Donegal U-20 hurlers squeezed out by Mayo in Letterkenny

Donegal’s bid for All-Ireland U-20 B Championship glory  ended in disappointment with a two-point defeat at the hands of Mayo on Saturday afternoon in Letterkenny. 

Winners of the Ulster U-20 Development league with five straight wins, it was the hosts that came up just short after an arm wrestle of a tussle with a dogged and determined Mayo. 

The loss of Eoghan Walsh, before half-time for a second yellow card offence meant Donegal, who led by two points at the midpoint, played all of the second-half down to 14 and against a stiff breeze. 

Donegal had opened well and posted the game’s opening four points, all off the stick of leading marksman Brendan Gaffey, 

Gaffey landed two of those from long-range frees with the other pair tapovers from play coming just before full forward Ronan Fallon got Mayo off the mark.

Fallon split the post when he found space in front of the Donegal goalframe 13 minutes into the tie. 

But Gaffey - with two more excellent strikes - extended the Donegal lead out to five points. 

The hosts now led 0-6 to 0-1 with Gafffey the main architect of the advantage while Conor Neilly at centre half-back and Aidan McKinney on the opposite wing to Gaffey, were also playing well for the home team. 

Fallon, from a 50m free, then landed Mayo’s second five minutes after his first. 

Donegal, courtesy of a Gaffey ‘65 and delightful point from play off the stick of Daire Tully, meant their side was still well in control at 0-9 to 0-2 with the clock ticking on the half hour. 

But the game changed in the closing minutes of the opening period. First Donegal found themselves down a man after Walsh received his marching orders for two quick yellow cards for successive late challenges on Mayo keeper Brian O'Donovan. 

And worse was to follow in the early seconds of injury time when Colm Enright sauntered in from the left-hand side to wrong-foot Joseph Patton and tap into an empty net. 

And instead of a five-point advantage at the changeover, Donegal instead led 0-8 to 1-3. 

Enright and Aidan McKinney as well as Gaffey and Enright once more, traded points on the restart as Donegal maintained their two-point advantage. 

But with the strong breeze in their backs and the advantage of the extra man, Mayo grew into the game. 

It looked ominous as Enright made it a one-point game and when he sent Fallon clear for a second goal on 45 minutes, 2-5 played 0-10 and Mayo led for the first time. 

Donegal battled to the end and drew level for the second time in the closing minutes before ‘player of the match’ Enright closed out the game with a couple of last points. 

Donegal scorers: Brendan Gaffey 0-11,8f, 1’65;  Daire Tully 0-2; Aidan McKinney 0-1. 

Mayo scorers: Ronan Fallon 1-3; James Byrne 0-1; Colm Enright 1-5,1f; Sean McGhee 0-1. 

Donegal: Joseph Patton; Joseph Dudd, Conor Hanlon, JP Curran; Evan McFadden, Conor Neely, Fionn Farren; Peter Kelly, Donal Farrelly; Brendan Gaffey, Daire Tully, Aidan McKinney; Ciaran Porter, Johnny Lambe, Eoghan Walsh. 

Subs: Calum Purves for J P Curran (60). 

Mayo: Brian O'Donovan; Conor Ketterick, Michael Foody, Anthony Rowland; Lucas Kenny, Matthew Connor, Aidan McGing; Sean McGhee, James Lyons; Fiachra Glavey, Eoghan Ketterick, Eoin Ryan; Colm Enright, Ronan Fallon, James Byrne. 

Subs: Joe O’ Donnell for L Kenny (40); Sean Garvey for J Lyons (44); Daire Clancy for A McGing (56); Sean Lynch for F Glavey (67).   

Referee: Colm McDonald (Antrim).