Donegal overcome Louth to win second All-Ireland Masters’ Championship outing

Donegal followed up their victory over Cavan with an eight-point success over Louth in their All-Ireland Masters’ Championship Round 2 fixture on Friday night.

Donegal 0-17
Louth 0-9

In the end, the margin of victory was eight points at the Donegal Training Centre following a sporting contest in which Stephen Coyle from St Michael’s scored six points for the side managed by Mark Cannon, who kept goal for the closing stages. Gerard McBrearty and Benny Boyle also scored three apiece as everyone enjoyed a run-out.

Louth’s Damien Connor put over seven points for the Leinster side, who had won their first outing against Antrim. Donegal’s victory over Cavan was 2-13 to 0-12 two weeks beforehand.

Donegal get All-Ireland Masters campaign off to winning start

Goals from Eunan Keaveney and Gerard McBrearty helped Donegal get the better of Cavan

It was Coyle who set the ball rolling with the opening score and by the end of the first quarter he had three, with Boyle from Killybegs also on the mark, as was Charlie Creevey of Letterkenny Gaels. Donegal were 0-5 to 0-3 in front, with Paul Burke joining Connor on the scoreboard.

By half-time it was 0-9 to 0-4 for the home team, with Louth goalkeeper Sean Quigley making a good save from MacCumhaill’s McNulty to keep the sheet clean. Naomh Padraig’s Eunan Keaveney had also got in on the scoring act.

With all players from both panels getting decent cameos, there were constant changes with Éamonn Ó Muircheartaigh one of the Louth replacements - son of the legendary broadcaster Michéal. 

The visitors probably needed a goal to get back into it, although Cathal Gallagher and Cannon in the Donegal goal didn’t concede over the hour. The away team kept chipping away, mainly through Connor. Donegal showed good legs at midfield and McBrearty was involved in plenty up top as they got to the three-quarter mark 0-13 to 0-6 in front, with Coyle back on. He would score three more in the final quarter, with Martin Keown also scoring at the end.

Next up for Donegal is a clash with Down in three weeks’ time, with Louth travelling to Kildare.

Donegal scorers: Stephen Coyle 0-6, 1f; Gerard McBrearty  0-3; Benny Boyle 0-3, 2f; Paddy McNulty 0-2; Charlie Creevey, Eunan Keaveney and Martin Keown 0-1. 
Louth scorers: Damien Connor, 0-7, 6f; Paul Burke and Trevor Hilliard 0-1. 

Donegal: Cathal Gallagher; Charlie Doherty, Conor McShane, Paddy Joe Doohan; Martin Donaghy, Hugh Foy, Charlie Creevey; Benny Boyle, Paddy McNulty; Gerard McBrearty, Eunan Keaveney, Liam McGroarty; Michael Canning, Stephen Coyle, Sean McDaid. Subs: Mark Cannon, Enda Kelly, Gary Gillen, Gavin Kelly, David McShane, Kerry Ryan, Charley Bonner, Nickey McGarrigle, Brendan Quinn, Martin Keown, Peter Devlin, James Anthony McMullan. 

Louth: Sean Quigley; Peter Hughes, Tommy Donegan, Tommy Prendergast; Glen O’Reilly, Noel Tuite, Noel Lucid; Shea Gogarty, James Tiffoney; Trevor Hilliard, David Bracken, Paul Burke; Damien Connor, Aidan Slevin, Mark Brennan. Subs: Kevin McKenna, Éamonn Ó Muircheartaigh, Mark Carr, John Kerr, Paudie Murray.

Referee: John Griffin