Opening half goals cost Kildare against Donegal

Allianz Football League Division 1

Donegal 2-11

Kildare 1-9

An early morning inspection at Páirc Sheáin Mhic Cumhaill in Ballybofey gave Round 2 of the AFL game between Donegal and Kildare the go-ahead which saw the many Kildare fans breath a sigh of relief as a big contingent made the long journey both on the day and the previous evening.

It is a ground that Donegal excel on, having remained unbeaten there now for all of 12 years and it has to be said they rarely looked look like losing that unbeaten record, despite Kildare taking the lead in the 22 minute with a Jimmy Hyland, they knuckled down, leveled, drew clear by four at the break, running out winners by a somewhat flattering, but thoroughly deserved five points in the end.

Kildare lost Kevin Feely around the 21 minute while in or around the same time the home side lost their influential big man in Michael Murphy and while Donegal made the early running with a point from the impressive Conor O'Donnell, Jimmy Hyland leveled up three minutes later after making a fine take, fouled and firing over the resultant free.

Even at this early stage Kildare were in trouble with their own kick-outs and the home side edged ahead through a Jason McGee point set up by Patrick McBrearty. Jimmy Hyland showed his talent, twisting left and right before firing over before Patrick McBrearty had his side back in front on nine minutes.

Wing forward Michael Langan, who had a very influential game, put two between them before Kildare eeked out a real goal chance when Padraic Tuohy was put through on goal but his effort went high and over.
Conor O'Donnell stretched the lead back to two, Paul Cribbin made a brilliant run at the heart of the Donegal defence but his effort fell short and into the hands of Shaun Patton.

On 22 minutes Kildare got a real boost when a ball in from the right wing from Ben McCormack fell short but Jimmy Hyland was on hand to get a fist to it and the ball ended up in the back of the Donegal net, Kildare in front by one, 1-3 to 0-5.
That lead lasted a mere minute before a free from the boot of Michael Langan leveled up matters as Kildare problems mounted, initially from failing to gain anything from their own kick-outs and then Kevin Feely being forced off on 20 with an injury that manager Glenn Ryan said will be assessed later in the week.
Ryan said “We don't know how serious that injury is yet but I understand him being frustrated, he's finding it hard to get a consistent at things."

Aaron Masterson came on and while the Moorefield man took a while to get into the game, the more it went on the more we saw of him. Jimmy Hyland, causing major problems every time he went for the ball, was fouled again and this time Paddy Woodgate converted.

Ryan McHugh extended the lead to three before a long kick-out was gathered by Donegal, Eoghan Ban Gallagher going on a solo run without being challenged, he found Ryan McHugh who did well to find the bottom right hand corner of Aaron O'Neill's net, a big blow as the half-time whistle arrived Donegal comfortably ahead on a score line of Donegal 2-7 Kildare 1-4.

It was a half time lead that Glenn Ryan said he felt Kildare did not deserved to be six adrift and while he was probably right in that, nevertheless it left Kildare with a major hill to clime, despite playing with the wind on their backs in the second half, but having said that there is no doubt the wind died down as the game progressed.

Kildare enjoyed their best period in the opening quarter of the second half. They upped their big time around the middle and put Donegal under pressure with points from Ryan Houlihan, Paddy Woodgate (free after Jimmy Hyland was fouled) and booming point from Kevin Flynn after Aaron Masterson gained possession from a Donegal kick-out, passed to the Celbridge man who hit what was probably the best white flag of the day reducing the lead to three with 44 minutes on the clock.

Conor O'Donnell eased the growing the Donegal worries with a point a minute later but Kildare continued to hold sway around the middle with so much possession but two unconverted frees from reasonable scoring positions did nothing for their cause.
A brilliant catch from Aaron Masterson was eventually turned-over and another opportunity went abegging.

As we approached the 65 minute that lead was still at just three points (2-8 to 1-8) and Kildare still in the game big time but then what often happens in these situations the side that had been under constant pressure suddenly get a break or two with Michael Langan getting his fourth point of the game, followed by one from Shane O'Donnell; Kildare replied with two more wides, the home side added another from Langan before Jimmy Hyland got the final point of the game as the long whistle finally arrived with Donegal winning by five points, 2-11 to 1-9.

A really disappoint result for Kildare, in fact overall it was a very disappointing display from Glenn Ryan's side. At the times in the opening half it looked a bit like men v boys as Donegal came storming with players off the shoulder putting Kildare under server pressure.

The Kildare manager said after the game he felt “we didn't had any sense of momentum in the second half; we got two points, they got one, we didn't have that aggression to go after the win, where we really should have.”
The manager added that while “there is a lot of stuff to improve on ahead of the next outing, away to Tyrone on Sunday week, there is a lot of stuff to give the lads credit for too. I think we shut things up pretty well in the second half, I suppose trying to get these right defensively and shore things up but also create those scoring opportunities at the other hand.”
Asked about the change of keeper for this game the manager said “it is no different to any fella on the line, if you want to be successful you have to look at different players, I'm trying to give everyone as much 9opportunity to make it as competitive as possible.”

“We need to be fair to the fellas” said the manager, adding “to give them that chance when they are working hard, it's not easy but we will do our best to give them that chance.”

Leinster Leader Sports Special as Naas are crowned All-Ireland Champions

How they lined out, Scorers

Donegal: Ryan McHugh 1-1, Patrick McBrierty 1-1, Conor O'Donnell 0-3, Michael Langan 0-4 (1 free), Patrick McBrearty 0-1, Shane O'Connell 0-1.

Kildare: Jimmy Hyland 1-4 (mark, free), Paddy Woodgate 0-2 (2 frees), Padraic Tuohy 0-1, Ryan Houlihan 0-1, Kevin Flynn 0-1.

TEAMS
Donegal: Shaun Patton; Caolan Ward, Brendan McCole, Oran McFadden Ferry; Ryan McHugh, Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Paul Brennan; Jason McGee, Caolan McGonagle; Peader Morgan, Conor O'Donnell, Michael Langan; Patrick McBrierty, Michael Murphy, Tony McCleneghan. Subs: Charles McGuinness for Michael Murphy (21 minutes); Shane O'Donnell for Jason McGee (37 minutes); Ethan O'Donnell for Tony McClenaghan (50 minutes); Mark Curran for Paul Brennan (59 minutes); Stephen McMenamin for Odhran McFadden (69 minutes).

Kildare: Aaron O'Neill; Mick O'Grady cpt, Shea Ryan, Ryan Houlihan; Jack Sargent, James Murray, Tony Archbold; Kevin Feely, Kevin Flynn; Padraic Tuohy, Paul Cribbin, Ben McCormack; Paddy Woodgate, Daniel Flynn, Jimmy Hyland. Subs: Aaron Masterson for Kevin Feely (22 minutes); Neil Flynn for Padraic Tuohy (blood sub 20-32 minutes); Neil Flynn for Ben McCormack (50 minutes); Paddy McDermott for Padraic Tuohy (58 minutes); Brian McLoughlin for Paddy Woodgate (59 minutes).

Referee Barry Cassidy, Derry.