Allianz Hurling League Division 2B semi-final: Donegal 1-19 Sligo 1-20
Superb Sligo turned in a magnificent second half display to eventually edge out Donegal in a real thriller in sun-splashed O’Donnell Park on Saturday.
And this was the day that Padraig Mannion’s young men (10 of the squad are U21) really came of age as they overturned an eight-point defecit in a second half of sheer youthful exuberance and enthusiasm which eventually proved too much for a much more experienced Donegal side.
For long periods it looked like Donegal’s edge in physique would just about see them through as they led by 1-9 to 0-6 at the break after previously leading by 1-8 to 0-3 after 23 minutes.
And it looked like Daire O’Maoileidigh’s fantastic eighth minute goal would be enough to see the home side ease through.
Donegal had weathered a whirlwind Sligo comeback in the third quarter to lead by 1-17 to 0-15, 12 minutes from time.
But Sligo’s man of the match Andrew Kilcullen batted a shot from impressive sub Rory Hannify to the net after Donegal keeper Luke White parried the rasping shot and the Yeatsmen were suddenly back in the contest.
Kilcullen’s crucial strike narrowed Donegal’s lead to 1-17 to 1-15, and the remainder of the match was played at a frenetic pace as Sligo’s Joe McHugh swung over the winning point to huge cheers from the Sligo contingent.
Donegal got off to a flying start after just 10 seconds when Sean McVeigh whipped over a fine point from just over 70 metres.
But Sligo hit back in a heartbeat with a fine point from Andrew Kilcullen and Kevin Gilmartin actually put them into a 0-2 to 0-1 lead before Donegal struck with deadly effect in the seventh minute.
Luke White hit a monster puck out and it was fielded by Padraig Doherty whose diagonal ball, a hurling equivalent of Ryan McHugh’s pass to Michael Murphy last weekend.
And then Daire O’Maoileidigh doubled brilliantly on the ball as it flew past Sligo keeper Jimmy Gordon into the net.
The ex-Na Fianna star then whipped over a point as Donegal surged into a 1-2 to 0-2 and really asserted themselves for the rest of the half.
A younger lighter Sligo side were second best in all the physical battles, but Donegal hit a worrying eight wides.
Their classy corner-forward Davin Flynn opened the shoulders and the points flowed from Flynn and the impressive Ronan McDermott.
Sligo threw on Tony O’Kelly Lynch and Galway native Rory Hannify on the restart, and they made a real difference as they rattled over four points on the trot and the defecit was down to O’Maoileidigh’s goal as Donegal led by 1-11 to 0-11 by the 44th minutes.
Sligo then had a great chance of a goal in the 47th minute when Gerard O’Kelly Lynch was clean through, and his rasping shot agonisingly grazed the post and slid wide.
O’Kelly Lynch then had a shot that came back off the upright as it looked like Lady Luck had deserted them.
But an increasingly ravenous Sligo were winning all the loose balls and Donegal seemed a bit sluggish in comparison.
And it looked like a draw when Davin Flynn equalized with a pointed free in the 68th minute.
But, Hannify and McHugh’s points sealed the deal for an historic victory for Sligo.
Donegal: L White; G Browne, S Gillespie, P Doherty; C O’Grady, M Donaghue, S McVeigh (0-1); D Cullen (0-2) B McIntyre (0-1); R McDermott (0-2), C Gartland, G Gilmore; D O’Maoileidigh (1-3) B Lafferty (0-2) D Flynn (0-8 frees). Subs: J Cronolly McGee for G Gilmore, J O’Loughlin for M Donaghue, C McDermott for P Doherty (53), M Callaghan for G Browne (55), L McKinney for C O’Grady (66)
Sligo: J Gordon; N Kilcullen, M Hannify, K O’Kennedy; G Connolly, R McHugh (0-2) N Feehily; F Cawley, F Connolly; J McHugh (0-2) G O’Kelly-Lynch (0-1) K Gilmartin (0-2); R Brennan (0-1) A Kilcullen (1-6, 0-4 frees) T Cawley (0-2) Subs: T O’Kelly Lynch (0-2) for R Brennan (29), C Hannify (0-2) for K Gilmartin (36), M Munnelly for G Connolly (49)
Referee: K Parke (Antrim)
