By Mike FitzpatrickDonegal 3-7, Cork 0-11
Cork appeared to have this Senior Football game at Gaelic Park on Sunday well in hand, having scored a number of early points courtesy of Stephen Quinn, Eamonn McCarthy and Denis Kiely.
But it was not to be the Leesiders’ day.
Donegal replied thanks to the on-form Edmund Cleary, who has been having a stupendous season with the Ulster side, and Leslie McGettigan, who scored a point, having already scored a tremendous goal, pile-driving through the Cork backline and hammering the ball home for his side’s first goal.
Any ideas Donegal had of scoring any more were thwarted by the extremely effective midfield pairing of Cork’s Paul Potts and Pat Mahoney. Mahoney in particular gave a bull-like performance, being knocked to the ground on numerous occasions only to fight his way back up and surge toward goal. Cork continued to pile on the pressure and no fewer than 10 points flew in before the break. Some great passing movements between Sean O’Flynn and Eamonn McCarthy resulted in the former scoring three and the latter poaching four before halftime.
Stevie Quinn opened his account for the day with a well-taken point for Cork to leave them with a 4-point halftime advantage. Whatever happened to the two teams during the interval is anybody’s guess. Cork’s scoring form almost disappeared completely after having been rampant in the first half. Although O’Riordan snatched a good point after having shrugged off a number of strong challenges the guns were firing but the bullets were blank. The Donegal back-line of Keith Nolan, Damian Meehan and Sean White really got into the game and denied Cork’s Kiley, O’Flynn and the desperately unlucky Morgan Burns, who played well throughout, with numerous attempts on goal. The Donegal back line proved formidable. Leslie McGettigan scored two points for Donegal to bring the score closer in the mid stage of the second half and then Edmund Cleary secured the narrowest of margins with a well-executed goal shooting past the despairing dive of Cork’s Pat O’Sullivan.
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Kieran Keaveney almost added his name to the scoresheet after a long solo run, only to shoot narrowly wide. Sean White began off on a long run of his own only to be fouled by the Cork backs. A penalty was awarded and Don Breslin of Donegal made no mistake. The low drive zoomed past Cork’s line of defense to further get Donegal’s lead. Cork’s substitute, Kieran Cronin, tried to drag his team back with some good attempts on goal, one effort being almost punched into goal by Corkman Paul Potts. But the Donegal backline saved the day again and, though it was Cork’s first half, where it mattered most, Donegal came out smiling.
Donegal lineout and scorers: Eunan Doherty, Keith Nolan, Damian Meehan, Sean White, Gerry Kelly, Owen Cummins, Don Breslin (1-0), David Regan, David McSweeney (0-1), Edmund Cleary (1-2), Kieran Keeveney (0-1), Tadgh Donovan, Mike Hegarty, Leslie McGettigan (1-3), Paddy Burns.
Cork: Pat O’Sullivan, Ken Delanty, Tom O’Riordan, Tom Fitzgibbon, Denis Mahoney, Noel Buckley, Joe O’Sullivan, Paul Potts, Pat Mahoney, Stevie Quinn (0-2), Eamon McCarthy (0-4), Sean O’Flynn (0-3), Gerry O’Riordan (0-1), Denis Kiley (0-1), Morgan Burns. Sub — Kieran Cronin.