Donegal 5-11
Galway 1-7
MANAGER Stephen Glennon described this Ladies National Football League semi-final last Sunday as a ‘harrowing experience’ as Galway’s spring ambitions were derailed in spectacular fashion.
After Roisin Leonard struck a 32nd minute goal to bring the Tribeswomen back to within one point, four scores in three minutes from Donegal were followed by an Yvonne McMonagle goal before Micheal Naughton’s team added 3-2 in the final quarter.
It’s easy knock Galway following this result, but this was a second successive flat effort from the Tribeswomen. Against Dublin and Donegal, their challenge faded, imploded maybe, and left more questions than answers heading into the summer.
They’ve ten weeks until the Connacht Final and while they beat Mayo twice in January, on current form Galway will be underdogs. The opening exchanges were played at a breath-taking pace but Donegal, namely their twin assassins, Geraldine McLoughlin and McMonagle, made their opportunities count.
Galway, in contrast, worked into ideal positions before squandering routine efforts through poor decision making and disappointing shooting. And as the game wore on, their energy levels faded before the growing frustration led to disciplinary errors and an unfortunate Aine McDonagh red card.
Katie Herron’s sin-binning two minutes before half-time was a turning point Donegal led 1-3 to 0-3 before their midfielder was forced off for 10 minutes but they then outscored Galway by 0-5 to 1-0. And when Herron did return, her delivery allowed McMonagle outjump Dearbhla Gower for the Tir Conaill women’s second goal.
Galway won the throw-in and their attack was eventually rewarded when Leonard kicked a good score on two minutes. But Donegal’s response put them ahead as McLoughlin cut inside before being taken down by Gower. The Termon forward made no mistake with the resulting penalty.
She added a point leaving it 1-1 to 0-1 on four minutes but Galway’s best goal scoring chance came two minutes later when Ailbhe Davoren was on the end of an attack down the right before sending her shot off the post.
Noelle Connolly reduced arrears but Grainne Houston replied for Donegal. Olivia Divilly turned over a sweet Galway point on 22 minutes though Karen Guthrie’s free had the Ulster team three ahead before Herron’s dismissal.
What was more frustrating is while Galway’s three points were as good as any, they missed easier chances and regularly took an extra unneeded pass eventually running into a dogged Donegal defensive line.
In fairness, at the other end, players were getting back restricting opportunities for Donegal’s chief attackers though no man marking job would deny McMonagle a skilful turn and point before half-time, leaving it 1-4 to 0-3.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
