Bonner: 'I thought it had gone wide but we had our chances'

Declan Bonner decided not to complain too much about a controversial Ryan O'Donoghue free that helped Mayo claim a draw with Donegal at Markievicz Park on Sunday.

The Mayo forward scored the penultimate point prior to goalkeeper Rob Hennelly popping over a free in the last minute of injury time to seal an 0-11 each draw in the opening fixture of the Allianz League Division 1.

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There seemed to be a level of uncertainty between the umpires over O’Donoghue’s effort at the posts, which Donegal goalkeeper Shaun Patton at the time vehemently protested was wide.

“From where I was I thought it had gone wide,” Bonner, the Donegal manager, said afterwards. “But at the end of the day we had our chances, we should have been well clear at that stage.

“It's disappointing naturally enough that we didn't see it out. I think the only time that Mayo were level when was then they kicked that last point to equalise “But listen we'll take the point and we'll move on.”

Donegal led by five points on three occasions during the match and also saw Hennelly save a 53td minute Patrick McBrearty penalty after Mayo’s Stephen Coen was sent off, picking up a second yellow card for the foul that led to the kick being awarded.

“It would have put us six points ahead which in that type of a game would have allowed you to see the game out,” Bonner added. “In fairness to Mayo, they came back at us roared on by a big crows. It was great to see a big crowd here today. I know conditions were not great under foot or to be watching it but there was a great atmosphere and we can take positives from it. We are disappointed that we did not pick up the two points.

“We played really good football for long periods of that game, we had control and we led the whole way through until the last minute of the match so ultimately we are disappointed we lost a point but we will take the point and move on.”

Conditions were brutal at times with constant wind and rain, although it was Mayo who flourished in the closing stages to kick the last four points of the contest in front of the excitable 9,000 crowd.

“The conditions were very difficult out there and the wind really changed,” Bonner added. “Ultimately they put the pressure on and got the scores at the end. We are disappointed, we had opportunities to go clear and we didn’t take those. We will look at that, we will take the positives and see where we need to improve and there is improvement required.

“I said during the week that this would go down the final straight, it would come down to a final kick of the ball because that is the way these games have been the last couple of years.

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"Both teams went at it but it was a real sporting game, high intensity and a real level up from what we were playing in the McKenna Cup. It was a good work-out for us but we need to take that point, move on and get ready for Kildare next Sunday which won’t be easy.”