Donegal prove their worth in second half to blow away Fermanagh

Thanks to a brilliant individual display from Dáire Ó Baoill and a much improved second half from the team, Donegal ran out easy winners over Fermanagh to make it three from three in Division 2 of the National League in O’Donnell Park, Letterkenny.

Donegal struggled in the opening half to find the target but once they came out for the second half they looked a completely different side and were runaway winners. It seemed as if the goals at the river end of O’Donnell Park were difficult to find as both sides hit seven wides at that end.

Conditions in O’Donnell Park were almost perfect at the start of the game with no wind or rain although the rain did arrive at half-time.

The first half was most noteworthy for two opening bad wides for Fermanagh followed by some seven shots off target for the home side.

The star of the half was Donegal’s wing half-back, Dáire Ó Baoill,  who kicked three brilliant long range scores, the middle one the highlight, a looping effort with a golfer’s draw from close on 45m which drew the sides level at 0-4 each on 26 minutes.

Fermanagh were very strong in defence and got off to a good start with two Sean Cassidy points,  one froma free.

From there until the final score of the half from  Ó Baoill, it was almost score for score. The other interesting thing to note from a lacklustre opening half was three marks in-a-row, two to Fermanagh (Declan McCusker and Sean Cassidy) with Patrick McBrearty replying for Donegal.

Oisin Gallen put Donegal ahead for the first time in the contest on 28 minutes after Lee Cullen fouled Ryan McHugh. Conor McGee replied with a brilliant effort before fittingly Ó Baoill had the final score of the half to leave it Donegal 0-6, Fermanagh 0-5 at the break.

Brandon Horan had Fermanagh level  inside a minute of the restart but two Donegal subs hit back with Mark Curran and Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí.

Aaron Doherty had an effort saved by Ross Bogue but then the Fermanagh ‘keeper was caught way off his line and Dáire Ó Baoill put daylight between the sides on 42 minutes for a 1-8 to 0-6 lead.

It took a Josh Largo Ellis save on the line to deny Ryan McHugh as Donegal had a rampant period with the rain pouring down.

Another long ball set Dáire Ó Baoill on his way again and he combined with Ryan McHugh to fire home Donegal’s second goal on 50 minutes.

Peadar Mogan added to the lead while Fermanagh had a genuine goal  chance when Shane McGullion broke clear but he pulled his effort well wide.

Aaron Doherety,  Jeaic MacCeallabhuí and Patrick McBrearty stretched the lead before Diarmuid King had a lone Fermanagh score.

Tiarnan Bogue had Fermanagh’s third of the half but it was cancelled by Aaron Doherty Patrick McBrearty.

Oisin Gallen had  the final point as Donegal ran out very convincing winners.

Scorers for Donegal: Dáire Ó Baoill 2-3; Patrick McBrearty 0-3,1m; Oisin Gallen 0-3,2f; Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí, Aaron Doherty 0-2 each; Michael Langan, Peadar Mogan, Mark Curran 0-1 each.

Scorers for Fermanagh: Sean Cassidy 0-3,f,m; Declan McCusker (m), Conor McGee, Brandon Horan, Diarmuid King, Tiarnan Bogue (m) 0-1 each.

Donegal: Shaun Patton; Kevin McGettigan, Brendan McCole, Stephen McMenamin; Ryan McHugh, Ciaran Moore, Dáire ÓBaoill; Ciarán Thompson, Caolan McGonagle; Peadar Mogan, Odhran Doherty, Michael Langan; Patrick McBrearty, Oisin Gallen, Jamie Brennan.

Subs: Mark Curran for McGettigan; Aaron Doherty for J Brennan (both ht); Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí for Thompson (38); Hugh McFadden for C Moore (54); Luke McGlynn for O Doherty (57); Domhnall MacGiolla Bhride for Langan (63).

Fermanagh: Ross Bogue; Lee Cullen, Ché Cullen, Oisin Smyth; Declan McCusker, Shane McGullion, Josh Largo Ellis; Brandon Horan, Joe McDade; Conor McGee, Ronan McCaffrey, Conor McShea; Ultán Kelm, Garvan Jones, Sean Cassidy.

Subs: Diarmuid King, for G Jones; Tiarnan Bogue for McCaffrey, Cian McManus for Largo Ellis (all 53); Callum Jones for B Horan (61); James McMahon for McShea(70+2)

Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford)