By Charlie Collins
Donegal 2-25 v 0-22 Down
A very impressive first-half performance sowed the seeds of victory for Donegal to retain the Conor McGurk Cup at the Dub in Belfast.
Mickey McCann’s squad scored 2-15 in a super opening half display, the goals coming from Man of the Match Gerry Gilmore and Liam McKinney. Down reduced that big half-time lead of eleven back to four with fifteen minutes remaining but Donegal rallied again to win by nine points.
Donegal started well with three quick points from Gerry Gilmore, Josh Cronolly McGee and Brian McIntyre. Cian Milligan opened Down’s account with a point but Gerry Gilmore replied with a well taken goal, driven low to the corner of the net, 1-03 to 0-01.
Down hit back with three points from Christie, Doyle and Hughes to leave just two points in it after ten minutes, 1-03 to 0-04. Donegal dominated from that point to lead by eleven points at half-time with some excellent play and impressive scores.
Gilmore added a point and then Liam McKinney added their second goal from close range, 2-04 to 0-04 points. Peter Kelly and Gerry Gilmore added Donegal points, Oisín McManus and Ben Christie replied for Down. Conor Gartland, another from Gilmore and his second from Brian McIntyre put Donegal nine in front, 2-09 to 0-06 and in control.
Oisín McManus converted a free but Donegal added three quick points, Stephen Gillespie, Conor Gartland and both teams added three points before half-time Conor Gartlahd, Gilmore and goalkeeper Luke White for Donegal, Tom McGratten, Oisín McManus and Donal Hughes for Down to leave it 2-15 to 0-10 for Donegal at half-time.
Down got off to a great start to the second-half with six of the first eight points to Gerry Gilmore’s two points reply for Donegal to reduce the lead to seven points, 2-17 to 0-16 points. Three more in a row from Down left just four in it and it looked like game very much on it seemed at 2-17 to 0-19.
But Donegal steadied the ship with a strong last fifteen minutes led by Man of the Match Gerry Gilmore and Liam McKinney with some excellent scores to run out nine points winners on a scoreline of 2-25 to 0-22 to retain the Conor McGurk Cup and set themselves up for the forthcoming league campaign and then another Nicky Rackard Cup challenge.
Donegal: Luke White, Ciaran Curran, Ciaran Bradley, Gavin Browne, Jack O Loughlin, Stephen Gillespie, Conor O Grady, Brian McIntyre, Ryan Hilferty, Sean McVeigh, Conor Gartland, Liam McKinney, Peter Kelly, Gerry Gilmore, Josh Cronolly-McGee. Subs used: Bernard Lafferty, Sean Ward, Oisín Marley, Oisín Kelly.
Down: Pearse Smyth, Tom Murray, Deaglan Mallon, Jordan Murphy, Aodhan Furlong, Marc Fisher, Mark McAreavey, Donal Hughes, Ciaran Milligan, James Duggan, Oisin McManus, Michael Dorrian, Tom McGrattan, Ryan Milligan, Ben Christie. Subs: Niall McFarland, Ciaran Conway, Donal Magee.
Referee: Barry Winters ( Tyrone ).
