Dungloe book their place in SFC quarter-final after a narrow win over Downings 

Dungloe are through to the last eight of the Donegal senior championship quarter-final following a hard-fought win in challenging weather conditions against 14-man Downings in Falcarragh on Saturday afternoon. 

In the clash of the two Intermediate champions for the past two years, Downings played with the strong wind in the first half, and they took full advantage of the atrocious conditions from the off with three quick points in the opening five minutes. 

Johnny McGroddy kicked two of the points, while Oisin Boyce from a mark kicked the other. 

But they looked far from in a good position when they led by a point at half-time and were a man down for the last 10 minutes of the half following the sending off of Downings' Ronan Gallagher. 

Dungloe who had been penned back in their own half through a high press finally got up and running with the two quick-fire points to reduce the Downings’ lead to one with nine minutes gone on the clock.

The men from the Rosses settled well and were ahead three minutes later when Oisin Bonner curled the ball over Aaron McClafferty for a goal.

Dungloe were now ahead 1-2 to 0-3 but amazingly they did not score again for the remainder of the half as the game descended into a scrappy and feisty affair. 

The referee was dishing out a number of yellow cards for foul play before Downings’ centre-half Gallagher got a straight red card for a high challenge on Matthew Ward on the 20th minute.

The sending-off seemed to unsettle Dungloe somewhat and Downings grew in strength as they finished the half strong to go in 0-6 to 1-2 at half-time. 

In the early stages of the second half in the challenging wind and rain, scores were at a premium. It started with Conor Greene from a well-won mark inside a minute of the half to level the game at 1-3 to 0-6.

Paddy McElwee, after a quick Johnny McGroddy free, had Downings back in front 0-7 to 1-3 at the end of the third quarter.

With Dylan Sweeney, Matthew Ward, Darren Curran, and Greene stepping up, Dungloe reeled off four points without response to go three clear 1-7 to 0-7  deep in injury-time. 

Dungloe were reduced to 14 for the closing 10 minutes after Karl Magee picked up a black card while Downings finished the game with 13 after Johnny McGroddy picked up a black card as well. 

Maxi Curran's team battled to the end with Keelan McGroddy coming close to levelling the game with a shot at goal, but he skimmed the crossbar to bring the curtain down on this preliminary quarter-final. 

Dungloe scorers: Oisin Bonner 1-1; Dylan Sweeney and Conor Greene (1M) 0-2 each; Barry Curran and Matthew Ward 0-1 each. 

Downings scorers: Johnny McGroddy 0-5, 2fs, 1 '45'; Oisin Boyce (M), Paddy McElwee and Keelan McGroddy 0-1 each. 

Dungloe: Danny Rodgers; Jason McBride, Aaron Ward, Mark Curran; Barry Curran, Conor O’Donnell, Karl Magee; Darren Curran, Ryan Connors; Dylan Sweeney, Dara Gallagher, Matthew Ward; Aaron Neely, Conor Greene, Oisin Bonner. 

Subs: Noel McBride for J McBride (55 mins), Shaun Magee for Bonner (59 mins); Danny McGlynn for Greene (63 mins).  

Downings: Aaron McClafferty; Fallon McBride, Ben McNutt, Hugo Davis; Tiarnan McBride, Ronan Gallagher, Paidín Shiels; Oisin Boyce, Johnny McGroddy; Dylan McGlone, Ronan Pasoma, Conor Boyce; Keelan McGroddy, Paddy McElwee, Gary Ban McClafferty. 

Sub: Shane Boyce for Fallon McBride (h/t).

Referee: Jimmy White (Killybegs)