By Charlie Collins
Donegal 2-16 v 0-08 Fermanagh
After leading by just a single point at half-time, Donegal led by Daire O Baoill produced a much better second-half performance to run out comfortable winners in the end to make it three wins in a row to top Division Two of the National League.
Following an away draw with Meath and an impressive home victory over Kildare it was a confident Fermanagh squad that arrived at O Donnell Park to take on unbeaten Donegal. The visitors were unchanged from that Kildare game while Jim McGuinness recalled Kevin McGettigan, Ciaran Moore and Peadar Mogan and gave Micheal Langan his first start of the league campaign.
Photo Evan Logan
Sean Cassidy from play and then from a free gave Fermanagh a good start in the opening seven minutes as the visitors looked dangerous coming forward. It took Donegal until the 12th minute to raise a flag, a super effort from Daire O Baoill.
Declan McCusker added Fermanagh’s third point from a mark and Patrick McBrearty replied, also from a mark to leave one in it after fifteen minutes. Sean Cassidy made it three marks in succession with his third point but Oisín Gallen kicked his first score to make it a one point game again, 0-03 to 0-04 after seventeen minutes.
Donegal’s Oisin Gallen looks for a way to goal during Saturday’s game. Photo Evan Logan
Donegal were being wasteful, kicking wides and getting turned over before Daire O Baoill kicked another incredible score to level things up before Oisín Gallen’s free gave Donegal the lead for the first time in the 28th minute, 0-05 to 0-04.
Conor McGee levelled things up again with a fine point from play as the rain began to fall but Daire Baoill’s third excellent point from play left Donegal one point ahead at half-time, 0-06 to 0-05. Brandon Horan for Fermanagh and half-time sub Mark Curran exchanged early second-half points and then another sub Jeaic MacCeallabhui gave Donegal a two point lead, 0-08 to 0-06.
Two minutes later a big moment in the game as Donegal turned over an Fermanagh attack and with team mates running ahead of him but goalkeeper Ross Bogue way out from his goal, Daire O Baoill decided to shoot from distance and brilliantly found the net, 1-08 to 0-06.
Donegal’s Ryan McHugh looks for a way past Fermanagh’s Conor McGee during Saturday’s game. Photo Evan Logan
Micheal Langan kicked a lovely point from distance to make it a six point game and a minute later Man of the Match Daire O Baoill again got possession from a turnover, combined with Ryan McHugh and blasted to the net to make his personal total 2-03 and Donegal nine ahead, 2-09 to 0-06.
Donegal coasted to victory from there, points from Peadar Mogan, two from Aaron Doherty, a second from MacCeallabhui and McBrearty and Gallen’s third points while Fermanagh could only add another two to their total.
That left it 2-16 to 0-08 at the end and another Donegal victory. Next up is a visit away to Armagh for a top of the table clash at the Box-it Athletic Grounds.
Donegal: Shaun Patton, Kevin McGettigan, Brendan McCole, Stephen McMenamin, Ryan McHugh, Ciaran Moore, Daire O Baoill (2- 03), Ciaran Thompson, Caolan McGonagle, Peadar Mogan (0-01), Odhran Doherty, Micheal Langan (0-01), Patrick McBrearty (0-03), Oisin Gallen (0-03), Jamie Brennan. Subs: Mark Curran (0-01) and Aaron Doherty (0-02) for McGettigan and Brennan (h-t), Jeaic MacCeallabhui (0-02) for Thompson (40mins), Hugh McFadden for Moore (53mins), Luke McGlynn for Doherty (55mins), Donaill Mac Giolla Bhride for Langan (63mins).
Fermanagh: Ross Bogue, Sean McNally, Lee Cullen, Che Cullen, Oisin Smyth, Declan McCosker (0-01), Shane McGuillon, Josh Largo Ellis, Brendon Horan, Joe McDade, Conor McGee (0-01), Ronan McCaffrey, Conor McShea, Ultan Kelm, Garvan Jones, Sean Cassidy (0-03). Subs: Cian McManus, Tiernan Bogue, Diarmuid King for McCaffrey, Jones and Elis (all 52mins), James McMahon for McGee (70mins).
Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford).