Donegal Crash Out

All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final:
Cork 1-27  Donegal 2-10

Cork cruised into the GAA All Ireland Senior Football Semi-final with a comfortable 1-27 to 2-10 win over Donegal at Croke Park on Sunday.

The Rebels were rarely tested by a clearly fatigued Doengal side and the game was over as a contest inside the first 25 minutes as Cork established a huge lead which they never looked like relinquishing.

Doengal had no answer to Cork’s brilliant attacking football, and their own attack, which once again featured Colm McFadden and Michael Murphy in a two-man full forward line, did not get the space and time they had been afforded in last week’s Qualifier win over Galway.

Cork now go into the All Ireland Semi-finals with all the questions their stuttering Munster final win over Limerick had thrown up well and truly answered. Once again, their success stemmed from an ability to control the middle third and a supply of quality ball to an attack that was in clinical form.

Paul Kerrigan finished with 1-4 and his pace in the half-forward line terrified the Donegal defence, while wing-back John Miskella once again showed that he is one of the finest attacking footballers in the game with a four-point haul from wing-back.

Murphy finished with 0-6 (0-3f) for Donegal, but he was well marshalled by Cork full-back Michael Shields throughout. There were few other positive points for Donegal boss John Joe Doherty, but they at least have something to build on for next year after Qualifier wins over Derry and Galway.

After a competitive opening 14 minutes, Cork blew Donegal out of the water with a devastating spell leading up to the break that yielded eight points without reply. Murphy grabbed two points late in the half for Donegal and the Munster champions led by 0-14 to 0-4 at the break. Donegal went 22 minutes without scoring and with it their hopes were dashed.

Cork were equally relentless after the break and Kerrigan’s goal after 44 minutes really highlighted the gap in quality between the two teams. Paddy Kelly won a great ball just under the Hogan Stand and combined well with Donncha O’Connor before he fisted a pass in front of Nemo Rangers clubman Kerrigan. The barrel-chested wing-forward burst through on goal and planted the ball into the far corner. Cork led by 1-15 to 0-5 and the game was effectively over.

The game had lost its competitive edge and Cork were able to pick off scores with ease. Substitute Fintan Goold scored three points upon his introduction while Murphy did his best to save face for Donegal.

Donegal did manage the first of two consolation goals in the 57th minute when Murphy won a high ball on the edge of the square and played Rory Kavanagh in on goal. The Donegal wing-forward placed the ball neatly past Alan Quirke and Donegal trailed by 11 points, 1-18 to 1-7.

Cork hit the next five points to reassert their complete dominance before Donegal struck 1-3 in the last seven minutes to put a coat of gloss on the score line. Their second goal came from the boot of Stephen Griffin, who latched on to another Murphy pass in the 68th minute.

Cork: A Quirke, R Carey, M Shields, K O’Connor, N O’Leary, G Canty (0-1), J Miskella (0-4), A O’Connor, N Murphy, P Kerrigan (1-4), P O’Neill (0-2), P Kelly (0-2), D Goulding (0-3), C O’Neill (0-2), D O’Connor (0-4, 0-3f).

Subs: F Goold (0-3) for O’Connor ’44, F Lynch for O’Neill ’51, M Cussen for Murphy ’53, P Kissane (0-2) for Miskella ’56, J Hayes for Kerrigan ’62.

Donegal: M Boyle, F McGlynn, N McGee, K Lacey, B Dunnion, B Monaghan (0-1), E McGee (0-1), B Boyle, K Cassidy, R Kavanagh (1-0), B Roper (0-1), L McLoone, C Dunne, M Murphy (0-6, 0-3f), C McFadden.

Subs: D Walsh for McLoone HT, S Griffin (1-0) for Roper HT, D Gallagher for Boyle ’47, A Hanlon (0-1) for Dunne ’51, E Wade for E Magee ’56. 

Referee: M Deegan (Laois)

Attendance: 49,761