Dessie Gallagher happy to get first win on the board as 12-man Dungloe prevail

Dungloe manager Dessie Gallagher was happy to be heading back to Rosses Park on Saturday night with two championship points in the bag following his side’s narrow win over Downings. 

Just a point separated Dungloe and Downings at the finish, with 12-man Dungloe emerging 2-12 to 0-17 at the end of a tense and closely contested encounter at a windy Pairc Na Dunaibh.

Dungloe had three players red-carded in an action-packed second half, with Barry Curran picking up two yellows and Karl Magee and Noel McBride both shown straight red cards by referee Ryan Walsh.

Downings themselves finished the game with 14 players after corner back Tiarnan McBride was black carded near the end.

“We came down here this evening to get the win and two points on the board, and we achieved that, and that is what was important,” insisted the Dungloe boss, who led the Rosses club to their first senior championship final in 68 years last year. 

“Whether we won by one point or ten points does not really matter, the important thing is that we won. A one point win in the championship is as good as a ten point win.

“It is a new year, a new championship. We met Downings in the preliminary quarter final last year in Falcarragh and we beat them by two points and they finished the game with 14 players.

“We had three men sent off today and we won by one so now it is a matter of moving onto next weekend and Killybegs in Rosses Park.”

The Dungloe boss did not wish to comment on the three sendings off, but did say he was very happy with how his side defended late on, despite the numerical disadvantage.

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“The lads showed great character in those closing minutes despite being down to 12 players to hang on to get the result.

“We did make it hard for ourselves because we had a couple of chances to pull away and did not take them. We also had problems finding our range in the windy conditions.

“We had a 50% score rate which is not good enough, and it is something we need to work on going forward.

“But as I said earlier, the important thing is we have two points on the board and it is now move on to next weekend and Killybegs, at home.”