Erne U20s ship ten-point defeat in Ulster opener

Fermanagh 1-8

Donegal 1-18

Fermanagh’s Under-20 Ulster Championship opener saw them well beaten by a Donegal side that pulled away late in the first half and thereafter could not be caught.

Fermanagh manager Maurice McLaughlin said;

“We’re bitterly disappointed, the lads know themselves, they really didn’t turn up tonight.

“We were living on crumbs there – we weren’t getting any primary possession but we still felt we were well in the game but it’s all about how you react in games to situations. We were well in that game, there was a point in it, and the goal went in on 24-25 minutes and we coughed up the next two balls and gave them away and suddenly we were going in with a six-point deficit instead of two points.”

Gary Boyle’s Donegal struck the first two points of the match but Fermanagh then swooped for a goal in the fifth minute from Cian O’Brien.

The away side soon got on top again with Seanan Carr, Conor McCahill, Kevin Muldoon and Max Campbell all hitting points.

Fermanagh were only one behind by the 23rd minute but then Sean Martin scored a fortuitous goal.

Turlough and Seanan Carr followed up with points and Donegal were 1-10 to 1-4 ahead at half-time.

Fermanagh had the better of the third quarter and a great two-pointer from Mattie McDermott reduced their deficit to four points.

However, Shane Callaghan settled Donegal with a brace of scores before Donnachadh Ó Baoighill came on and pointed.

Callaghan (2) and Dylan Mulholland concluded the scoring for Donegal, who will play Antrim next Wednesday while Fermanagh travel to Dungannon to play Tyrone who comprehensively beat Down 3-15 to 0-11 on Wednesday evening.

Fermanagh: Shea Mulligan; Ciaran Cullen, Conor Mulligan, Kai McGoldrick; James Tierney, Oisin Swift, Cal McAnespie; Liam MacEní, Ben Warnock; Caolan Brennan, Daire Chapman, Dara Cathcart; Kealan Fitzpatrick (0-2, 1tp), Mattie McDermott (0-3, 1tp), Cian O’Brien (1-1). Subs: Conor O’Hanlon (0-2, 2fs) for Warnock (21 mins), Shay Deasley for Brennan (24 mins), Shaun McCarron for Cullen (Half-time), Lanty Feely for Tierney (42 mins), Darragh Flanagan for Cathcart (54 mins).

Donegal: Pádraig Mac Giolla Bhríde (Gaoth Dobhair); Cathal Ó Gallchóir (Gaoth Dobhair), Niall Prenderville (St Naul’s), Aaron Neely (Dungloe); Conor McGinty (Sean MacCumhaills), Callum McCrea (Four Masters), Max Campbell (Naomh Conaill, 0-1); Sean Martin (Sean MacCumhaills, 1-1), Kevin Muldoon (Four Masters, 0-1, 1 ‘45’); Mark McDevitt (Naomh Conaill), Turlough Carr (Four Masters, 0-1), Seanan Carr (Four Masters, 0-3, 2fs); Shane Callaghan (Naomh Columba, 0-6, 5fs), Conor McCahill (Four Masters, 0-3), Daithi Gildea (Glenswilly). Subs: Donnachadh Ó Baoighill (Cloughaneely, 0-1) and Dylan Mulholland (Buncrana, 0-1) for Gildea and S.Carr (44 mins), David Monaghan (Four Masters) and Finn Coll (Milford) for McGinty and T.Carr (54 mins), Jack Gallagher (Aodh Ruadh) for McCahill (60 mins).

Referee: Barry McMenamin (Cavan).

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