INJURIES SUSTAINED TO both Michael Murphy and Neil McGee in the All-County League Division 1 this afternoon will be of concern to Donegal manager Rory Gallagher.
Both players were forced off in a meeting of their respective club sides – Glenswilly and Gaoth Dobhair – this afternoon at Pairc Naomh Columba.
Murphy (pictured by Geraldine Diver) departed on 17 minutes having gone into a challenge with Gaoth Dobhair corner-back Jamie Reynolds, who was in possession. The shoulder was hard but fair, with Reynolds standing his ground. However, both players knees connected in the impact and it was the Donegal captain who came off the worst.
Having been grounded for three minutes, 27-year-old Murphy was helped from the field by his father Mick – who is part of the Glenswilly backroom team – and Eddie Crawford.
Glenswilly were 1-4 to 0-3 in front at the time with Murphy having just scored a point on the run after a fine start at centre-field. But Gaoth Dobhair, with Niall Friel scoring seven points from play, ended up winning an entertaining contest 0-22 to 2-13.
McGee was replaced three minutes into the second half with a back injury by James Boyle. The three-time All-Star walked off himself, albeit looking a little stiff, and later received treatment by the visitors’ bench.
Michael Carroll of Gaoth Dobhair was down momentarily in the first half and was treated by Glenswilly physio Michelle Nugent, who was busy helping both teams all afternoon, while Odhrán MacNiallais had to leave the fray at half-time with a hamstring injury.
All in all, it wasn’t a dirty game despite what impression the withdrawals might suggest, with just two yellow cards and a late red to Glenswilly’s Ciaran Gibbons for an off the ball incident.
This afternoon it was confirmed that Tyrone will be Donegal’s opponents in the Ulster SFC semi-final on Sunday, June 18, following the Red Hands’ victory over Derry on a 0-22 to 0-11 scoreline at Celtic Park.
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