GALWAY LEAVE POOR DONEGAL IN TIRS
JOHNNY HEANEY blasted home two first-half goals to send Galway on their way to a Croke Park date with Kerry.
Dismal Donegal just had no answer to a powerful performance from the Tribesmen who had the game wrapped up by the interval when they led by The All-ireland champions may not be at the level of last year’s form just yet – there are still big questions over their full-back line – but they remain a potent force in attack and had important scoring contributions from Seamus Callanan, John Mcgrath and Noel Mcgrath. However, a sevenpoint lead with 15 minutes left was almost eradicated as Clare reeled off six in a row. Ultimately, an equaliser remained elusive for the Banner and Tipp pushed on once more. While Tony Kelly took the honour of scoring the new 3-9 to 0-7. Donegal played most of the second-half with just 13 men when Michael Murphy and Martin Mcelhinney picked up black cards when they had all six subs used.
But the game was over as a contest by then as Galway bossed matters throughout.
The big breakthrough came for Galway after 16 minutes when Heaney got in for the first of his goals after Armstrong and the impressive Ian Burke had set him up and he fisted to the net.
It got worse for Donegal when referee Anthony Nolan dished out a black card to the goalkeeper while his replacement, Peter Boyle, stood little chance against Liam Silke’s penalty.
The loss of Murphy and Mcelhinney meant no way back for Donegal who missed a penalty when Paddy Mcbreaty’s SCORERS: GALWAY: J Heaney (2-2); S Armstrong (0-6, 3f); L Silke (1 pen) & D Cummins (1-0 each); G O’donnell & E Brannigan (0-2 each); S Walsh, P Conroy, I Burke, M Daly & D Comer (0-1 each). DONEGAL: P Mcbrearty (0-6, 2f); M Murphy (0-4, 3f, 1 ’45); M O’reilly (0-2); M Mcelhinney, M Langan (0-1 each).