Dowds brace helps Donegal ladies defeat Tyrone and go top of Division 2

Two second half goals from Katie Dowds helped Donegal to take a third win and go top of Division 2 with a seven-point win over Tyrone in Aghyaran on Sunday.

The top of the table clash of the only two sides with 100% records after two games was a close affair in the first half, but Ciara McGarvey’s smart goal helped James Daly’s side into a five-point lead at the break at 1-6 to 0-4.

And two goals after the break from Dowds, both times set up by Nicole Gordon, had them eleven clear with three-quarters of an hour gone.

Niamh O’Neill poked in a goal after a slice of luck for the hosts, but it didn’t make an impact on the result as Donegal won their third game from three to leapfrog their opponents at the top of the table.

The first half started slowly with a couple of efforts dropping short at both ends, but Niamh O’Neill got the scoring going for the hosts on six minutes.

Donegal responded as Tara Hegarty did well and found Susanne White, with the Killybegs woman winning a free that she converted.

A vital score came on twelve minutes as Eva Gallagher was fouled on the 21 metre line and Ciara McGarvey was alert to quickly take a tap and go and go through on goal, blasting a shot into the net.

Tyrone responded well, and Meabh Mallon kicked a score from the left after patient play, something the Red Hands had done well, but Donegal were equally good in defending them.

Eva Gallagher kicked the next point after Clodagh Brennan won possession high up, and a quick move from back to front from James Daly’s side saw White point from play.

Emma Conroy responded with an effort from range, but White’s third score of the first half, this time from a free, restored that goal advantage.

Dowds was next to get on the scoresheet as the Sean MacCumhaills woman kicked a great point from range, and McGarvey ended the scoring for the first half with a point on her weak foot as Donegal led by 1-6 to 0-4 at the break.

O’Neill got an early free for Tyrone within a minute of the restart, but the next score was vital as Donegal hit the net for a second time.

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It came as Feena McManamon played a ball forward to substitute Nicole Gordon, who shielded the ball past her marker, and despite being through on goal, she fist passed over to the inrushing Dowds, who palmed in from close range.

White kicked another free from close range as it was brought forward, as Tyrone prevented Gordon from doing a tap and go, and they got a third goal with a quarter of an hour remaining.

Tara Hegarty did brilliantly to win possession back, and Donegal went forward, again Urris woman Gordon finding Dowds, who had a bit more to do this time, but her shot went past Amelia Coyle and into the back of the net.

Aoife Horisk converted a free for the hosts, and they got a goal back as Áine Grimes’ effort fortunately was going wide but took a deflection off a Donegal defender, and O’Neill was in the right place to tap in.

But Donegal responded well and didn’t allow any further goals, with Jodie McFadden’s free cancelled out by Emer McCanny’s score from play.

Tyrone ended with 14 players as O’Neill was yellow carded, and Feena McManamon kicked the final score for the victors, although Horisk ended the scoring with a free as Donegal took the win.

Tyrone scorers: Niamh O’Neill 1-2,1f; Aoife Horisk 0-2f; Meabh Mallon, Claire Canavan, Emma Conroy and Emer McCanny 0-1 each.

Donegal scorers: Katie Dowds 2-1; Susanne White 0-4,3f; Ciara McGarvey 1-1; Eva Gallagher, Jodie McFadden (f) and Feena McManamon 0-1 each.

Tyrone: Amelia Coyle; Jayne Lyons, Caitlin McCallion, Eimear Quinn; Claire Caravan, Méabh Corrigan, Meabh Mallon; Caitlin Campbell, Aoibhinn McHugh; Emma Conroy, Aoife Horisk, Emma Jane Gervin; Niamh O’Neill, Maeve Maxwell, Cara McNamee.

Subs: Emer McCanny and Sorcha Gormley for Campbell and Maxwell (ht), Katie Rose Muldoon for Gervin (48), Áine Grimes for Conroy (50).

Donegal: Clare Friel; Niamh Carr, Evelyn McGinley, Sophie McFeely; Tara Hegarty, Feena McManamon, Ava Caulfield; Clodagh Brennan, Róisín Rodgers; Bláthnaid McLaughlin, Katie Dowds, Niamh Boyle; Susanne White, Eva Gallagher, Ciara McGarvey.

Subs: Nicole Gordon for Gallagher (ht), Jodie McFadden, Cáit Gillespie and Ulitah Boyle for White, Caulfield and Brennan (48), Abigail Temple Asokuh and Shauna McFadden for Carr and Hegarty (52).

Referee: Anthony Marron (Monaghan)