Donegal evade Kildare challenge - but injuries to Murphy and McGee a concern

Workmanlike is probably the best way to describe Donegal's victory over Kildare in the Allianz League Division 1 at Ballybofey today.

Donegal 2-11
Kildare 1-9

A goal from Kildare’s Jimmy Hyland put the visitors one up in the first half, although goals from Ryan McHugh and Patrick McBrearty got Donegal ahead by six by the break.

In the second half, Kildare came back to within three points, 2-7 to 1-7, at a stage as the home side looked jittery on occasion. But they held their nerve to get over the line.

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What will be of concern to manager Declan Bonner ahead of the trip to Killarney in two weeks’ time will be the fitness of both Michael Murphy and Jason McGee - both limping off. Murphy, the Donegal captain, and Kildare midfielder Kevin Feely went off just after the midpoint of the first half.

At the time, Donegal were 0-5 to 0-3 in front and with the stadium announcer Fergus McGee’s echo still rumbling around the ground, Kildare’s Jimmy Hyland had ghosted in unattended to slap a Ben McCormack centre past Shaun Patton on 22 minutes.

If there was a worry from the Donegal support, it was there and then. Without Murphy, though, they impressed from there until the end of the half with two goals turning the tide. Firstly, from an energetic Eoghan Ban Gallagher break on 27 minutes, McBrearty drove past Aaron O’Neill.

Then, in the first minute of first half injury-time, with Kildare hemmed in, Michael Langan waited to release McHugh, who took the chance with aplomb and Donegal were looking good at 2-7 to 1-4 at the break.

Donegal had drawn their opening fixture having been pegged back from five down against Mayo at Markievicz Park, while Kildare had bridged that same deficit to pick up a point from Kerry in Newbridge - so everyone at MacCumhaill Park knew it was far from over.

With Hyland leading the line and Ryan Houlihan and Kevin Flynn posting scores, Kildare gradually clawed their way back into it with their hosts looking uncertain. Conor O’Donnell kicked his third point of the day for Donegal to arrest the slide.

Donegal steadied and a fine individual point from Shane O'Donnell and a fourth from impressive Langan made sure of the home win.

Scorers for Donegal: Patrick McBrearty and Ryan McHugh (1-1), Michael Langan (0-4,1f), Conor O’Donnell (0-3), Jason McGee and Shane O’Donnell (0-1).

Scorers for Kildare: Jimmy Hyland (1-4, 1m, 1f), Pauric Tuohy (0-1), Paddy Woodgate (0-2, 2f) Ryan Houlihan, Kevin Flynn (0-1)

Donegal: Shaun Patton; Caolan Ward, Brendan McCole, Odhrán McFadden-Ferry; Tony McClenaghan, Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Paul Brennan; Jason McGee, Michael Langan; Peadar Mogan, Conor O’Donnell, Ryan McHugh; Patrick McBrearty, Michael Murphy, Jamie Brennan. Subs: Charles McGuiness for Murphy (21), Shane O’Donnell for McGee (38), Ethan O’Donnell for McCleneghan (50), Mark Curran for Brennan (60), Stephen McMenamin for McFadden-Ferry (69)

Kildare: Aaron O’Neill; Mark O’Grady, Shea Ryan, Ryan Houlihan; Jack Sargent, James Murray, Tony Archibold; Kevin Feely, Kevin Flynn; Padraic Tuohy, Paul Cribbin, Ben McCormack; Paddy Woodgate, Daniel Flynn, Jimmy Hyland. Subs: Aaron Masterson for Feely (21), Neil Flynn for McCormack (50), Paddy McDermott for Tuohy (58), Fergal Conway for Cribbin (65).

Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry)