Allianz Football League Division One round four
Donegal 1-9 Galway 1-9
DONEGAL and Galway shared the spoils in a slow-burner that ended in a truly thrilling finish in Letterkenny.
The visitors had a last-gasp chance to snatch victory over wasteful Donegal, but Paul Conroy’s soaring effort from the left sideline just drifted wide of the post in the 75th minute of play.
This was one that definitely got away from the home side. They dominated for considerable periods, but hit an astonishing 13 wides with two more efforts hit into the Galway goalkeeper’s hands.
Galway will feel they should have prevailed as they led by 1-8 to 1-6 five minutes from time.
The Tír Chonaill men had dominated the first half and were well worth their half-time lead of 1-6 of 1-3. But the home side failed to score into the breeze until the 67th minute and then reeled off three points in as many minutes in a most dramatic finish.
Even before Conroy’s last-ditch effort, it had looked like second-half substitute Rob Finnerty had ensured victory for Galway with his fisted point in the 70th minute.
But there was a kick left in the home side as Jason McGee managed to hit the leveller.
Eoghan ‘Ban’ Gallagher had mixed feelings after this breathless affair in spring sunshine.
“It felt like one that got away after the first-half performance, though Galway really came at us in the second half,” he said.
“But I thought we did very well to come back from two points against the breeze in the second half after all those misses. It was very disappointing after that first half and we just had too many wides, but we showed great spirit to come back.”
The opening period was cagey with both sides probing for a weak spot with loads of lateral play.
Eventually Galway, who were playing against the breeze, unlocked the deadlock with a fine point from wing-back Cathal Sweeney.
The home side hit back swiftly when Michael Langan fed Conor O’Donnell and he arrowed over the equaliser.
In-form Matthew Tierney then converted a 45 for the visitors –but the impressive Oisin Gallen shimmied past two defenders to arc over a fine left-footed point to level matters.
The tempo quickened in the second quarter as Peter Cooke and Jamie Brennan exchanged scores. But Donegal were growing into the game and hit the next few scores on the trot with Caolan McGonagle finding the target and goalkeeper Shaun Patton landing a 45-metre free.
It got even better for Donegal in the 17th minute when a Conor O’Donnell skyscraper was badly fumbled by Galway goalkeeper Connor Gleeson.
Gleeson’s punched effort seemed to spin back over the line and centre-back John Daly appeared to throw the ball back into play. Either way, referee David Coldrick pointed to the spot.
Gallen’s low strike was partially saved by Gleeson, but it spun over the line and Donegal were ahead by 1-5 to 0-3.
It was short-lived as Paul Conroy swiftly won possession upon the restart and the ball was fed through to Matthew Tierney who went
route one and slid the ball low to the net.
The pace was pretty frenetic coming up towards the break.
Donegal were still in the ascendancy, but they managed to hit a total of seven wides – three scoreable ones just before half-time.
They did manage another score just before the break when Langan, who was booked earlier, hoisted over a superb point from the sideline to leave the home side leading by 1-6 to 1-3 at the break.
Galway threw on Finnerty for the second half but Donegal settled well, albeit hitting four wides on the spin.
Paul Conroy narrowed the gap from a free in the 41st minute and Finnerty announced his arrival with a well-struck effort two minutes later.
It took a brilliant block from Caolan McColgan to deny Finnerty a certain goal in the 47th minute.
Donegal had a free, but Shaun Patton’s shot drifted wide – one of many that haunted the home side until the 67th minute.
It was then man-of-the-match Matthew Tierney asserted himself and points from Conroy and Tierney pushed Galway into a 1-8 to 1-6 lead as full-time beckoned.
Yet misfiring Donegal kept battling away and were rewarded with a fine point from Gallen and another from O’Donnell to level matters in the 69th minute.
Finnerty had looked to have edged it for Galway before McGee’s epic equaliser.
Tribe full-back Sean Kelly said afterwards: “We were not happy at all with our first-half display. We just did not execute, and Donegal were on top for long periods.
“We just didn’t follow the gameplan and we were not happy with the intensity we came out with.
“We were better in the second half and sadly we let it slip at the end, but we will just have to improve now for Monaghan.”
