Brilliant Donegal seal promotion and NHL Division 3 final spot with Roscommon win

Goals were the key factors in a much-improved Donegal display that sees them promoted to Division Two with a League final date with Wicklow next weekend.

Richie Ryan and Josh Cronolly were a potent strike force up front, with Ryan grabbing two three-pointers and Josh Cronolly also finding the net, which pushed them to a half-time lead of 3-10 to 0-12.

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Liam McKinney’s accuracy and Brian MacIntyre’s industry were also major factors in this vital victory for Mickey McCann’s men.

But they also lost ace marksman Gerry Gilmore to a hand injury after ten minutes and he is very doubtful for next Saturday’s final against Wicklow in Aughrim.

But Donegal could easily have won this match by much more as they hit fourteen wides and Roscommon’s excellent keeper Enda Lawless pulled off four great saves to deny them certain goals.

Roscommon had two late changes to the starting line-up with two Galway men coming in — Brian Lawless and Cian Bowes, who has a brother on the Galway senior squad.

And they had a swift start with a pointed free from Conor Morris and Conor Mulry put them two up.

Richie Ryan got the visitors off the mark and the lively Peter Kelly levelled matters and marksman Gerry Gilmore made it 0-3 to 0-2 after six minutes.

Donegal’s Gavin Browne hoisted over a superb point from the sideline as Liam McKinney made it a 0-5 to 0-2 lead for Donegal.

Donegal were on top and Josh Cronolly McGee found himself clear inside the Roscommon defence and was surrounded but batted the ball tennis-style to the net to put Donegal into a 1-5 to 0-2 lead.

Roscommon came into the game in the second quarter as wasteful Donegal racked up the wides.

Morris and Mulry tagged two points as Donegal hit six wides.

But they got a big injection when Ryan found himself deep in Rossie territory and smashed home a great goal after twelve minutes.

Donegal were ahead by 2-5 to 0-4, but failed to score for the next ten minutes as Roscommon mounted a spirited revival.

Sean Canning, a nephew of Joe Canning, was on target for Roscommon and Cian Bowes and a Paddy Fallon pointed free narrowed the gap to a goal.

Cian Murray and Darragh Finn made it a one-point game, before Donegal shook themselves and put in a storming finish where they hit 1-3 without reply.

Declan Coulter pointed for the winners, but Darragh Finn swiftly responded for Roscommon.

The evergreen Coulter, who will be 40 this year, swapped points with Paddy Fallon as half-time beckoned.

Kelly and McKinney pointed and then Ryan hit a wonderful goal when he managed to bat the ball like a tennis serve into the Roscommon net to put Donegal into a 3-8 to 0-12 lead.

This was a real killer blow for the Rossies. And two McKinney points made it 3-10 to 0-12 at the break. Conor Morris opened the scoring for the home side on the restart as McKinney replied for Donegal.

Ryan had a great chance of a goal well blocked as McKinney and Fallon swapped points. That was the pattern for the second half as Coulter also weighed in with a few points. The Donegal defence was excellent with the returned Steven McBride a real bonus.

Kevin Kealy, Dan Donnelly and the inevitable McKinney were on target for the winners with Morris and Fallon responding for a game but outgunned Roscommon side.

Roscommon scorers: Paddy Fallon 0-6, 6f; Conor Morris 0-3, 3f; Conor Mulry 0-3; Tommy Morris and  Darragh Finn 0-2 each; Sean Canning, Cian Murray and Cian Bowes 0-1 each.

Donegal scorers: Liam McKinney 0-9, 8f; Richie Ryan 2-1; Josh Cronolly McGee 1-0; Declan Coulter 0-3; Peter Kelly 0-2; Gavin Browne, Kevin Kealy, Gerard Gilmore, Ryan Hilferty and Dan Donnelly 0-1 each.

Roscommon: Enda Lawless; Eamon Mulry, James Dillon, Jack Dowling; Keelan Ryan, Tommy Morris, Darragh Finn; Micheál Hussey, Paddy Fallon; Conor Morris, Ronan Finn, Cian Murray; Conor Mulry, Cian Bowes, Sean Canning.Subs: Niall Fleming for Ronan Finn (half-time), Adam Donnelly for Conor Morris (50), Liam Óg Coyle for Cian Bowes (60), Jason Martin for Cian Murray (68).

Donegal: Luke White; Oisín Kelly, Ciaran Bradley, Gavin Browne; Brian MacIntyre, Kevin Kealy, Conor O’Grady; Gerard Gilmore, Liam McKinney; Danny Cullen, Richie Ryan, Peter Kelly; Steven McBride, Declan Coulter, Josh Cronolly McGee.Subs: Ronan McDermott for Gilmore (20), John Kealy for P Kelly (50), Conor Diver for Coulter (54), Ryan Hilferty for Gavin Browne (57), Dan Donnelly for MacIntyre (61).

Referee: Adam Kinahan (Offaly)