Donegal battle past Dubs to ensure winning start in Division 1
February 01, 2025
Hugh McFadden of Donegal gets away from Dublin's Cian Murphy ©INPHO/Andrew Paton
Donegal made an impressive start to their Allianz Football League campaign by battling past Dublin at a wet and windy MacCumhaill Park tonight.
It finished 0-20 to 0-16 at the Ballybofey ground, where the hosts looked sharp from the start with a brace of points from the excellent Daire Ó Baoill helping them to led by five (0-11 to 0-6) at half-time.
25 nóim #GAABEO @officialdonegal 0-08@DubGAAOfficial 0-03
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) February 1, 2025
'Tá sé sin gleoite mar scór'.🤩
Ó'Baoill with a very impressive 1st half in Ballybofey.
BEO/LIVETG4 AR @TG4TV 📺 pic.twitter.com/CHu967SFjF
With the wind at their backs after the change of ends, the Dubs sailed over some early scores in the restart via Niall Scully and Greg McEneaney (2) before Ciaran Kilkenny landed a two-pointer in the 46th minute that trimmed their deficit down to the minimum.
Donegal looked to widen the margin again, but the teams went point for point until Michael Langan saw his effort backed up by a neat score from substitute Paddy McBrearty that made it 0-17 to 0-14 with 10 minutes left in normal time.
Sean Bugler got a point back for the Leinster champions ahead of two McBrearty frees and an Oisin Gallen white flag seeing out the victory which gets Jim McGuinness’s side off the mark in Division 1 at the first attempt, having saw last Sunday’s opener away to Kerry postponed to next Saturday, February 8th.
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— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) February 1, 2025
'Jim's a bit of an innovator, he thinks differently about the game'.
Labhair an Laoch na hImeartha Daire Ó Baoill agus Michael Langan linn tar éis an chluiche.
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