Frustrated James Daly says Cavan ‘hungrier’ on the day than Donegal

James Daly was left to rue some refereeing decisions that went against Donegal but, truth be told, admitted his side was a little off the pace against Cavan on Sunday. 

Playing with a stiff breeze in the first-half in Ballyshannon, the hosts had to settle for level pegging at the break after a concession of a goal left it 1-1 to 0-4. 

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And with Cavan playing with the elements on the turnover, the Breffni outfit just about got over the line on a difference of 1-6 to 0-7. 

Just two points separated the sides at the finish in very windy conditions at Fr Tierney Park. 

Susanne White top-scored for the hosts with four points before she was substituted late on. 

Ciara McGarvey, Katie Dowds and substitute Eva Gallagher were the other point-scorers for the locals.

Niamh Keeneghan led the Cavan scoring charge with a goal and a point, while team captain Aisling Sheridan, as well as Eilis Sheridan and Katie May Fay also raised white flags for the visitors. 

“It’s not the resulted we were hoping for,” admitted Daly after. “They got a goal out of a mistake made by our girls, but look, I'm not taking anything away from Cavan. 

Cavan, we're a hungrier team today and deserved a win. We just made too many mistakes, too many balls going to the ground, you know, kicking wide. That's not going to win you any games. 

White temporarily gave Donegal the lead within a minute of the restart with a well-taken point. 

But with substitute Ulitah Boyle sinbinned for a front block shortly after entering the fray Cavan - with the elements in their backs - took advantage of the extra player. 

“It was a strong wind and then I thought we got a very poor yellow card against us in the second half.

Those ten minutes in the middle of the second half changed the game. And we went from being one up to two down very quickly.

 “That's what happens. The referee decided it was a yellow card, you know, but look, such is life”.

A frustrated Daly admits he found it hard to understand some of the decision-making in that spell which, he felt, ultimately swung matters Cavan’s direction.  

“There was a whole lot of nothing over there, but look, with the new rules, it's hard to figure out sometimes because, you know, he's given it for the frontal charge. 

“There was two frontal charges and one up the field a minute before that and then he gives a free against us where our girl has touched the ball on the ground, but look, that's the way the game goes”.