Bank of Ireland Dr McKenna Cup Section C: Donegal 1-10 Fermanagh 1-13
IT was the night Rory Gallagher came back to his old base in Ballybofey on a foggy scene and deservedly took the points.
Donegal started with only three regular starters from last year – Mark Anthony McGinley, Hugh McFadden and Jamie Brennan.
But, neighbours Fermanagh fielded nine with Che Cullen, Paul McCusker, Lee Cullen, Declan McCusker, Eoin Donnelly, Ryan Jones, Barry Mulrone, Aidan Breen, Ryan Lyons, Conal Jones and Seamus Quigley. The disparity showed.
A third quarter scoring surge from the more experienced Ernesiders was the catalyst for their victory.
Mercurial corner-forward Seamie Quigley beat Donegal goalkeeper Mark Anthony McGinley to the punch from a long ball from Paul McCusker in the 45th minute.
Quigley’s cracker put a stronger Fermanagh into a 1-10 to 1-7 lead in a ding-dong second half where both sides went for broke.
And the Ernemen held out for a thoroughly deserved victory against a youthful Donegal side whose best period came in the second quarter.
Fermanagh enjoyed a bright start and went into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead, but they were rocked by a superb goal from Donegal super-sub Jamie Brennan.
His goal in the 20th minute was a thing of real beauty as a lightning move involving Paul Brennan, Darach O’Connor and Tony McClenaghan ended with Brennan beating converted Fermanagh goalkeeper at the second attempt.
Brennan followed this up with two superbly struck points to put the lively home side into a 1-4 to 0-3 lead by the 22nd minute.
It was a swift turnaround from the opening quarter when a nifty looking Fermanagh side steamed into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead by the 15th minute thanks to fine efforts from Declan McCusker and two well-struck efforts from the mercurial Seamie Quigley.
But cometh the mini crisis, cometh Nathan Mullins who fetched, passed well and drove the home side forward as the youthful Niall O’Donnell and Ciaran McGinley opened the scoring for Donegal.
Shell-shocked Fermanagh were pinned in their own half and did not score for 15 minutes before Daniel Teague ended a scoring famine.
Quigley nailed a 45 to leave Donegal leading by 1-5 to 0-5 at the interval.
But it was a completely different Erneside that took the pitch in the second half.
They hit a total of 1-6 in the opening 20 minutes of the second half.
The tempo upped in this half with both teams going for victory. But Fermanagh’s greater strength told in the end.
Quigley kept nailing the points in a match-winning display and they now face Tyrone in the Dr McKenna Cup semi-final on Sunday.
Donegal: MA McGinley; P Brennan, E Doherty, S McMenamin; C Ward, T McClenaghan, M O’Reilly; H McFadden, N Mullins; N O’Donnell (0-5, 0-3 frees), O MacNiallais, M Carroll; S McBrearty (0-2), C McGinley (0-1), D O’Connor.
Subs: C McGonagle for C McGinley, B McCole for P Brennan (40), L McLoone for D O’Connor (48) A Lyons for N Mullins (63)
Black cards: Mac Niallais replaced by J Brennan (1-2) (12), S McMenamin replaced by E Gallagher (h-t)
Fermanagh: P Cadden; E McHugh, C Cullen, K Connor; P McCusker, L Cullen, D McCusker (0-2); E Donnelly (0-1) R Jones; B Mulrone (0-1) D Teague (0-1); A Breen (0-1); R Lyons, C Jones, Seamie Quigley (1-7, 0-6 frees)
Subs: R Corrigan for D Teague (h-t), C McManus for E McHugh (53), C McGee for R Lyons (54) Sean Quigley for Seamus Quigley (72)
Referee: P Hughes (Armagh)
