Donegal see off Louth to seal first All-Ireland SFC semi-final place in a decade

In the end, it was a case of job done. Donegal finally bridged a gap that had stretched to 10 years in their quest for a place in the All-Ireland semi-final.

On a weekend when the legendary RTÉ broadcaster Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh was remembered, Louth’s fairytale ended as Donegal went about their business to put themselves within 70 minutes of football from a fourth-ever appearance in an All-Ireland senior final.

A meeting with Galway awaits in two weeks, as the team managed by Jim McGuinness produced a showing to keep Louth at arm’s length for the most part for as fuss-free a victory as Donegal could’ve hoped for.

Peadar Mogan, in particular, was outstanding with five from play, while Eoghan Ban Gallagher scored the only goal on his 100th inter-county appearance. It wasn’t the prettiest but when the Killybegs defender prodded home with 11 minutes left to push it out to seven, Louth’s race was run. Had Donegal lost to Louth, regardless of what had gone before this year, they'd be known as the team who lost to Louth. 

When referee Joe McQuillan threw the ball into the air, there were six teams in the race for Sam Maguire. Louth, in their first official All-Ireland quarter-final, would’ve been the team at the lengthiest odds of that half-dozen. On a weekend when the All-Ireland series began to open out, Donegal, like the three other semi-finalists, will have reason to carry confidence. Anyone can win it now.

They kept going and in Tommy Durnin had a player who typified their heart and ability, and Sam Mulroy their quality. The pair would finish the afternoon with 10 points and Louth would end their campaign with plenty of pats on the back. 

The win, in many ways, was similar to many this season - the first of McGuinness the Sequel - with no over-reliance on one scorer, occasional leaky signs at the back, good composure and fitness to run all day.

Ryan McHugh put over a nerve-settler on 28 seconds to set the wheels in motion and the first 11 minutes saw Donegal rack up five points. A Patrick McBrearty mark, with points from Conor O’Donnell - making his first start in a year having only come back from injury with a cameo against Clare - Oisin Gallen and Peadar Mogan made for a 0-5 to 0-1 lead.

At that stage, McGuinness might’ve been reasonably content, but from then on, Louth, at worst, matched Donegal till the end of the half. Mulroy and Sam Burns added to their first score, which came from Durnin and Donegal’s lead was down to two, 0-5 to 0-3.

On a few occasions, Donegal’s attacks broke down when headed at the heart of the Louth defence. Michael Langan and Ciaran Moore, though, took responsibility, knocking over points by the 24th minute to reestablish Donegal’s four-point advantage at, 0-7 to 0-3. As well as having seven points, Donegal had seven scorers.

A collision between Mulroy and Conall McKeever left both men grounded, with the wing-back forced to withdraw with a bandaged head.

Louth were pep-stepping themselves and scored some quality points, including three on the bounce with McKeever’s replacement, a drilled free from Mulroy from in front of the Hogan Lower and then Craig Lennon’s boomer. Seven minutes out from half-time, Donegal were just the one in front, 0-7 to 0-6.

If you’re trying to starve a supposed underdog, it’s best not to offer breadcrumbs and Louth grew into the game. By the 35th minute, it was still one point up for Donegal, 0-9 to 0-8 with Moore and Gallen’s free each preceding Durnin and Mulroy scores. Injury-time brought a slight stretch with Mogan putting on the burners to score a second point and Gallen showing full-back Dermot Campbell one way and then the other to split the posts at Hill 16.

Donegal shuffled off to the Cusack Park dressing rooms with an 0-11 to 0-8 lead, with Ger Brennan’s Louth perfectly entitled to be satisfied with much of that first period.

In the first-ever championship meeting of the teams, Louth were aiming for their first All-Ireland semi-final place since the famous year of 1957 when they took the big prize to the Wee County.

Those early throw-ins at Croke Park can be peculiar affairs. Although both teams were well-supported - a fact evidenced by the gridlock on the M1 going south with Derry supporters in the mix - there’s always an echoey feel due to the ground’s magnitude and that in turn can impact intensity.

Donegal knew they’d need to bring some of that intensity to the third quarter and they did just that. By the 52nd minute, with just a gentle shift up the gears, they were 0-17 to 0-11 in front. Conor O’Donnell, Langan, substitute Aaron Doherty, Mogan with a floater, Gallen and Ciaran Thompson all scored.

For Louth, Burns and Durnin pointed either side of Liam Jackson. By then though, they had just kicked three successive wides and their three successive weekend outings looked to be telling.

Langan hit his third before a couple of Mulroy frees and one from Tom Jackson meant it was 0-18 to 0-14 for Donegal by the 57th minute - a margin too near and a timeframe too wide to be getting comfortable.

However, Gallagher’s goal managed to keep Louth just outside of striking distance at 1-18 to 0-14. Aaron Doherty centred to Gallen, who slapped sideways for McBrearty to punch off the inside of the post and as the ball ran across the line Gallagher finished off from close range, so close McQuillan did a square-ball check. At the other end, Caolan McGonagle showed bravery and brilliance to block at the feet of Ciarán Keenan as he blasted for goal.

Louth finished on the front foot and points from the likes of Thompson, McHugh and Mogan - with his last point the best of the lot from out the Cusack side - kept them ahead. That’s where they wanted to be at the whistle. And that's where they were. 

Donegal scorers: Peadar Mogan 0-5; Oisin Gallen 0-4, 1f; Michael Langan 0-3; Eoghan Ban Gallagher 1-0; Ryan McHugh, Conor O’Donnell, Ciaran Moore, Ciaran Thompson 0-2; Patrick McBrearty 0-1, 1m; Aaron Doherty and Jamie Brennan 0-1.

Louth scorers: Sam Mulroy 0-6, 4f; Tommy Durnin 0-4; Ryan Burns and Ciaran Byrne 0-2; Craig Lennon, Conor Early, Liam Jackson and Tom Jackson 0-1.

Donegal: Shaun Patton; Eoghan Bán Gallagher, Brendan McCole, Peadar Mogan; Ciarán Moore, Caolan McGonagle, Ryan McHugh; Ciaran Thompson, Michael Langan; Shane O’Donnell, Niall O’Donnell, Daire Ó Baoill; Patrick McBrearty, Oisin Gallen, Conor O'Donnell. Subs: Aaron Doherty for N O’Donnell (half-time), Caolan McColgan for Daire Ó Baoill (45), Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí for C O’Donnell (49), Jamie Brennan for McBrearty (59), Hugh McFadden for S O’Donnell (66)

Louth: Niall McDonnell; Donal McKenny, Dermot Campbell, Dan Corcoran; Conall McKeever, Anthony Williams, Craig Lennon; Tommy Durnin, Bevan Duffy; Ciarán Murphy, Ciarán Keenan, Conor Grimes; Ryan Burns, Sam Mulroy, Leonard Grey. Subs: Conor Early for McKeever (17); Paul Mathews, Tom Jackson and Liam Jackson for Grey, Burns and Murphy (43), Ciarán Byrne for Williams (68), Tadhg McDonnell for Corcoran (70+1)

Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)