Muineachán 5-10
Dún na nGall 2-11
The loss of first choice goalkeeper Daithí Roberts minutes before the game commenced was forgotten as Donegal powered into a 1-1 to no score lead within two minutes. Donegal dominated most of the first period playing the more enterprising football but soft goals and concession of needless frees left the teams level 3-5 to 2-8 at the break when Donegal’s enterprising play and dominance of possession should have had them well ahead.
The second half was a completely different ball game. Monaghan actually scored less (2-5) than they did in the first period but totally dominated the half, out-playing and out-muscling the Donegal boys. Tiernan Kierans netted their fourth goal less than a minute into the half and a point from Kyle Connolly quickly followed. Johnny McGroddy converted a free four minutes in but it was the 21st minute before Donegal again troubled the scoreboard – a Carlos O’Reilly point -and within 30 seconds, Liam McDonald had the ball in the net for his hat-trick and Monaghan’s fifth goal.
Scorers for Donegal were Carlos O’Reilly (2-3), Johnny McGroddy (0-5, 3f), and a point each for Kealan Dunleavy, Eoin de Búrca and Eoin Martin.
