Caolan McGonagle of Donegal in action against Ian Maguire of Cork during the Allianz Football League Division 2 match between Donegal and Cork at MacCumhaill Park in Ballybofey, Donegal. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile.
Allianz Football League Division 1
Donegal 1-20 Cork 2-6
Chris McNulty at Sean Mac Cumhaill Park
Patrick McBrearty might be the sole survivor from Donegal’s glory days of 2012, but the Kilcar man top scored to give Jim McGuinness’s side an emphatic League-opening win over Cork.
McBrearty, retained as the Donegal captain by McGuinness on his second coming as the Tir Chonaill manager, posted 1-5 in an eleven-point win in Ballybofey.
Five minutes from the end, with Donegal on a gallop following a turnover, McBrearty coolly side-stepped and tucked past the advancing ‘keeper Patrick Doyle to put a cherry on top.
McGuinness, who led Donegal to the All-Ireland SFC in 2012 and guided them to three Ulster titles, has come back in an attempt to lead them back into the light.
Beneath gloomy skies and in a gripping Twin Towns wind, Donegal had 12 different scorers. In the absence of Oisin Gallen, a late withdrawal, Donegal were still able to rattle a fine tally to get their promotion bid kick-started.
Goals in either half by Eoghan McSweeney and Chris Og Jones gave faint hope to Cork, but Donegal scored 1-5 in the final 15 minutes and the visitors were but a speck in the rearview mirror by the end.
Already without the suspended Sean Patton, following his sending off in last year’s Championship tussle with Tyrone, and a handful of wounded from his first XV, McGuinness was dealt a blow in the form of Gallen's absence. The 2023 All-Star nominee was denied a chance to shine on his home patch in Ballybofey having been added to an injury list already housing Jason McGee, Michael Langan, Niall O’Donnell, Caolan McColgan and Conor O’Donnell.
McBrearty converted two frees as Donegal, aided by a howling Ballybofey breeze, raced into an early four-point lead.
Returned Cork skipper Brian Hurley spurned a close-range free, but Cork were soon back on level terms with a rapid-fire 1-1.
Eoghan McSweeney palmed past ‘keeper Gavin Mulreany - making his League debut in place of Patton - for a Cork goal in the 15th minute. Ian Maguire, Hurley and Ruairi Deane were all involved before McSweeney climbed high to apply the finish.
Brian O’Driscoll equalised for the Rebels, but it was short-lived respite as a delightful effort off the outside of Odhran Doherty’s boot restored Donegal’s advantage.
Ciaran Thompson took aim from way out to extend the advantage to three and Donegal were six in front (0-12 to 1-3) when referee Noel Mooney called for the ball at half-time, by which stage nine players attired in green and gold were on the scoreboard.
The return of Eoghan Ban Gallagher, coming in as a replacement for the injured Kevin McGettigan, for a first appearance of 2024 was a further boost for Donegal as the rain teemed.
Mulreany saved strongly down low from O’Driscoll as Cork sought to close the margins after McBrearty and Daire O Baoill - with an effort that somehow curled between the swaying Town End uprights - stretched the gap.
With Mulreany out of his goal, Cork hit back on a turnover, Chris Og Jones applying the finish after Deane’s delivery soared into the gaping space.
Scorers for Donegal: Patrick McBrearty 1-6 (5f), Odhran Doherty 0-3, Daire O’Baoill 0-2, Ciaran Thompson, Caolan McGonagle, Peadar Mogan, Jamie Brennan, Shane O’Donnell, Brendan McCole, Gavin Mulreany (f), Ryan McHugh, Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhride 0-1 each
Scorers for Cork: Chris Og Jones 1-2, Eoghan McSweeney 1-0, Brian O’Driscoll 0-2, Mark Cronin, Stephen Sherlock (f) 0-1 each.
Donegal: Gavin Mulreany; Mark Curran, Brendan McCole, Kevin McGettigan; Ryan McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, Ciaran Moore; Ciaran Thompson, Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhride; Peadar Mogan, Odhran Doherty, Shane O’Donnell; Daire O Baoill, Patrick McBrearty, Jamie Brennan. Subs: Eoghan Ban Gallagher for McGettigan (23), Oisin Caulfield for O’Donnell, Jeaic Mac Ceallabhui for Doherty (both 55), Luke McGlynn for Brennan (64), Aaron Doherty for O Baoill (69).
Cork: Patrick Doyle; Maurice Shanley, Tommy Walsh, Sean Meehan; Luke Fahy, Rory Maguire, Matty Taylor; Ian Maguire, Colm O’Callaghan; Eoghan McSweeney, David Buckley, Brian O’Driscoll; Ruairi Deane, Brian Hurley, Chris Og Jones. Subs: Darragh Cashman for Shanley (47), Mark Cronin for Buckley (49), Stephen Sherlock for Hurley (53), Fionn Herlihy for Deane (56), Daniel O’Mahony for McSweeney (66).
Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan).
