Back from the brink – how Donegal have defied the clock to stay unbeaten

FEB 25 NFL DIVISION 2

Athletic Grounds Donegal 0-12 Armagh 1-9

When Rian O’Neill fired over a point, they trailed by a point as this top-ofthe-table Division 2 clash went into injury time in a game that they should have been winning – had Oisín Gallen’s penalty not been saved five minutes from the end. Shane O’Donnell comes up with the injury-time point to share the spoils, but even then Jarlath Óg Burns botches a chance to win for Armagh when his punched effort for a point drops short in the final play.

MARCH 31 NFL DIV 2 FINAL

Croke Park

Donegal 0-15

Armagh 0-14

In the ultimate slow burner in which they led throughout, momentum was against Donegal when Oisín O’Neill kicked Armagh’s fifth point in a row to lead by a point going into injury time. But in five crazy minutes, they stirred again, came back to take the lead with points from Caolan McGonagle and Oisín Gallen. And even when Oisín Conaty levelled for Armagh, Aaron Doherty hit the winning score with the last kick.

APRIL 28 ULSTER SEMI-FINAL

Celtic Park

Donegal 0-18 Tyrone 0-16 (AET)

They looked down and out when they fell behind by three points in the final quarter. And while they slowly reeled Tyrone in, they still trailed by a point with the game deep in injury time. In one final attack, Ryan McHugh crossed a ball which Tyrone goalkeeper Niall Morgan could only punch away under pressure and full-back Brendan McCole was on hand to pick up the breaking ball and pop it over the bar to force extra-time, at which point there was ever only going to be one winner.

MAY 19 ULSTER FINAL

Clones

Donegal 0-20 Armagh 0-20 (AET)

Donegal win 6-5 on penalties

This time they did not leave it as late, but they managed to dig themselves out of two of the deepest holes. In a cagey final, when Stefan Campbell kicked Armagh four points clear in the 54th minute, it looked done and dusted, but points from Niall O’Donnell, Gallen (free), Jason McGee and Patrick McBrearty meant that if anything, with the momentum they enjoyed, Donegal were disappointed to only be rewarded with extra-time. And then when Aidan Nugent kicked Armagh two clear in the second half of extra-time, once more they dug deep and points from Daire Ó Baoill and Ódhran Doherty brought it to a penalty shoot-out, where Donegal had something more substantial to lean on than luck.