Donegal 2-8 Fermanagh 0-8
46 mins: Black card for Fermanagh’s Ché Cullen, who hauls Murphy to the deck.
45 mins: GOAL for Donegal, again scored by Mac Niallais. Donegal 2-7 Fermanagh 0-9
43 mins: Michael Murphy curls over a free for his first score of the game. Donegal 1-7 Fermanagh 0-9
38 mins: Fermanagh back to within a point as Corrigan archs over another free. Donegal 1-6 Fermanagh 0-8
HALF-TIME SUBSTITUTION: Christy Toys is on for Leo McLoone at half-time.
IT’S SAVED – McGinley saves from Quigley’s penalty and Donegal lead 1-6 to 0-7 at half-time. Rory Gallagher and Neil McGee absolutely furious with the sending off.
NEIL MCGEE SENT OFF. The Donegal full-back is sent off for a clash with Ruairà Corrigan…and Fermanagh have a penalty to put them in front…
36 mins: PENALTY FERMANAGH…and Neil McGee appears to be in some trouble here after clashing with Ruairà Corrigan….
35 mins: Tomás Corrigan, again from a free, has Fermanagh within two after Ché Cullen is fortunate to win a free. Donegal 1-6 Fermanagh 0-7
33 mins: Tomás Corrigan scores his third free of the game for Fermanagh. Donegal 1-6 Fermanagh 0-6
32 mins: Wonderful score by Mac Niallais, curling over from distance off the left peg. Donegal 1-6 Fermanagh 0-5
31 mins: Good save from McGinley denies Ruairà Corrigan after Aidan Breen kicks off the upright.
30 mins: Midfielder Eoin Donnelly lands a point from distance. Donegal 1-5 Fermanagh 0-5
28 mins: Tomás Corrigan swings over the resulting free after McLoone takes him down. Donegal 1-5 Fermanagh 0-4
27 mins: Leo McLoone is the latest man booked. Will he survive?
[adrotate group=”43″]26 mins: Barry Mulrone is booked for Fermanagh after a high tackle on Ryan McHugh. Donegal lead 1-5 to 0-3
Eamon McGee marking Sean Quigley in Ballybofey. Can someone mic them up?
— Kieran Cunningham (@KCsixtyseven) June 12, 2016
21 mins:Chris Snow denies McBrearty a goal after the Kilcar man is picked out by Mac Niallais’ pass.
Absolute screamer of a goal by Odhran MacNiallais! A silky smooth footballer! #TheToughest pic.twitter.com/z8QQTDyUmZ
— AIB_GAA (@AIB_GAA) June 12, 2016
19 mins: Already an inevitable air about Mac Cumhaill Park as McBrearty taps over a free. Donegal 1-5 Fermanagh 0-3
[adrotate group=”70″]15 mins: Eoin McHugh, who has been lively so far, scores a composed point for Donegal. Donegal 1-4 Fermanagh 0-3
15 mins: Sean Quigley scores a point for Fermanagh. Donegal 1-3 Fermanagh 0-3
13 mins: Odhrán Mac Niallais fires home a Donegal goal after McGlynn and McElhinney do the spadework. Good finish. Donegal 1-3 Fermanagh 0-2
12 mins: Leo McLoone replaces Rory Kavanagh on the Donegal team. The St Eunan’s man replaced after picking up a yellow card.
11 mins: Martin O’Reilly fists over for Donegal. Donegal 0-3 Fermanagh 0-2
10 mins: Mulrone levels it up, kicking over from the right-hand side. Donegal 0-2 Fermanagh 0-2
8 mins: Tomas Corrigan slots over a free after Rory Kavanagh fouls Barry Mulrone. Donegal 0-2 Fermanagh 0-1
5 mins: Frank McGlynn doubles the Donegal lead. Hugh McFadden applies the assist after Murphy drops a free short. Donegal 0-2 Fermanagh 0-0
2 mins: Patrick McBrearty pulls out and away from his man to slot over the game’s opening score. Donegal 0-1 Fermanagh 0-0
1 min: Martin McElhinney kicks a wide for Donegal with the first shot of the day. Donegal 0-0 Fermanagh 0-0
Game is ON in Ballybofey…
Two changes confirmed on the Donegal team: Eamon McGee takes the place of Karl Lacey with Eoin McHugh coming in for Leo McLoone
Supporters at MacCumhaill Park Ballybofey for @officialdonegal v @FermanaghGAA #Ulster2016 #betherealltheway pic.twitter.com/2prx3e7S89
— Ulster GAA (@UlsterGAA) June 12, 2016
The sun is threatening to come out in Ballybofey after a spell of lashing rain. A few ponchos were on show earlier on. “These make us look stupid, but sure they do the job,” said one Fermanagh fan, justifying the pink piece of plastic protecting her from the elements.
Karl Lacey isn’t togged out here, so there’ll be at least one changer to the Donegal team that was named by Rory Gallagher earlier in the week.
There have been rumours that Michael Murphy won’t start this afternoon, but the Donegal captain – who was swinging a golf club to fine effect last weekend – we’re assured will play. Murphy this week said the thought of the Championship gives him ‘butterflies’: http://www.donegalsporthub.com/24606-2/
[adrotate group=”43″]Nice to bump into the cousins before the match #Donegal #GAA pic.twitter.com/mhjXoKyReB
— Mary-Ellen (@memseire) June 12, 2016
Many people feel that results are all that matters. Brendan Devenney thinks otherwise and believes that Donegal must turn in a big performance this afternoon in Ballybofey.
The former St Eunan’s and Donegal forward penned his first column this week. Here’s his offering: http://www.donegalsporthub.com/24547-2/
Mark Anthony McGinley of St Michael’s is in for his first Championship start. He’s the first man other than Paul Durcan to wear the number one shirt for Donegal since 2009, when Michael Boyle played against Cork in an All-Ireland quarter-final.
It’s been a position of stability for Donegal. Since 1956 – the year when the county won the Ulster Minor Football Championship – only 11 men have kept goal for Donegal in the championship. From that, only five men have hit double figures in terms of appearances.
Here’s Alan Foley on the history: http://www.donegalsporthub.com/24527-2/
For many of the protagonists on this Donegal squad, it could be a last hurrah. Piece from earlier this week on ‘the last time’: http://www.donegalsporthub.com/24458-2/
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