Donegal Masters advance to All-Ireland final after defeating Sligo

A much stronger Donegal side booked their place in the All-Ireland final with Tyrone as they held off a late rally from a decimated Sligo side in miserable conditions in Melvin Park in Leitrim.

There was some confusion about the date, as it was originally apparently supposed to be in Convoy on Thursday, but was then switched to Saturday in Kinlough.

But there was a full round of championship fixtures in Sligo at the weekend, which meant that they fielded without seven of their starting team that drew with Donegal in Scarden last week.

Donegal had very few championship fixtures on at the weekend and, in turn, had upwards of 15 subs to their opponents' three subs.

They were well on top going into the closing minutes when they led by 1-13 to 0-9.

But an opportunist late goal from Brendan Egan and points from the outstanding Kenneth Sweeney helped Sligo rally late on.

And if a John Marren shot dropped a few inches lower, it would have been the most unlikely of draws.

Sligo battled well, but there was no doubting the winner’s supremacy.

And their powerful bench was crucial as Paddy McNulty and Leon Thompson hit a total of 1-3 between them when introduced in the second half.

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Donegal played into a driving cross-field wind in the opening half, and Shaun Maguire opened the scoring after a very cagey opening eight minutes.

Pauric Conaghan doubled the lead, before the lively Marren got Sligo off the mark as marksmen Damien Browne and Sweeney swapped pointed frees as Donegal led by 0-3 to 0-2 after 20 minutes.

Sweeney then hit a point that looked at least a foot wide, and he and Thomas Cryan followed this up with points to put Sligo ahead by 0-5 to 0-3.

Browne bagged one back for Donegal, but Sweeney made it 0-6 to 0-4 at the break.

Donegal threw on Paddy McNulty and Gavin Duffy as Browne and Sweeney swapped points.

But this game was effectively decided in a 90-second spell in minutes 35 and 36, when Donnacha Gallagher, a former Sligo senior player, pointed for Donegal, and McNulty goaled after a Sligo kick out went astray before McNulty added another point to put Donegal into a 1-8 to 0-8 lead.

Browne and accurate sub Thompson made it Donegal 1-10 Sligo 0-9 ten minutes from time.

Sweeney landed a fine point into the breeze but a brace from Browne and a point from Gary Dunnion had Donegal leading by 1-13 to 0-9 as time was almost up.

Sweeney hit a point, and the quick-thinking Egan found the net in injury time.

Sligo launched a final attack, but Marren’s scorcher flew over the crossbar, and Donegal battled through to the All-Ireland final with Tyrone in a fortnight.

Donegal scorers: Damien Browne 0-7f; Paddy McNulty 1-1; Leon Thompson 0-2; Gary Dunnion 0-1; Pauric Conaghan 0-1; Shaun Maguire 0-1.

Sligo scorers: Brendan Egan 1-0; Kenneth Sweeney 0-7f; Thomas Cryan 0-2; John Marren 0-2.

Donegal: Carl O’Brien; Joe O’Donnell, Eamon Ward, Aaron Thompson; Martin Donaghy, Conor McShane, Gary Dunnion; Brian Doherty, Pauric Conaghan; Nicky McGarrigle, Damien Browne, Ciaran Scanlon; Gerard McBrearty, Brian McLaughlin, Shaun Maguire.

Subs used: Eunan Keaveney, Donncha Gallagher, Paddy McNulty, Gavin Doherty, Leon Thompson, Lawrence McMullan, Paddy Joe Doohan.

Sligo: Gary Regan; Enda Mitchell, Colin Neary, Sean Stagg; James Lawrence, Brendan Egan, Kevin Gallagher; Tony Taylor, Johnny Martyn; Daniel Davey, Aidan Brennan, Thomas Cryan; John Marren, Kenneth Sweeney, Johnny Lynch.

Subs used: Paddy Gormley, Robert Neilan.

Referee: Ray McBreen (Leitrim).