Donegal 2-12
Monaghan 0-8
Alan Foley reports from Ballyshannon
GOALS FROM CAOLAN Ward and Hugh McFadden set Donegal on their way to an easy victory over Monaghan in Ballyshannon in Division 1 of the Allianz football league.
The Ulster champions had been in decent form this season but having blown leads against Mayo, Galway and Dublin were getting drawn into a relegation battle.
Their top-flight status for 2021 is still not confirmed, although today they didn’t take their foot off the pedal against the Monaghan team who had Ryan Wylie sent-off for picking up a black and yellow, whilst goalkeeper Rory Beggan also spent time in the sin-bin.
In the marshy underfoot conditions at Fr Tierney Park, Patrick McBrearty scored two early points – his second a thing of beauty from long range – while Ciaran Thompson also found his range as a hail shower had the crowd raising the brollies.
It took Monaghan some 27 minutes to post their first score, which they did when Conor Boyle was on hand to punch over, so after half-an-hour of muck and gutter Declan Bonner’s team were 0-3 to 0-1 in front.
Michael Murphy was stationed and full-forward with Kieran Hughes dropping back to take the man-marking responsibilities.
The Donegal skipper, on 32 minutes, was surrounded by Monaghan players but as the ball broke to Langan it was spread wide to Ward, who drilled past Beggan into the bottom corner for a well-taken goal.
Points from Langan meant Donegal were 1-5 to 0-2 in front, with Conor McManus popping over a free for the visitors late in the half.
In the second period, Donegal weren’t in the mood for relinquishing anything. Wylie saw the line for a foul on Langan on 41 minutes.
McFadden slammed an empty net for Donegal’s second goal 54 minutes when Beggan fouled McBrearty in the lead-up and was back-carded and referee David Coldrick played a good advantage.
Langan would finish the afternoon with five points and substitute Niall O’Donnell adding a couple of scores. Monaghan threatened only briefly, with Jack McCarron and Kieran Hughes registering in an otherwise poor outing for the Farney County.
Scorers for Donegal: M Langan 0-5 P McBrearty (1f) 0-3, H McFadden, C Ward 1-0 each, N O’Donnell 0-2, P Mogan, C Thompson 0-1 each
Scorers for Monaghan: J McCarron (1f) 0-3, C McManus 0-2f, C McCarthy 0-1, C Boyle, K Hughes 0-1 each
Donegal
Shaun Patton
Caolan Ward
Neil McGee
Eoghan Bán Gallagher
Ryan McHugh
Daire Ó Baoill
Odhrán McFadden-Ferry
Hugh McFadden
Michael Langan
Paul Brennan
Ciarán Thompson
Caolan McGonagle
Patrick McBrearty
Michael Murphy
Peadar Mogan
Subs
Niall O’Donnell for P.Brennan (34)
Eoin McHugh for McFadden-Ferry (38)
Andrew McClean for McGonagle (54)
Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí for Mogan (68)
Eamonn Doherty for McBrearty (69)
Monaghan
Rory Beggan
Drew Wylie
Conor Boyle
Kieran Duffy
Karl O’Connell
Ryan Wylie
Mícheál Bannigan
Darren Hughes
Niall Kearns
Ryan McAnespie
Conor McCarthy
Dessie Ward
Dermot Malone
Kieran Hughes
Conor McManus
Subs
Jack McCarron for Bannigan (half-time)
Chris McGuinness for D.Hughes (50)
Shane Carey for Malone (50)
David Kirk for McAnespie (55)
Colin Walshe for Beggan (66)
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Why do Dublin championship games be played mid week?Can’t be ideal for lads working
It’s a big rush to get them sorted cause the Leinster club championship is starting.
It’s midweek because all the other championships are on at the same time, Senior, B championship, inters junior and in both codes. It’s as complicated as a school timetable, you can’t have clashes because one club can be in more than one championship etc. It’s all squashed in but not the easiest thing to remedy but saying that all the junior and inter championships should be done and dusted during the summer, don’t understand the delay
Its an absolute disgrace that a county semi final was played at 8.15pm on a wednesday night..if the county board want to promote the game, they are making a poor hand of it.
The clubs don’t help at times. Hurling championship Games where held up for lads who were on the county football bench. In some cases these guys didn’t even play hurling when the next round eventually went ahead.
I don’t know of any other county that plays club championship matches midweek.
Fixing the final for Halloween and at the same time as the Rugby World Cup Final is surely not a smart decision either.
Won’t make a difference for me, Ireland are out, hurling would be more exciting
Cuala v Judes, big day for both clubs, cuala haven’t won since 1994 and Judes have never won as far as i know. Nice to see! Boden and Crokes have dominated for the last number of years and a change is comin!