Sligo came from eight points down to snatch a late but deserved victory over Donegal in O Donnell Park.
Donegal 1-19 v 1-20 Sligo
By Charlie Collins
Donegal will rue missed chances and conceding a goal so quickly after going five ahead in the second-half but Sligo scored 1-13 in that second-half with some fine scores. Sean McVeigh and Andy Kilcullen exchanged early points and then after Donegal had shot three quick wides, Sligo took the lead with an excellent Kevin Gilmartin score.
Donegal responded well and Padraig Doherty’s high ball into the danger area was brilliantly hooked to the net by Daire O Maoileidigh.
A minute later Daire added a point to leave a goal between them 1-02 to 0-02. Andy Kilcullen added a third Sligo point but then Donegal dominated the next period of play with six points in a row – four from Davin Flynn and one apiece from Brian McIntyre and Ronan McDermott to leave eight points, 1-08 to 0-03. Rory McHugh replied for Sligo but McDermott converted a super score from near the sideline to leave eight between them again.
Three Sligo scores from play followed in quick succession , Tomas Cawley , Ruairi Brennan and a second from Rory McHugh to narrow the margin to just five points.
However, just before the half-time whistle Davin Flynn added his fifth point from a free to lead by six at the break 1-10 to 0-07.
Second half
Sligo came out and dominated the early stages of the second-half with five points to Donegal’s one in the opening ten minutes.
Tony O Kelly-Flynn, Tomas Cawley , Joe McHugh and Andy Kilcullen got four in a row.
Danny Cullen clipped one over for Donegal but Conor Hanniffy replied to leave two between 1-11 to 0-12. Gerard O Kelly-Lynch blasted a great goal chance wide as Sligo continued on the front foot and the tempo increased. Tomas Cawley left a point in it, Conor Gatland made it two again but Andy Kilcullen left the minimum between them. Bernard Lafferty and Davin Flynn points left a goal in it again 1-14 to 0-14 but back came O Kelly-Flynn with a free but Donegal hit a purple patch with points from O Maoileidigh , Flynn and Bernard Lafferty and Donegal looked in control with five points ahead. But almost immediately Sligo hit the net. Andy Kilcullen followed up after Luke White had parried Conor Hanniffy’s piledriver.
Three points followed from Hanniffy and two from Kilcullen put Sligo ahead for the first time since the 2nd minute in the 67th minute at 1-18 to 1-17. Davin Flynn’s 9th point levelled it up again but Hanniffy and Joe McHugh put Sligo two in front and Bernard Lafferty’s late score wasn’t enough to deny Sligo a place in the league final against Derry next week.
Donegal: Luke White, Gavin Browne, Stephen Gillespie, Padraig Doherty; Conor O’Grady , Michael Donaghue, Sean McVeigh (0-01) , Danny Cullen (0-01), Brian McIntyre (0-01), Ronan McDermott ( 0-02), Conor Gartland (0-01), Gerry Gilmore , Daire O Maoileidigh ( 1-02 ), Barney Lafferty (0-03) , Davin Flynn ( 0-09/5f’s). Subs ;Chris McDermott , Jack O Loughlin and Josh Cronolly McGhee for Gilmore , Donaghue and Doherty (48mins ), Mark Callaghan for Browne (55mins) , Liam McKinney for O Grady (60mins).
SLIGO: Jimmy Gordon, Niall Kilcullen , Mark Hannify, Kevin O’Kennedy , Gavin Connolly , Rory McHugh (0-02), Niall Feehily , Fionn Connolly; Finnian Cawley , Joe McHugh (0-02) , Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch(0-01), Kevin Gilmartin ( 0-01 ), Ruairi Brennan ( 0-01) , Andy Kilcullen ( 1-06/4f’s), Tomas Cawley ( 0-03) . Subs ; Tony O Kelly Lynch ( 0-01) for Brennan ( 30mins), Conor Hanniffy (0-03), for Gilmartin (34mins), Michael Munnelly for Fionn Connolly (65mins).
Referee ; Kevin Parke ( Antrim ).
