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A double delight for Donegal

February 16, 2011

By Staff Reporter

By Pierce O’Reilly

Scoreline:

Donegal 0-17

Westmeath 1-10

Brilliant Donegal simply had too much class for plucky Westmeath in the New York senior football final at chilly Gaelic Park on Sunday.

Leading 0-12 to 1-4 at the interval, the Ulster men never looked back, winning their second straight New York GAA football title, 0-17 to 1-10. The favorites started at a pedestrian pace yet points from J.P. Boyle and Man of the Match Peter Loughran gave them an early advantage.

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At the other end, Westmeath fought to the bone for every ball. What they were lacking in natural talent was more than made up for with heart and courage. A good point from Laois senior Graig Ramsbottom settled the early nerves before a Eunan Doherty blunder gifted them a very lucky goal. Joe Fallon rounded his opponent and blasted from 40 yards out. The high lobbing ball somehow slipped from Doherty’s grasp and into the Donegal net to send the underdogs into raptures.

Donegal never pushed the panic button, however, and despite the recent off-field difficulties with the New York executive board they never lost focus over the hour. The Ulster side regrouped from the kick out and inside of 10 minutes were back in the driver’s seat.

Loughran gave an exhibition of point taking in the next 15 minutes. The Armagh man dodged and weaved in front of Kieran Walsh to kick majestic points, four of them coming from play. Walsh, a New York all-star, tried but he couldn’t cope with the silver-platter ball that was presented to the Armagh senior time and again. Donegal pulled Paul Higgins out to midfield and the acres of space coupled with pristine passing left the Westmeath defense all at sea. Maurice Leahy, Kevin Lilly and Loughran (3) pushed Donegal 0-10 to 1-3 in front.

Joe Fallon was the only Westmeath forward who looked capable of penetrating the Donegal rearguard. Captain Owen Cummins settled after a shaky opening to block out all Westmeath’s sanders up field. Niall McCready, Darren Rocks and Mark McClafferty bolted the door behind him. At the other end it was all Loughran. Two points off his left peg pushed Donegal further in front.

A minute later he was on the sideline nursing a mouth injury. An accidental challenge with Walsh resulted in the star performer leaving for five minutes to receive treatment. When he returned Donegal were five in front, 0-12 to 1-4.

Fallon hit 1-3 for Westmeath in the opening half, but he lacked support from all other sectors. The Leinster men also failed to compete at midfield, where weekender Martin Coll and Mick Moran outclassed Sam Yore and Gareth Bailey.

The second half was over before it began. Westmeath manager P.J. Quinn shuffled his deck at the break but on this occasion it was high spades and low hearts that kept coming out at him. Westmeath had no reply in the second half. Joe Fallon (2) and substitute John Quinn did hint at an early rally, but once the Donegal juggernaut moved up a gear, they bulldozed over the final line.

Maurice Leahy started the rout with a lovely point from out on the diamond before powerhouse Martin Coll put Donegal 0-14 to 1-7 ahead. Peter the Great started the second half looking more like Lawrence of Arabia — with his head covered with a heavy bandage — than a top GAA player. Loughran’s body was shattered from the close but fair clashes. He still managed to set up a score for big Johnny Buckley with 10 minutes to go and then hit an easy free from close range. Westmeath never let their heads down. Enda Henry reentered the fray and set up Graig Ramsbottom for another score but the goal they needed so badly never arrived.

At the other end, Loughran spurned an unbelievable chance to seal victory when he rounded his marker and drove into the side netting when a gapping goal lay empty before him. It mattered little, the Ulster men had plenty of nails driven in the Westmeath coffin at that stage. Two late points from Ronan McDonald took the bad look off the score for a gallant Westmeath outfit.

Donegal: Eunan Doherty, Darren Rocks, Niall McCready, Mark McClafferty, Rory Sweeney, Owen Cummins, Declan Boyle, Martin Coll 0-1, Mick Moran, Kevin Lilly 0-4, J.P. Boyle 0-2, Maurice Leahy 0-2, Paul Higgins, John Buckley 0-1, Peter Loughran 0-7. Subs: James Keaney, Donal Breslin.

Westmeath: Kieran Traynor, Peter Dalton, Kieran Walsh, David Bailie, Tom Quinn, Padraic Mullarkey, Tommy Moriarty, Sam Yore, Gareth Bailie, Joe Fallon 1-5, Enda Henry, Ken Donnelly, Peader Reynolds, Frank Kavanagh, Graig Ramsbottom 0-2. Subs: John Quinn 0-1, Ronan McDonald 0-2.

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