Crazy Donegal IFC between Dungloe and Cloughaneely ends in a draw

Dungloe and Cloughaneely have it all to do again in the IFC after a dramatic and sometimes bizarre final at O’Donnell Park.

Cloughaneely 3-4
Dungloe 0-13

Michael Lynch’s Cloughaneely - runners-up in the competition in each of the last two seasons - looked beaten all ends up as they trailed 0-9 to 0-2 approaching the three-quarter mark.

However, the Fitzerald brothers John and Michael scored three goals in an eight-minute spell to somehow put them in front. John’s goals came from a penalty rebound and then another penalty, the awards of both Dungloe disputed. And if Michael was a snooker player, well he’d be acknowledging a fluke.

His ball into the square from the shadows of the main stand more in hope than expectation, ended up flying into the top corner over Danny Rodgers.

Dungloe, 3-4 to 0-10 down with 56 minutes gone, steadied and rallied to kick the last three points of the day - through Rodgers’ free, Oisin Bonner and Barry Curran to get level, 0-13 to 3-4 and had a chance to win it only for Daire Gallagher to blaze wide.

At the other end, Jason McGee had a chance too, with a long range free, and Martin Maguire was also off target with a pop at goal. Finally, it ended, in dusking surroundings and the excitable crowd were finally quelled as they drew breath and headed for home.

In a peculiar way, despite being the ones who coughed up a late three-point lead, it was Cloughaneely who were the most relieved having been outplayed for the bulk of the hour.

With a huge gale playing its part in Letterkenny sweeping down from Kirsktown towards the Swilly, Dungloe made their hay in the second quarter to go from 0-2 to 0-2 to 0-7 to 0-2 in front.

The first quarter had been, when the rest is considered, conventional, with Cloughaneely twice taking the lead, through Darren McGeever and then Jason McGee, with Bonner twice levelling for Dessie Gallagher’s troops.

If you'd told the Cloughaneely support then and there that McGeever's point - which arrived after 23 seconds - would be their only from play, they'd probably have headed for home there and then.

Dungloe, though, weren’t afraid to have a go and were dominant in the second quarter, with Matthew Ward showing the way with a stroked point, effortlessly put over from distance. Rodgers then scored two frees, the second of which Shaun McClafferty touched over the crossbar. Then, as the half drew to a close, Daire Gallagher and Gerard Walsh also scored.

It was 0-7 to 0-2 at half-time. Such were the elements, nobody knew whether or not the five-point cushion would be enough. Ten first half wides might’ve been a source of regret for Dungloe, although their approach to the second half was proactive - kicking the first two points through Matthew Ward and Barry Curran made for a seven-point lead.

Dungloe were certainly playing like champions. For all the talk of a comeback, Cloughaneely didn’t score for 30 minutes of playing time - plus first half injury time - and McGee slotted over a 42nd minute free just as he had in the 12th. It meant Dungloe were 0-9 to 0-3 in front.

Even then, it brought muted applause. Cloughaneely, to borrow another phrase from the Crucible, needed snookers. Or certainly a goal. Gerard Walsh was sweeping everything up for Dungloe. Cloughaneely got the chance on 47 minutes when Paul Sweeney was adjudged by referee Shaun McLaughlin to have been fouled by Mark Curran and a penalty was awarded.

John Fitzgerald, Cloughaneely’s most dangerous forward who hadn’t been in the starting line-up since the group stages with an ankle injury, stepped up and struck his effort towards Rodgers’ top right corner. The ball struck the crossbar and came back down, right to Fitzgerald who made no mistake second time. Cloughaneely were moving.

McGee added a third free, but by now 52 minutes had been played and Dungloe came out to fashion an excellent score from Daniel Ward to go 0-10 to 1-4 ahead. Cloughaneely were at kitchen-sink stage and when Michael Fitzgerald launched one into the square, there was a gasp before as everyone realised it had gone straight into the Dungloe net with 54 on the clock.

By now, it was a frenzy, on the field and off of it. Cloughaneely, now level at 2-4 to 0-10, sensed blood and pumped another ball forward and Conor Coyle found McGee who was drawing the trigger only to be blocked off and McLaughlin awarded another penalty. John Fitzgerald went for the same type of spot kick - this time a few inches lower - and executed it to perfection for his side’s third goal.

From there, it looked like Cloughaneely would be taking a Cathal McLaughlin Cup for the first time since 2014. Dungloe had other ideas, and both will have it all to do again next weekend.

Dungloe: Danny Rodgers (0-3, 2f, 1'45); Jack Scally, Mark Curran, Jason McBride; Barry Curran (0-2), Conor O’Donnell, Darren Curran; Christy Green, Matthew Ward (0-2); Dylan Sweeney, Ryan Connors, Shaun McGee; Daire Gallagher (0-1), Oisin Bonner (0-3,2f), Gerard Walsh (0-1). Subs: Daniel Ward (0-1) for McGee (42 mins), Noel McBride for Connors and Aaron Ward for Scally (both 56), Luke Neely for J McBride (60+4).

Cloughaneely: Shaun McClafferty; Noel Sweeney, Cian McFadden, Michael Fitzgerald (1-0); Ciaran McFadden, Lee O’Brien, Mark Harley; Jason McGee (0-3,3f), Darren McGeever (0-1); Aidan Doohan, Darren Ferry, Conor Coyle; Blake McGarvey, Paul Sweeney, Shaun Maguire. Subs: Cillian Gallagher for D McGeever (35), John Fitzgerald (2-0, 1-0 pen), for D Ferry (38), Ciaran McGeady for Coyle (40), Martin Maguire for S Maguire (42).

Referee: Shaun McLaughlin (Malin)