Donegal Ladies hold on in frantic finish to get win and top qualifying group

Donegal Ladies have topped their group in the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Championship but only by the skin of their teeth.

Donegal 1-13
Kerry 3-6

It was a nailbiting finish as Kerry almost got the draw which would have seen them top the group. Donegal really should not have been in that position if they had taken their chances in the first half, including a penalty miss.
Donegal got off to a good start and led by 1-4 to 0-2 at the end of the first quarter.
They could have had a goal after 25 seconds when good work by Geraldine McLaughlin and Niamh Hegarty set Sarah Jane McDonald free on goal but the Kerry 'keeper made a great save.
Geraldine McLaughlin got them on their way with a pointed free before Ailish Ward got the goal, palming home after good approach work by Geraldine McLaughlin.
The St. Naul's woman added a point almost immediately after good work from Yvonne Bonner and Katie Herron.
Kerry did have chances and pulled a point back from a soft free and then had a goal chance with Amy Foley seeing her effort touched over the bar by Laura Gallagher.
Aoife McDonnell and Karen Guthrie had Donegal points and they should have had a second goal when awarded a penalty after Bonner was fouled on the end of a great run, but for the second week in-a-row, Ailish Ward, was unable to find the net. Last week she blasted over the bar but this time she was wide of the target.
The miss gave Kerry some hope and they fired home a goal on 22 minutes, Amy Foley finishing after good work by Andrea Murphy and Sarah Houlihan.
Before half-time Donegal steadied the ship and points from Katie Herron and Geraldine McLaughlin (2) had them 1-7 to 1-2 up at the break. Indeed, they could have been further ahead as a great effort from Sarah Jane McDonald came back off a post.
Kerry were reduced to 14 early in the second half when Lorraine Scanlon was yellow carded after a charge on Bonner.
Geraldine McLaughlin put Donegal six ahead and Yvonne Bonner added another and indeed could have had a goal. The chance came after a great ball over the top from Aoife McDonnell to Bonner, who had the Kerry 'keeper advancing but lofted her effort over the bar.
Kerry came back with strongly with a goal from Louise O Muircheartaigh to cut the deficit to 1-9 to 2-2.
Two points from Geraldine McLaughlin, one from a free, seemed to settle Donegal, but Kerry refused to throw in the towel. They added a point from Andrea Murphy but Geraldine McLaughlin replied for Donegal to keep her side six in front.
But a point from Sarah Houlihan was followed by a third goal from Amanda Brosnan to leave just two between them at the end of the third quarter.
Houlihan cut the deficit to the minimum with 13 minutes left as both sides began to feel the tension.
Geraldine McLaughlin missed a free but then nailed a more difficult one to put Donegal two ahead again.
Kerry lost Katy O'Sullivan to a yellow card while Donegal lost Niamh Hegarty, also to a yellow card.
Donegal showed remarkable composure in defence and in holding possession, but with minutes left, Houlihan added a free to cut the deficit to the minimum, but Donegal held on in a very tense finish with the rain pouring down.

DONEGAL: Laura Gallagher; Terese Doherty, Nicole McLaughlin, Deirdre Foley; Treasa McCafferty, Ciara Hegarty, Anne Marie McGlynn; Katy Herron (0-1), Aoife McDonnell (0-1); Karen Guthrie (0-1), Niamh Hegarty, Sarah Jane McDonald; Geraldine McLaughlin (0-7,4f), Yvonne Bonner (0-1), Eilish Ward (1-1). Subs., Ciara Grant for Guthrie; Roisin Friel for Grant.
KERRY: L Fitzgerald; L Coughlan, K O'Sullivan, E Lynch; D Kearney, A Desmond, A O'Connell; L Scanlon, A Brosnan (1-0); E Dineen, L O Muircheartaigh (1-0), A Foley (1-1); A Murphy (0-1), E O'Leary, S Houlihan (0-4,2f). Subs., S Lynch for Foley; S Burns for Brosnan.

REFEREE: Gerry Carmody (Mayo)