Donegal hold on to secure second league win with victory over Cavan

Donegal got their second win of the Allianz National League with a one point win over Cavan in Kingspan Breffni Park.

Donegal 0-13   Cavan 0-12

Donegal had to work really hard but Oisin Gallen really stepped up to the mark when needed. Ciaran Thompson and Ryan McHugh were excellent also with Stephen McMenamin returned to the starting team and made a huge contribution.

But Donegal will not be happy with some sloppy play with too many turnovers. Cavan were limited to just two points from  play but the did put it up to Donegal in the second half.

Oisin Gallen got Donegal on the board after three minutes and it was good to see the MacCumhaill’s man back on board.

Padraig Faulkner and Paddy Lynch (free) pushed Cavan in front momentarily but Donegal responded with Ciaran Thompson giving a great ball to Oisin Gallen and he transferred quickly to Patrick McBrearty who hooked it over from distance.

James Smith converted a mark on seven minutes to edge  Cavan ahead once again but then Donegal took a firm grip on the game.

Eoghan Bán Gallagher and Ciaran Thompson were involved before the referee called it back for a free and Patrick McBrearty pointed to level.

But Donegal were hit with a black card with linesman Barry Cassidy reporting Caolan McGonagle for a block off the ball and he was black carded.

Donegal made light of being a man down as Jamie Brennan found Oisin Gallen with a long pass along the ground to Oisin Gallen, who  cut in and fired over with his left.

Ryan McHugh was almost cut in half by a Killian Clarke tackle with the Cavan man lucky to stay on the field.

Ciaran Thompson had a real purple patch in the final 10 minutes, firstly bursting forward to point. He then won the kick-out and got his pass away but the referee blew too quick. From the free Oisin Gallen fired over from the 45m line for a 0-6 to 0-3 lead.

Paddy Lynch had a Cavan free but Gallen cancelled that score and when Ciaran Thompson won a free, McBrearty made it a four point game at the break, Donegal 0-8, Cavan 0-4.

Donegal, however, lost Eoghan Bán Gallagher to injury just before the break, with Mark Curran replacing him,

Donegal should have opened the gap within a minute with Jamie Brennan off target and Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhride not getting a shot away.

Dara McVeety converted a mark and Paddy Lynch converted a 45m free to halve the lead. Donegal were flat and were giving the ball away and Ciaran Brady broke through to fist another point.

Dáire Ó Baoill made the opening for Oisin Gallen to get Donegal’s first second half point and after Ryan McHugh won a free, McBrearty worked it short for  Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí to push the lead out to 0-10 to 0-7 after 49 minutes.

Caoimhinn O’Reilly cut the lead but Jamie Brennan made up for two earlier misses with a great run and fisted score. Then O’Reilly hit a magnificent free from  near the sideline to cut the lead to three once more.

Paddy Lynch and James Smith cut the lead but Oisin Gallen sealed the win with a magnificent free. The referee did award a controversial free against Oisin Gallen from the kick-out and Cavan got a free but Donegal held on for a one point win

Cavan scorers: Paddy Lynch 0-5,5f; Caoimhinn O’Reilly (1f) 0-2; James Smith 0-2,1mark; Dara McVeety  (mark), Padraig Faulkner, Ciaran Brady 0-1 each

Donegal scorers: Oisin Gallen 0-6,2f; Patrick McBrearty0-4,3f; Jamie Brennan, Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí, Ciaran Thompson 0-1 each.

Cavan: Gary O’Rourke; Oisin Kiernan, Killian Brady, Jason McLoughlin; James Smith, Niall Carolan, Padraig Faulkner; Ryan Donohoe, Killian Clarke; Ciaran Brady, Dara McVeety, Gerard Smith; Paddy Lynch, Ryan O’Neill, Tiarnan Madden.

Subs: James Galligan for Donohoe (ht); Ryan Brady for R O’Neill (56); Caoimhinn O’Reilly for T Madden (57); Cormac O’Reilly for J Galligan (66); Cian Madden for O Kernan (70+2).

Donegal: Shaun Patton; Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Brendan McCole, Stephen McMenamin; Ryan McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, Odhran Doherty; Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhride, Rory O'Donnell; Dáire Ó Baoill, Ciaran Thompson, Shane O’Donnell; Patrick McBrearty, Oisin Gallen, Jamie Brennan.

Subs: Mark Curran for O Ban Gallagher (35); Michael Langan and Oisin Caulfield for R O’Donnell and Shane O’Donnell (both ht);  Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí for Curran  (43); Luke  McGlynn for Brennan (70+3)

Referee: John Lonergan (Tipperary)