Relief for McCann as Donegal rescue a draw

Deep disappointment tinged with just a soupcon of relief were the conflicting emotions running through Donegal boss Mickey McCann’s mind as he reflected on a brilliant game of hurling.

It took a last minute goal from inspirational team captain Ronan McDermott to ensure a late draw for Donegal in Saturday’s Nickey Rackard tussle with Roscommon.

It was the very least they deserved after outplaying a fancied Roscommon side for all of the first half and most of the second half.

And it looked good for them as they led by 0-22 to 1-13 with ten minutes to go.

But two late goals from the Rossies ensured a frantic finish and they ended up tied 1-22 to 3-16.

McDermott's late goal earns Donegal a Nickey Rackard draw with Roscommon

The Donegal skipper struck in the 72nd minute to earn a share of the spoils in Letterkenny for Mickey McCann's side

“We were winning by five and we had a chance to go six up with ten minutes to go and Sean McVeigh just pulled his shot wide, and they go down the field and get a penalty and a goal and that is a four- point turnaround and changes the game completely,” McCann said.

“We had all the momentum and were opening the spaces up front.

“Ritchie Ryan had a great third quarter for us and caused them a lot of problems, but we seem to be leaking goals a lot.

“Their wing forward Daniel Glynn caused us a lot of bother and he got a lot of scores but it is a big result getting a draw as it leaves it in our hands as we have to beat Warwickshire and Tyrone if we want to get to a Nickey Rackard Cup final.

“We hurled better than Roscommon for most of the match, but they had a few wee purple patches where they got goals and we are still conceding goals.

“Other teams are getting the goals when they need them against us, but we are not getting the goals at all apart from Ronan’s late one today”.

McCann was frustrated with the concession of three goals and felt that his team was ‘the better side for most of the match’.

The Donegal manager said: “There are very fine margins in these games, and we just did not close it out.

“On the plus side that first half was the best we hurled all through the whole campaign.

“It would have been heart breaking had we lost and it would have been hard to get morale up again in that dressing room.”