Donegal 1-17; Galway 0-20
Kerry aside, these are my two teams who I believe will take beating in the race for Sam Maguire this summer.
On Sunday, neither could win a feisty league game in Ballyshannon but it will be Jim McGuinness and his Donegal squad who will take most from this game.
After all they went a man down and six points down and still had the reserves of ability and energy to chase down Galway and share the spoils in front of 10,000 who gave both teams a rousing reception at the end.
Corner-back Stephen McMenamin saw red via two yellows after 43 minutes, leaving the hosts with a mountain to climb. However the emergence of talisman Michael Murphy a short time earlier gave the home side a new injection of life which saw them narrow the Tribesmen’s lead until defender Peadar Mogan kicked a monster two-pointer to bring them level in the last minute of the game.
Galway will have been frustrated on the long journey back to the West as they spurned a number of second half goal chances to tie up the game; that said credit must go to home goalie Gavin Mulreany for carrying out a series of outstanding saves in that time.
This was a typical wet and windy early March day which ruled out top class fare but didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of both teams as they went in search of points.
A number of good points from both sides saw the game delicately poised before Conor O’Donnell got in for the only goal of the game. With 'keeper Mulreany landing a long-range free, this allowed for the hosts to lead 1-6 to 0-5 lead.
Galway may not be winning but they are playing well and have shown in patches what they are capable of when the sod turns firmer and the championship season swings into gear.
On Sunday points by Shane McGrath, Ciaran Mulheran and Oisin McDonnacha showed the positives in their play and with Michael Langan black carded, they kicked on to lead by 0-13 points to 1-7 at the break.
The visitors doubled their advantage in the second half as Mulhearn landed one and Oisin Mac Donnacha a brace to put pressure on a Donegal team with an unbeaten record this season.
Murphy and the returned Langan had points to cut the margin which was reduced to three with further points from Finnbarr Roarty and Jason McGee.
Rob Finnerty replied to give his side breathing space but Mogan, Ryan McHugh and Murphy (free) cut the lead to the minimum.
Both sides had chances with Mulreany denying Daniel O’Flaherty with a brave save. Mulhearn edged Galway two clear when he could have shot for goal and it looked like that might be enough. However Mogan’s equalizer saw the side on level terms which was a fair result though Galway veteran Paul Conroy will bemoan his late miss, albeit from an acute angle.
Donegal: GMulreany (0-2,tpf); E Bán Gallagher, B McCole, S McMenamin; R McHugh (0-1), C McGonagle, P O’Hare; J McGee (0-2), M Langan (0-2); S Malone, C O’Donnell (1-2), J Brennan (0-2); C McCahill, H McFadden, E McGeehin Subs: M Murphy (0-2, 0-1f), P Mogan (0-3, 1tp) and F Roarty (0-1) for McGeehin, Brennan and Malone (all ht); K Muldoon for Malone (56)
Galway: C Gleeson; J McGrath, C Hernon (0-1), J Glynn; L Silke, D McHugh, S Kelly; J Maher, M Tierney (0-2); S McGrath (0-2), C Mulhearn (0-3), Liam Ó Conghaile (0-2); R Finnerty (0-3, 0-1f), C Darcy, O MacDonnacha (0-7, 0-2f,1tp)
Subs: F MacDonnacha for Ó Conghaile (56); P Conroy for Darcy (60); D O’Flaherty for McGrath (60).
Ref: B Cassidy (Derry).
GAA RESULTS
Allianz FL Division 1
Kerry 1-18 Monaghan 0-7
Mayo 2-17 Armagh 0-22
Donegal 1-17 Galway 0-20
Dublin 1-21 Roscommon 2-7
Allianz FL Division 2
Derry 1-31 Cork 0-14
Louth 1-22 Cavan 1-12
Tyrone 0-28 Offaly 2-13
Meath 1-21Kildare 0-1
Allianz FL Division 3
Wexford 0-16 Sligo 1-7
Down 1-18 Fermanagh 1-15
Laois 3-16 Westmeath 1-13
Clare 1-21 Limerick 1-12
Allianz FL Division 4
London 3-16 Waterford 2-12
Longford 1-19 Carlow 1-14
Tipperary 1-18 Leitrim 0-8
Antrim 2-18 Wicklow 1-14
Allianz HL Division 1A
Galway 2-18 Waterford 0-16, Pearse Stadium FT
Offaly 0-17 Limerick 2-19, Glenisk O'Connor Park FT
Kilkenny 1-15 Cork 3-12, UPMC Nowlan Park FT
Allianz HL Division 1B
Kildare 3-24 Down 1-23
Dublin 1-31 Antrim 1-16
Clare 1-28 Carlow 0-18
Allianz HL Division 2
Laois 1-23 Westmeath 0-17
London 3-7 Derry 0-14
Meath 0-20 Mayo 1-12
Allianz HL Division 3
Donegal 3-20 Louth 1-10
Wicklow 5-14 Fermanagh 0-7
Roscommon 0-19 Tyrone 1-16
Allianz HL Division 4
Warwickshire 3-11 Monaghan 0-13
Longford 3-18 Lancashire 0-12
Leitrim 0-20 Cavan 0-17
Ladies NFL Division 1
Armagh 2-11 Dublin 2-11
Galway 1-11 Kerry 1-9
Cork 1-12 Waterford 3-5
Ladies NFL Division 2
Cavan 2-9 Monaghan 1-9
Donegal 0-9 Mayo 0-8
Wexford 4-9 Tyrone 3-8
Tipperary 3-8 Westmeath 0-8
Ladies NFL Division 3
Fermanagh 1-10 Down 2-6
Roscommon 4-4 Laois 0-12
Louth 0-15 Antrim 0-5
Clare 1-12 Limerick 1-8
Ladies NFL Division 4
Leitrim 2-12 Derry 3-8
Wicklow 1-27 Kilkenny 0-0
Carlow 4-13 Longford 0-3
Sligo 2-9 Offaly 1-71
Kildare 4-8 Meath 1-10
Camogie League Division 1A
Waterford 0-12 Galway 1-5
Camogie League Division 1B
Offaly 3-12 Down 0-10
Dublin 2-9 Wexford 0-10
Clare 3-8 Limerick 2-8
Camogie League Division 2
Meath 2-16 Laois 1-8
Kerry 1-12 Carlow 1-9
Derry 0-12 Westmeath 0-10
Camogie League Division 3A
Tyrone 4-6 Roscommon 0-14
Armagh 2-10 Kildare 1-6
Camogie League Division 3B
Mayo 6-8 Donegal 2-3
Monaghan 4-11 Louth 1-4
