Eirgrid Ulster U20 Football Championship Section B, round two
Donegal 1-13 Fermanagh 0-5
DONEGAL’S outstanding full-forward Paddy McElwee struck for the clinching goal in the 45th minute as the home side won this tepid affair in Ballybofey.
The Ernesiders, who had given the home side a fair challenge in the opening half, were penalised for a late foul on senior squad member Luke McGlynn.
And they were caught cold by a quick free from Oisin Caulfield. He found Seanan Carr, who fed McElwee who had the simple tasking of punching the ball to the empty net.
McElwee’s goal put the winners into a 1-10 to 0-5 lead and they leisurely added on three more points from Caulfield and McGlynn to seal victory.
For an outgunned Fermanagh side, who had a 10th-minute goal disallowed for a square ball, Diarmuid Owens had a fine hour.
A lively looking Donegal settled swiftly, and Seanan Carr swept over a point from a mark after just a minute.
Late sub for Fermanagh Michael Burns levelled matters with an angled point.
The languid McElwee hit a great long-range point for the home side and Finbarr Roarty added another after five minutes.
But Fermanagh, who had some towering players in central slots, were growing into the game and the impressive Owens left just a point between the sides after eight minutes.
Donegal responded in style with Eoghan Kelly finding Luke McGlynn with a great ball and he slung over a superb point to which McElwee added another to put Donegal ahead by 0-5 to 0-2 midway through the half.
Fermanagh’s Conor O’Hanlon pointed a free as McElwee again responded.
Donegal had the better of the exchanges in the run-up to the break with Karl Joseph Molloy landing a brace of points along with a single point from Oisin Caulfield.
Owens, who was causing Donegal some problems replied for Fermanagh as the home side led by 0-8 to 0-4 at the breal.
The excellent McElwee and Owens swapped points on the restart as Donegal moved up the gears
McGlynn and McElwee hit further points before the former’s clinching goal.
Donegal D McGowan; C Gallagher, F Roarty (0-1), K Magee (0-1); F Coll, O Caulfield (0-2), S Martin; C Reid, S Ward; C McGinty, L McGlynn (0-3,2f) S Carr (0-1); E Kelly, P McElwee (1-3,1f), KJ Molloy (0-2f)
Subs Cian McMenamin for Cormac Gallagher (43), Kevin Lynch for KJ Molloy and Daithi Gildea for Seanan Carr (53), Adam McGeever for Oisin Reid (54), Luke Clerkin for Finn Coll (58)
Fermanagh S Mulligan; C McAnespie, L MacEnri, A O’Callaghan; J McCafffey, S McCarron, M Burns (0-1); J Flanagan, L Donnely; C O’Brien, C O’Hanlon (0-1) D Owens (0-3); J Quinlan, S Conlon, K Fitzpatrick
Subs D Og Kelly and M McDermott for J Flanagan and K Fitzpatrick (h-time), C Brennan for J McCaffrey (40), S Deazley for M Burns (56), L Feely for C O’Brien (58)
Referee: Diarmuid Boylan (Monaghan)
