“It is probably not nice” admits McGuinness as Donegal crush Clare ...
In the end, the main takeaway from Castlebar was how merciless Donegal were. In front of a 5,127 crowd, they crushed Clare with formidable determination. The result combined with Cork’s loss to Tyrone means they top the group and are firmly back on track.
“You are trying to keep the scoreboard ticking over. It is probably not nice. It is a tough one for Clare,” admitted Jim McGuinness post-match. “But we had an eye on the other game. We knew Tyrone were six up at one stage and we had to keep pushing on.” It will take more than brief entrapment in a red flag to halt this surging herd. Donegal’s conviction was never likely to be fatally harmed by their first defeat of the season and even if it was, it wouldn’t be confirmed in MacHale Park.
Here was a demonstration of the same strengths that McGuinness utilised for their march to a Division 2 League title and Ulster crown. Ryan McHugh was awesome and finished with 1-4. Patrick McBrearty and Oisin Gallen led the way up front. Caolan McGonagle held the centre as six but elsewhere they pressed high. The exhibition of shooting from distance continued with Ciaran Thompson, McBrearty and Shane O’Donnell all adding to a lengthy highlight reel.
Midway through the first half Donegal had struck six shots to Clare’s five. The scoreboard read 1-4 to 0-1. Emmet McMahon registered the first score of the game with a long-range free, but they then failed to strike another before half-time.
Tristan O’Callaghan, starting in place of the injured goalkeeper Stephen Ryan, struggled to find any available kickout target. That combined with the suspension of big midfielder Darragh Bohannon had Clare in a world of trouble from their restarts. They needed to take every available chance and failed to do so. Manus Doherty break forced a good stop from Shaun Patton and the resulting 45 didn’t have the distance.
Meanwhile, Donegal were clinical from the off. With six minutes played, McHugh rifled an effort high into the net after he was teed up by Oisin Gallen. McBrearty’s trademark loop yielded two early points. Peadar Mogan and Mark Curran blitzed the left wing. They led 1-11 to 0-1 at the turnaround.
Gallen went from provider to finisher at the start of the second half as he carved through the centre channel and rolled a left-footed shot past O’Callaghan. McGuinness turned to his bench early on and they continued to drive. Stephen McMenamin, Conor O’Donnell and Hugh McFadden made their first championship appearances of the year. Daire Ó Baoill and O’Donnell came on to score.
McMahon carried a lonely fight at the other end, forcing another save from Patton and scoring their only point from play midway through the second half.
As the final whistle sounded, the significant travelling support invaded the field. Then the stadium announcer read out the score from Tullamore and Donegal roared once more.
Scorers for Donegal: Oisin Gallen (1-4, 2 45); R. McHugh (1-4); P. McBrearty (0-5, 1 free); C. Thompson (0-2); C. O’Donnell (0-2); C. Moore, P. Mogan, M. Curran, D. Ó Baoill, M. Langan, S. O’Donnell (0-1 each).
Scorers for Clare: E. McMahon (0-4, 3 free); D. O’Donnell (0-1 free).
DONEGAL: S Patton; M Curran, B McCole, E Gallagher; R McHugh, C McGonagle, P Mogan; C Moore, M Langan; S O’Donnell, C Thompson, O Doherty; P McBrearty, O Gallen, N O’Donnell.
Subs: C O’Donnell for Curran, D Ó Baoill for Doherty (both half-time); S McMenamin for Gallagher (42) H McFadden for Langan (50); K McGettigan for Mogan (57).
CLARE: T O’Callaghan; M Doherty, C Brennan, M Garry; A Sweeney, C Rouine, R Lanigan; D Walsh, B McNamara; I Ugweru, D Coughlan, G Murray; C Downes, A Griffin, E McMahon.
Subs: D O’Donnell for Downes (half-time); D Nagle for Murray (40); J Curran for Walsh (49); S Griffin for Griffin (52); C Burke for Ugweru (65).
Referee: D O’Mahoney (Tipperary).
