February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Scoreline:
Donegal 3-12
Stamford 1-6
By Pierce O’Reilly
Donegal footballers are a class apart right now. When they play fast, attacking football, there isn’t a team in town that can touch them. Martin Coll, Niall McCready, Peter Loughran and Brendan Devenney are top-class performers.
Why then do they struggle to topple teams in every game? The answer is simple — they hold onto the ball too long.
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Donegal run down cul-de-sacs time and again when the simpler, better option would have been to let the ball go into the forwards fast. Still, on Sunday at Gaelic Park, the Ulster men had little difficulty pushing the Connecticut team to one side.
Two lightning-fast goals from Brendan Devanney and J.P. Boyle gave them a whirlwind start. Then up stepped Peter Loughran to hit three frees, followed by one from Kevin Lilly to give them a 5-point cushion at the interval.
Stamford were never overawed and Kildare native Brian Crevan and Mayo man Kieran Gallagher hit a point apiece in the first half.
When Alan Fanning rattled the net, their dismal opening quarter was nullified. Donegal, however, had too much class all over the field and easily controlled the second half.
Niall McCready, Maurice Leahy (2), Peter Loughran (2) and George McKettrick all hit points before substitute Kieran Kevenney hit the net again for goal No. 3 to leave the visitors will an mountain to climb and only 10 minutes left to play.
Stamford could manage only four points in the entire second half, both coming from the boot of Pauric Crevan (2) and Kieran Gallagher (2). Donegal finished in style with Devanney hitting two late points to seal another easy victory for the championship favorites.
Donegal: Eunan Doherty, Mark McClafferty, Declan Boyle, Gerry Kelly, Rory Sweeney, Martin Coll, Niall McCready 0-1, Mick Moran, Dermot Hurley, Kevin Lilly 0-1, George McKettrick 0-1, Maurice Leahy 0-2, Peter Loughran 0-6, Brendan Devanney 1-2, JP Boyle 1-0. Subs: Darren Rocks, Kieran Keveney 1-0, Eamon Shaughnessy, Anton Diver.
Stamford: Enda Lohan, Robbie Mageegan, Justin O’Halloran, Keith Hennessy, Richie Purcell, Jason Williams, Brian Craven 0-1, Fergal O’Neill, Kieran Gallagher 0-3, Tom Moylan, Alan Fanning 1-0, Spike Martin, Ted Steede, Pauric Craven 0-2.