Mickey McCann’s Donegal got off to a perfect start in their Division 2B League campaign, defeating Sligo by four points in O’Donnell Park.
Donegal 1-16 Sligo 0-15
Donegal rarely let Sligo have a chance of taking the lead, with the sides only drawing level once at 0-6 apiece, while Ruairi Campbell’s first half goal gave the home side a cushion, while Declan Coulter punished the opposition with his free taking accuracy.
Donegal flew out of the traps with three quick points from Ruairi Campbell, Liam McKinney and Gerard Gilmore inside three minutes.
McKinney and Campbell got another each as Donegal were 0-5 to 0-1 up inside 13 minutes, with the visitors sole point coming from an Andrew Kilcullen free.
Kilcullen then fired over from 45 metres but Declan Coulter made it 0-6 to 0-2.
But Sligo fought back well in the second part of the first half, with points being scored from Kilcullen, Diarmuid Hanniffy and two from Tomás Cawley, one from a free.
Dáire O Maoileidigh got Mickey McCann’s side ahead again and Coulter made it a two point lead, but Cawley got another back for Sligo.
The key moment of the first half fell when Gerard Gilmore’s effort from range dropped short and Ruairi Campbell fired into the net to give Donegal a four point lead.
Hanniffy got one back for Sligo but O Maoileidigh got the last score of the half, 1-9 to 0-8.
Coulter’s free got Donegal up and running in the second half and Joe McHugh soon replied but free’s from Campbell and Coulter had Donegal six ahead.
Fionn Connolly and Eddie O’Donoghue helped to chip at the scoreline for Sligo but Coulter’s free taking was on point, firing over three more.
Kilcullen, Cawley and Conor Hanniffy were next to fire over for Sligo as both teams made plenty of changes with the scoreline at 1-15 to 0-14.
Diarmuid Hanniffy registered Sligo’s last score of the game before a Coulter free gave McCann’s Donegal side a win against a wasteful Sligo who will rue their misses.
Donegal: Dylan Lafferty; Stephen McBride, Stephen Gillespie, Michael Donoghue, Brian McIntyre, Christopher McDermott, Jack O Loughlin; Declan Coulter, Danny Cullern; Liam McKinney, Ritchie Ryan, Gerry Gilmore, Conor Gartland, Daire O Maoileidigh, Ruairi Campbell.
Subs: Gavin Browne and Sean Ward for O Loughlin and Ryan, Ryan Hilferty for McIntyre, Oisin Marley for Gilmore
Sligo: Luke Comerford; Darragh Cawley, James Weir, Kevin O’Kennedy, Ruairi Brennan, Rory McHugh, Donall Hanley; Niall Kilcullen, Fionn Connolly; Conor Hanniffy, Eddie O’Donoghue, Tomás Cawley, Liam O’Kelly Lynch, Andrew Kilcullen, Joe McHugh
