ULSTER Under 17 Football League Semi-Final. Donegal 0-09 v 1-05 Down.
Second-Half Substitute Oisín Bonner kicked four points, including the winning score in the 59th minute to send Francie Friel’s Donegal Under 17 team into the Final of the McGuigan Cup.
The home side showed great resilience to come from behind as Bonner’s winning score was only the second time they had led in this keenly contested game.
Down had much the better of things in the opening period but were wasteful in their finishing, a problem that continued in the second-half as they kicked a total of eleven wides and dropped a number of balls short as well.
They led by two points at the break 0-03 to 1-02, their goal somewhat of a gift as Donegal’s Mickey Boyle’s pass when straight to full-forward Justin Clarke who hammered home.
Down increased the lead to three points seconds into the second-half but two quick scores by sub Bonner had Donegal quickly back in the game before Down scored again to make it 0-05 v 1-04.
Back came Donegal with points from frees by Mark Mc Ateer and Bonner and then a brilliant point from play by St.Eunan’s Conor O Donnell put them in the lead for the first time in the game with ten minutes left.
Down equalised two minutes later and with extra-time beckoning Donegal worked the ball into the danger area, forced the foul and Oisín Bonner confidently converted the resulting free to secure a Final place for Donegal.
Donegal will meet Tyrone in next week’s final after they came from behind to beat Cavan by one point 0-16 to 2-09 in the other Semi-Final.
Donegal: Eoin O Boyle, James Kelly, Ciaran Doherty, Cian Doherty, Odhran Duggan, Conor O Donnell, Peter Mc Eniff, Jamie Crawford 0-1, Danny Gallagher, Ian Campbell, Ben Bradley, Mark Mc Ateer 0-2, Mickey Boyle, Conor O Donnell 0-2 Kaolan Mc Monagle. Sub Oisín Bonner 0-4 for Boyle (h-t ).
