Sport

Galway take their chances

Galway 0-9 Donegal 0-7: Galway's All-Ireland-winning experience was used to full advantage in taking both points against Donegal…

Mon Feb 25 2002 - 00:00

Galway 0-9 Donegal 0-7:Galway's All-Ireland-winning experience was used to full advantage in taking both points against Donegal at Fr Tierney Park, Ballyshannon, yesterday. The westerners were worthy winners, thanks to their economy of effort in taking their chances while the home side rattled up 16 wides over the 70 minutes.

After a whirlwind start with points after 15 and 99 seconds from Kieran Comer and Donegal corner back Eamon Doherty, Galway took control with Comer, in particular, very threatening. By the 26th minute they were 0-5 to 0-1 ahead, despite playing against the breeze and they also had two excellent goal chances for Comer and Ja Fallon.

Donegal pulled themselves back into contention with two Adrian Sweeney points before the break, but they were struggling to contain Kevin Walsh at midfield.

The arrival of Brendan Devenney from the subs bench, after being airlifted from his goal scoring exertions in Cobh on Saturday night, breathed new life into the home side and they were back on level terms 13 minutes into the second half.

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However, the Galway response was swift with three unanswered points to open up a match-winning gap inside five minutes.

For the final 21 minutes, the game yielded just one point from Adrian Sweeney, with Donegal never showing enough initiative to salvage even a point. Just before the end Galway were reduced to 14 when Derek Savage was red-carded after a tussle with Michael Doherty.

DONEGAL: T. Blake, E Doherty (0-1), M. Crossan, N. McGinley, R Sweeney, B Monaghan, D Diver, K Rafferty, J McGuinness, M Hegarty, J Gildea, B Roper, A. Gallagher, A Sweeney (0-4, one free), J McCafferty. Subs: B Devenney (0-2, two frees) for McCafferty; J Gallagher for A Gallagher; P McGonagle for Roper; C McFadden for McGuinness; K Cassidy for Doherty.

GALWAY: A Keane, M Comer, G Fahey, T Meehan, M Colleran, K Fitzgerald, R Fahey, K Walsh, J Bergin, P Clancy (0-2), J Fallon, M Clancy, D Savage (0-1), K Comer (0-6, two frees), T Joyce. Subs: S O'Domhnaill for Clancy; J Donnellan for Joyce.

Referee: S McCormack (Meath)