DONEGAL REMAIN UNBEATEN in Division 2 of the football league after Michael Murphy swung over a last minute free to earn a 1-12 to 1-12 draw with Meath at McCool Park.
The Royal County raced into a 0-7 to 0-2 lead in the opening 20 minutes. Dermot ‘Brick’ Molloy then scored Donegal’s first point from play. It was followed, soon after, by a Frank McGlynn goal that energised the home side. Murphy was in free-taking form and showed it before half-time with a successful attempt from 50 yards out to make it 1-7 to 1-5, in Meath’s favour, at the break.
Colm McFadden added a couple of well taken points in the second half but Meath were proving hard to contain. They led by a point going into the final minutes and were denied by the post before Jim McGuinness’ men pressed for an equaliser. It arrived with the last passage of play as Murphy swung over a steepling free.
Eight players chipped in with scores for Galway as they won their first game of the league season. Down were on the wrong side of a seven point defeat at Tuam Stadium as substitute Danny Cummins came off the bench to score a goal that sealed Galway’s 1-12 to 0-8 win.
The home side led 0-6 to 0-5 at the break but the scores dried up for Down after the break. Jerome Johnston had been denied by a fine Thomas Healy save in the first half and his namesake, Ryan, missed a great chance in the second half as he screwed his shot wide of the target when clear on goal. The score was 0-10 to 0-8 at that stage but Galway were the only team to score after that. With five minutes on the clock, Gary Sice set up Cummins for a goal that moves The Tribesmen off the foot of the table.
Monaghan had too much firepower for Louth this afternoon as they eased to a handy 2-14 to 0-12 win. Having lost to Donegal last week, Malachy O’Rourke’s men hit the front early and never looked back. Gavin Doogan scored a fifth minute goal and Dermot Malone closed out the opening period with a second for the home side. The spoils were shared in the second half as Louth battled gamely despite the dismissal of Dessie Finnegan.
Division 2
- Donegal 1-12 Meath 1-12
- Galway 1-12 Down 0-8
- Monaghan 2-14 Louth 0-12
