After leading by four points at half-time Donegal Under 20’s came strong in the second-half to beat a gallant Fermanagh team at MacCumhaill Park and make it two wind from two in their group and set up a group decider against Armagh in two weeks time.
Donegal 1-13 Fermanagh 0-5
By Charlie Collins at MacCumhaill Park
Donegal opened their campaign with an away win in Cavan while Fermanagh lost at home to Armagh by six points, so with home advantage to Armagh to come in two weeks time a win here was a must for Donegal in terms of securing a top two spot in the group.
Senan Carr gave Donegal an early lead from a mark , Micheal Burns quickly replied , but fine points from play by Patrick McElwee and Finbarr Roarty put the home team two ahead.
Diarmuid Owens got Fermanagh’s second and Donegal had let-off when Jarlath Flanagan’s punch to the net but ruled to have been in the square.
Luke McGlynn kicked a super point from play, Patrick McElwee converted a free from near the sideline and Donegal led by three 0-05 to 0-02.
Conor O Hanlon converted a free for the visitors but Karl Joseph Molloy replied with a mark and a free and the lead was four points 0-07 to 0-03.
Diarmuid Owens kicked his second point but a good Donegal move was finished off with Oisín Caulfield’s point and Donegal led by 0-08 to 0-04 at half-time.
Patrick McElwee and Diarmuid Owens both added their third point early in the second-half and then after a scoreless period Luke McGlynn converted a free and almost immediately after a foul on McGlynn and a quickly-taken free Oisín Caulfield and Senan Carr combined to set up Patrick McElwee to palm the ball to the net, 1-10 to 0-05 and game over as a contest.
Oisín Caulfield , Karl Magee and Luke McGlynn all added points as Donegal ran out winners by 1-13 to 0-05 to secure a top two spot in the group.
Now a victory over Armagh, who beat Cavan by 2-09 to 2-07 tonight, in two weeks time will see them take a semi-final spot.
Donegal: Damian McGowan , Cormac Gallagher, Finbarr Roarty , Karl Magee (0-01), , Finn Coll, , Oisin Caulfield (0-02), Sean Martin , Conor Reid , Shaun Ward , Conor McGinty, Luke McGlynn (0-03) , Seanán Carr ( 0-01), KJ Molloy ( 0-02), Patrick McElwee (1-03) Eoghan Kelly. Subs used; Cian McMenamin for Gallagher (43mins), Daithi Gildea, Kevin Lynch and Adam McGeever for Carr, Molloy and Reid (all 55mins), Luke Glerkin For Finn ( 60 mins).
Fermanagh: Shane Mulligan , Cal McAnespie , Liam McEnri , Adam Callaghan , Jamie McCaffrey , Shaun McCarron , Michael Burns 0-01), Jarlath Flanagan, Lughaidh Donnelly , Cian O Brien, Conor O Hanlon (0-01), Diarmuid Owens (0-03), Jack Quinlan , Sean Conlon, Keelan Fitzpatrick. Subs used ; Damian Og Kelly and Mattie McDermott (both h/t), Caolan Brennan (42mins) Shay Deazley (55mins). Lanty Feely (57mins)
Referee: Diarmuid Boylan ( Monaghan
