MacCumhaills hold off Downings surge to make last eight proper in Donegal SFC

MacCumhaills are into the quarter-finals of the Michael Murphy Sports & Leisure SFC after seeing off a battling effort from Downings in Letterkenny. 

Maxi Curran’s charges had found themselves eight adrift at the midpoint in O’Donnell Park but came roaring back into contention as they cut matters back to a single point, seven minutes out from full-time. 

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But just when it looked like Downings might force matters to extra-time, Chad McSorley pounced to bundle home a second MacCumhaills goal and, in the process, propel Gary Wilson’s side into the last eight proper. 

With the breeze in their backs inside the opening half it was MacCumhaills - minus the considerable firepower of Oisin Gallen - that built up a 1-12 to 0-7 lead inside the first 30 or so minutes. 

Joe Boyle got all that going while a Conor McGinty two-pointer soon after helped open up an early three-point gap. 

Downings were soon up and running, however, as Danny McBride and Johnny McGroddy, from a free, left it 3-2 six minutes in. 

Luke Gavigan then landed an over while the same player, collecting the subsequent kickout, teed up Kevin McCormick for back-to-back points. 

Ronan Gallagher responded for Downings but a brilliant two-pointer from Gavigan matched that and added interest on top. 

Cian McBride made his presence felt for the first time on 13 minutes as 0-4 chased 0-7. McCormick and McBride then swapped points as three remained the gap. 

But McCumhaills made a huge dent in this one when a Sean Martin effort from out the field came back off the upright and with Martin O’Reilly reacting first, the Twin Towns veteran stroked home from close range. 

To be fair to Downings, their response was good as McGroddy and McBride strung together a quickfire brace. 

But with MacCumhaills pinging four unanswered points down the stretch through McGinty, twice, Chad McSorely and substitute Aaron Kelly, eight separated the teams at the changeover.  

Paddy McElwaine and McGroddy made sure Downings got the second-half off to the start they needed. 

Fionn McGinty and Conor McGinty responded down the other side but a huge Ronan Gallagher two-pointer suggested Downings had no intention of folding. 

O’Reilly responded but nearing the last quarter, Downings made their move. Kitchen sink to hand, they rattled off the next six points to leave it 1-15 to 0-17 on 53 minutes. 

Pasoma got all that moving while a McGroddy two-point free accelerated that comeback. 

Gary McClafferty was then put in on goal but just as he was pulling the trigger, Eoin Gallen somehow got across to deflect the effort up and over the crossbar. It could and really should have been a three-pointer. 

Undeterred though, Downings kept coming as Conor Boyce and Pasoma lobbed over and, all of a sudden, MacCumhaills’ previous cushion had been stripped back to the bare minimum. 

But as the clock ticked past the hour mark, direct running from Keegan down the other side opened matters up. 

And even though the ball slipped from his grasp under considerable pressure, the MacCumhaills man somehow managed to get an outstretched toe to matters and direct the ball into the arms of the lurking McSorley. 

And, making no mistake from close range, that was more or less that as the MacCumhaills wing forward showed just how it’s done in front of goal.

With Downings’ frustrations understandably bubbling late on, Paidin Shiels went to a black card while shortly after Padraig McGinty got his marching orders by way of a straight red card. 

Top scorer Conor McGinty had the final say for the winners as they progressed. 

MacCumhaills scorers: Conor McGinty 0-6, 1tp; Marty O’Reilly 1-1; Luke Gavigan 0-3, 1tp; Chad McSorley 1-0; Kevin McCormick 0-2; Fionn McGinty, Joe Boyle, Chad McSorley, Aaron Kelly 0-1 each. 

Downings scorers: Johnny McGroddy 0-6, 1tpf, 1f; Ronan Gallagher 0-2, 1tp; Allen Pasoma, Cian McBride and Danny McBride 0-2 each; Patrick McElwee, Conor Boyce and Gary McClafferty 0-1 each. 

MacCumhaills: Eoin Gallen; Ruairi Callaghan, Conor Griffin, Fionn McGinty; Cian Mulligan, Sean Martin, Fintan Griffin; Luke Gavigan, Joe Boyle; Chad McSorley, Jamie Keegan, Conor McGinty; Kevin McCormick, Shaun McMenamin, Martin O’Reilly. 

Subs: Aaron Kelly for Kevin McCormick (18, inj), Rory Mulligan for F McGinty (50), Andrew McCloskey for F Griffin (57), Rory McMeminain for S McMenamin (60+3), 

Downings: Jordan Nugent; Alex Gerwatowski, Paul McGroddy, Padraig McGinty; Allen Pasoma, Ronan Gallagher, Paidin Shields; Oisin Boyce, Shea Coyle; Ronan Pasoma, Johnny McGroddy, Cian McBride; Gary McClafferty, Patrick McElwee, Danny McBride.

Subs: Conor Boyce for D McBride (ht); Shane Coll for P McGroddy (40), Callum Cullen for G McClafferty (54)

Referee: Cathal Boland (Ardara).