What a difference a week makes in inter-county football……last week we saw what was a challenge match in all but name, inexperienced teams playing a dead rubber of a fixture in front of a quiet, shivering crowd.
Fast forward seven days and the beginning of the Allianz Leagues awakens the next band of fans from their winter slumber and their season as a GAA fan kicks off. Crowd numbers have swelled, the intensity on the field has gone up a notch and the traffic coming out of Ballybofey adds a few minutes onto the journey home.
Luckily for the visitors Sligo only had a small distance to travel for the MacCumhaill Park fixture and their supporters had plenty to shout about early on as the Yeatsmen looked fit and sharp and ran at the Donegal backs. David Kelly looked to be picking up from where he left off last year; his movement off the ball and turn of pace giving Paddy McGrath plenty to think about. Kelly is always looking to run in behind his marker and allied with his ability to turn of either foot he is a real handful.
Sligo moved ahead entering the second quarter and their task looked all the more easy when Cloich Cheann Fhaola corner back Kevin Mulhern received a second yellow card and departed the contest. It seemed a harsh decision - there were plenty of hits going in throughout the field; indeed the players were enjoying the step up in fare from the McKenna Cup and FBD League, so the referee could have easily let the players at it. With Donegal down to fourteen, Karl Lacey retreated from his starting wing-back spot and took station at his more familiar corner-back berth. The Four Masters man has been revelling in a more attacking role so far this year and his piercing runs and scoring threat were missed as he was required alongside McGrath and Neil McGee. Kelly and Mark Breheny’s free taking had Sligo two points as well as a man in front as they made their way into the dressing rooms.
As Michael Murphy led his charges out for the second half, he had a word for each of his players before they made there way through the tunnel and onto the pitch. Some have questioned whether someone so young can be an effective captain but the Glenswilly sharpshooter is obviously intent on making his mark in the role. Things got worse before they got better for his team though; the visitors were scything through the defence, taking some lovely points as well as a goal from the on fire Kelly.
As has often happened in recent years, Donegal looked to Murphy for salvation. After a first half where he, Dermot Molloy and the impressive Colm McFadden alternated their roles in attack there was only one place Murphy was going to be positioned as the comeback mission was put into action - the edge of the square. High ball after high ball was pumped into the big man and slowly but surely they ate into the deficit, which at one stage was a seemingly unassailable eight points. On one occasion Murphy rose to collect a ball over the head of his marker and in one movement swivelled, pirouetted and stroked a shot on goal. Unfortunately it clipped off the post but it was a sign that the direct approach was working.
A goal was going to have to be found from somewhere and after a goalmouth scramble a Sligo hand touched the ball on the ground and a penalty was awarded. The last time Murphy faced up to take a penalty in a Donegal jersey was that fateful night in Breffni Park where he almost broke the crossbar with the ferocity of his strike. On this occasion he didn’t catch the kick anywhere as cleanly; Philip Greene in the goal saved but Murphy was on hand to put away the rebound. Game on.
It was another of the class of 2010 who made his mark on the game as Leo McLoone scored two outstanding points. One off his left and one off his right showed the class of the boy as he marauded forward from centre back. McLoone is playing a role similar to what Kevin McKernan did with Down last year in their march to the All-Ireland. Whether he has the defensive side of his game up to scratch is unknown at this early stage but there’s no doubt that he’s an exciting talent.
The teams reached parity as another goal was scored, the vision of Murphy key as he spotted Neil McGee moving in on goal and delivered a dainty foot pass over the heads of two Sligo defenders.
Tony Taylor wasn’t going to let the home side have everything their own way though and he produced a superb score to nudge his side ahead again. There was time for one more point and it was left to substitute Stephen Griffin to register the final score of a gripping contest to level matters at 2-11 to 1-14. Griffin has been a potentially excellent player for a number of seasons, his destruction of Aidan O’Mahony in a league game in Killarney a couple of years ago a particular clue to his talent. Hopefully Jim McGuinness is the man who can the get the best out of him.
McGuinness would have been looking for two points to get the Division Two campaign underway, especially as he now has only two home games left. While he will be disappointed in not having achieved that, he will be encouraged by the response of his players in the second half. Things don’t get any easier either - next up is a rematch with Tyrone!
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