Donegal Too Strong For Down As They Retain The Ulster Crown

Ulster GAA Football Championship Final: Donegal 2-18 Down 0-13

Donegal retained the Ulster title for the first time in their history with an emphatic 11-point victory over Down in Clones on Sunday.

It was a highly impressive performance from Jim McGuinness's side, especially in the second half when they outscored Down by 1-13 to 0-6. The game had been very tight in the first half, with Down leading at stages, and only a late rally from Donegal at the end of the opening period sent them in ahead, leading by a point at 1-5 to 0-7.

They edged three clear ahead early in the second half, and then a goal from defender Frank McGlynn with 20 minutes to go sent them six clear, and cruising unopposed towards the retention of the Anglo Celt Cup.

They then rammed home their dominance in the final quarter, exposing gaps in the Down defence and slotting over points with ease to record a big victory.

After 31 minutes, Down led 0-4 to 0-2 following what had been a very close opening half an hour.

Space and chances had been at a real premium, with crowded defences in control, but in the final few minutes of the half the game burst into life, with Donegal hitting 1-3 to Down's 0-3 in the time between the 31st minute and the half-time whistle.

Down's 0-4 to 0-2 lead was established thanks to a brace apiece from Liam Doyle and Donal O'Hare, while Ryan Bradley and Frank McBreaty struck Donegal's first two scores.

Then, with Down leading by two, Donegal reverted to an unfamiliar tactic for them - long, fast ball into their forwards - and it bore immediate fruit.

Ryan Bradley grabbed it in the middle and fed it quickly into Leo McLoone, who found himself straight through after gathering possession. He kept his cool, and and slotted low past Brendan McVeigh to edge Donegal ahead.

Down responded very well, and hit two points from play almost immediately from Ambrose Rogers and Doyle.

By now, the game was a totally different affair from that of the first 30 minutes. The play was flowing, had opened up significantly, and plenty of chances were being created.

Donegal came out the better of the final moments before half-time, hitting points from Declan Walsh (2) and David Walsh, alongside an effort from Down's Kevin McKernan, to go in 1-5 to 0-7 ahead.

The newly discovered open nature of the game prevailed after the restart, as both sides traded classy scores from play in the first 15 minutes of the half.

Laverty and McFadden traded points, before Michael Murphy and Mark McHugh swung over fine scores for Donegal to make it 1-8 to 0-8.

Doyle and Eoin McCartan brought Down back to within two points on two occasions, but both times Donegal responded immediately, McElhinney and McHugh doing the honors.

Then, with less than 20 minutes to go, the decisive score. A Donegal break ended with the ball in the hands of corner back McGlynn, and he rattled low to the net to put the champions six clear.

Once a lead of that size had been established, there was no way back for Down.

Donegal were simply too good by that stage, and they continued to power over scores in the final quarter, with Bradley, McFadden and McElhinney all adding to their tally.

Down added a few more scores of their own before the end, but it was merely cosmetic as Donegal cruised to a deserved 11-point win.