All-Ireland SFC: Impressive Donegal see of Louth Challenge

All-Ireland SFC Semi-Final

Donegal 1-23 Louth 0-18

By Paul Keane at Croke Park

The second coming of Jim McGuinness as Donegal manager continues to yield great gains, an All-Ireland SFC semi-final clash with Galway now pencilled into their calendar for mid-July.

The feeling was that Donegal may take a season to find their feet again under McGuinness, who returned for 2024, but already Ulster and Division Two Allianz League honours have been secured.

How far can they go from here? That remains to be seen, but what’s definite is that Donegal will have 100% belief in their ability to go one better than 2014 and to capture the Sam Maguire Cup again.

That was also the last season that they won a quarter-final and their latest win at this stage was secured by the excellence of Man of the Match Peadar Mogan, who struck 0-5 from play, while Caolan McColgan, Ryan McHugh, Michael Langan and goalscorer Eoghan Ban Gallagher all impressed too.

Donegal will return to Croke Park on July 13/14 and they will hope for another strong finish like the one they enjoyed here.

The northerners were just four points ahead with 49 minutes on the clock, but brought all their physicality, craft and quality to bear in the closing stages, Gallagher’s 60th minute goal effectively killing the contest as they strode eight clear by full-time.

In what was a first ever Championship meeting between the teams, Louth chased a maiden quarter-final win and lost no face in the eventual defeat.

It was still a historic season on a number of fronts with the north-easterners contesting eight Championship games for the first time ever, beating Cork for the first time since 1957 and reaching back-to-back Leinster finals for the first time since 1958.

Boss Ger Brennan wasn’t about to accept that as Louth’s lot though and while they rolled out the blanket without apology for the Leinster final against Dublin, they were a little more adventurous this time.

Donegal met them with a similar game plan and as Louth attacked, the Ulster champions often left three and sometimes four in their own half, ready to pounce. It made for an exciting, end-to-end encounter that didn’t let up for the 70 or so minutes.

Some of the turnover scores were breathtaking, in terms of the pace and ferocity that both sides were able to turn defence into attack.

Ryan Burns, for example, tapped over a 23rd minute point for Louth after a lightning quick move up the field that originated from a Mogan Donegal chance being blocked down in front of Hill 16.

Mogan was a constant attacking outlet for Donegal, clipping two first-half points and getting even better as the game went on.

Donegal had a range of scorers and their first seven points all came from different players as they opened up a 0-7 to 0-3 lead.

Mogan showed his searing pace in the 36th minute when, after timing his run to perfection, he burst onto a lay-off in a central position and fisted over.

Gallen was man-marked by Louth full-back Dermot Campbell but closed out the first-half scoring with his third point. Again, it was sourced from a turnover.

This time Louth’s Sam Mulroy was blocked down and Donegal didn’t need a second invitation to burst down the pitch, eventually working the ball to Gallen to kick his second from play.

Craig Lennon, who came into the game with 4-6 from the half-back line, pinched a Louth point in the 28th minute, leaving one it at that stage. Mulroy was unerring on the frees too but Donegal just about deserved their 0-11 to 0-8 half-time advantage.

The game’s key matchups remained in place for the second-half; Donal McKenny on Paddy McBrearty and Campbell on Gallen with Louth full-forward Mulroy still finding Brendan McCole by his side at every turn.

Donegal stretched their lead to five at the end of the third quarter, prompting Brennan to bring on three Louth players at the same time; Paul Mathews, Tom Jackson and Liam Jackson.

Ciaran Thompson stretched Donegal’s lead to six with 18 minutes to go, 0-17 to 0-11, and suddenly the game was in danger of slipping away from an overwhelmed looking Louth.

Donegal’s score of the day came in the 54th minute, an arrowed Shaun Patton kick-out to the left sideline for substitute Caolan McColgan to hare onto. Seconds later, Langan was celebrating his third point of the day for Donegal.

Gallagher’s goal arrived on the hour mark and that was pretty much that. It was a curious goal as sub Aaron Doherty overcooked a clever flick to the back post for McBrearty, who improvised and palmed the ball onto the post, allowing Gallagher to nip in and convert the rebound from close range.

Donegal got a nice punch from their bench with Doherty involved in the goal and pointing while Jamie Brennan sniped a late score too.

All in all, great work from Donegal who finished with 1-21 from play and made sure that Louth didn’t score a goal, something that had only previously happened against Kildare in this year’s Championship.

Scorers for Donegal: Peadar Mogan 0-5, Oisin Gallen 0-4 (1f), Eoghan Ban Gallagher 1-0, Michael Langan 0-3, Ciaran Moore 0-2, Ryan McHugh 0-2, Conor O’Donnell 0-2, Ciaran Thompson 0-2, Paddy McBrearty 0-1 (0-1m), Aaron Doherty 0-1, Jamie Brennan 0-1.

Scorers for Louth: Sam Mulroy 0-6 (4fs), Tommy Durnin 0-4, Ryan Burns 0-2, Ciaran Byrne 0-2, Conor Early 0-1, Craig Lennon 0-1, Liam Jackson 0-1, Tom Jackson 0-1.

Donegal: Shaun Patton; Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Brendan McCole, Peadar Mogan; Ryan McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, Ciaran Moore; Michael Langan, Ciaran Thompson; Shane O’Donnell, Conor O’Donnell, Daire O Baoill; Patrick McBrearty, Oisin Gallen, Niall O’Donnell.

Subs: Aaron Doherty for N O’Donnell h/t, Caolan McColgan for O Baoill 46, Jeaic MacCeallbhui for C O’Donnell 49, Jamie Brennan for McBrearty 59, Hugh McFadden for S O’Donnell 66.

Louth: Niall McDonnell; Dan Corcoran, Dermot Campbell, Donal McKenny; Bevan Duffy, Craig Lennon, Anthony Williams; Tommy Durnin, Conor Grimes; Leonard Grey, Ciaran Murphy, Conall McKeever; Ciaran Keenan, Sam Mulroy, Ryan Burns.

Subs: Conor Early for McKeever 17-f/t blood, Paul Mathews for Grey 43, Tom Jacksonfor Murphy 43, Liam Jackson for Burns 43, Ciaran Byrne for Williams 68, Tadhg McDonnell for Corcoran 71.

Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan).

Photo Credit: Ciaran Culligan (Louth GAA)