YOU’VE GOT TO HAND IT TO SEAMIE

Brilliant 1-7 from Rory’s comeback king earns a semi-final shot at Tyrone

IT was the night Rory Gallagher came back to his old base in Ballybofey and deservedly took the points.

Donegal started with only three regular starters from last year on a foggy night, Mark Anthony Mcginley, Hugh Mcfadden and Jamie Brennan and Odhran Macniallais.

But neighbours Fermanagh fielded an experienced line-up and it showed as a third quarter scoring surge was the catalyst for their victory.

Mercurial corner forward Seamie Quigley beat Donegal keeper Mark Anthony Mcginley to the punch from a long ball from Paul Mccusker in the 45th minute.

Quigley’s cracker put a stronger Fermanagh into a 1-10 to 1-7 lead in a ding-dong second half where both sides went for broke and they held out for a thoroughly deserved victory.

Fermanagh had a bright start and went into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead but were rocked by a superb goal from Donegal superb sub Jamie Brennan.

It was a thing of real beauty as a lightning move involving Paul Brenforts nan, Darach O’connor and Tony Mcclenaghan ended with Brennan beating converted Fermanagh keeper Pat Cadden at the second attempt.

Brennan followed this up with two superbly struck points to put the lively home side into a 1-4 to 0-3 lead by the 22nd minute.

Fermanagh’s scores in that period came from a fine effort from Declan Mccusker and two well struck ef- from comeback king Seamie Quigley.

But cometh the mini crisis, cometh Nathan Mullins who fetched, passed well and drove the home side forward as young Niall O’donnell and Ciaran Mcginley opened the scoring for Donegal.

Shell-shocked Fermanagh were pinned in their own half and did not score for 15 minutes but Daniel Teague ended a scoring famine.

Quigley nailed a 45 to leave Donegal 1-5 to 0-5 up at the interval. But it was a completely different Fermanagh side that took the pitch in the second half.

They hit a total of 1-6 in the opening 20 minutes of the second half.

The tempo upped with both teams going for victory.

But Fermanagh’s greater strength told in the end.

Quigley kept nailing the points in a match winning display as they now face Tyrone in t h e Mckenna Cup semi-final.

QUIG ON THE DRAW Seamus Quigley hit 1-7 on first start since 2014 and, below, his boss Rory Gallagher who last managed Donegal