Ulster Football Championship: Donegal outclass Down but recurrence of Murphy injury a concern for Bonner
- Published
Michael Murphy (second from left) sustained an apparent recurrence of his hamstring injury in the first half of Donegal's win at Pairc Esler
Donegal outclassed Down 2-25 to 1-12 in the Ulster SFC opener but a recurrence of Michael Murphy's hamstring injury was a blow for boss Declan Bonner.
Barry O'Hagan's five points left Down only one behind after 19 minutes.
But Donegal outscored the Mournemen 1-9 to 0-3 during the rest of the first half although Jamie Brennan seemed to take far too many steps for his goal.
By that stage Murphy was off and while Caelan Mooney netted for Down, Patrick McBrearty added a late Donegal goal.
Down had to play the final quarter without Gerard McGovern after his straight red card for a high challenge on Michael Langan but the game was already beyond Paddy Tally's side by that stage.
The Mournemen did miss other goals chances in both halves as their pace caused the Donegal defence problems - with Shaun Patton making a couple of brilliant saves - but Bonner's side controlled the contest after the opening quarter with McBrearty's form, in Murphy's absence for most of the game, a big plus for last year's beaten Ulster finalists.
Ryan McHugh also excelled for Donegal in both defence and attack as he helped himself to five marvellous points.
Playing Murphy was the correct decision despite injury - Bonner
Donegal set up Derry game on 11 July
Donegal's win set up an Ulster quarter-final against Derry in Ballybofey on 11 July and the big question surrounding that contest will be whether Murphy is going to be involved.
Following Sunday's game, Bonner had little detail on Murphy's injury which was sustained as he made his return to action after missing Donegal's two final league matches following the injury he sustained against Monaghan last month.
"He just tightened up and hopefully it's not too serious," said the Donegal manager.
Conor McCrickard's goal chance as he burst through the centre of the Donegal defence was an early concern for the visitors but he was off target with his goal attempt - which was the pattern of the opening exchanges as Down missed several chances in contrast to the opposition's clinical finishing.
Superb direct football helped Murphy and McHugh to point in quick succession to extend Donegal's lead to 0-4 to 0-0 after six minutes but Down then had their most productive period of the match as O'Hagan hit their opening five points to cut the margin to only 0-6 to 0-5 by the 19th minute.
However, Donegal soon began to punish the Down defence's stand-offish tendencies as they hit five of the next six scores to lead 0-11 to 0-6.
Down's poor defending was best exemplified by Niall O'Donnell being afforded a ridiculous amount of time to swing over Donegal's 10th point.
Barry O'Hagan's early brilliance gave Down hope but it soon evaporated
Murphy's exit came just after Donegal had gone close to notching a first goal as McBrearty followed up extend their lead to 0-12 to 0-7 after Corey Quinn had blocked Eoin McHugh's shot.
However, the goal wasn't long in coming as Brennan, who had just come on for Murphy, dispossessed Mooney after a short kickout before seemingly taking 13 steps as he held off the Down midfielder to blast past Rory Burns.
It looked a cast-iron free out although referee Maurice Deegan may have been playing advantage for a possible Mooney foul on Brennan.
Two further McBrearty points extended Donegal's half-time advantage to 1-15 to 0-8 and the game was effectively over despite Stephen McMenamin's harsh black carding in stoppage time.
Mooney atoned somewhat by stroking in a fine Down goal after the restart as Liam Kerr's pace unhinged the Donegal defence.
Moments later, Down forged another goal chance which had it been converted would only have left five in it but Patton blocked Ryan McEvoy's pointblank chance and O'Hagan - who finished with eight points - then flashed another goal opportunity as Donegal seemed to be taking their foot off the pedal.
But after McGovern's 50th-minute dismissal, Donegal outscored Down 1-8 to 0-3 in the remainder of contest as McBrearty fired in their second goal late on.
Down: R Burns; P Fegan, G McGivern, G Collins; P Laverty, D O'Hagan (0-1), D Guinness; C Mooney (1-0), R McEvoy; L Kerr (0-2), C Doherty, B O'Hagan (0-8); C McCrickard, L Middleton, C Quinn.
Subs: D Savage for Middleton 41, S McConville for McEvoy 41, J Guinness (0-1) for Kerr 45, C McCartan for Fegan 55, K McKernan for McCrickard 58
Donegal: S Patton; B McCole, N McGee, S McMenamin; R McHugh (0-5), O McFadden, E Ban Gallagher; H McFadden, C McGonigle; C Thompson (0-1), N O'Donnell (0-1), M Langan (0-4); P McBrearty (1-6), M Murphy (0-2), P Mogan (0-3).
Subs: E McHugh (0-1) for McCole 26, J Brennan (1-1) for Murphy 29, E O'Donnell (0-1) for Thompson 53, C O'Donnell (0-1) for N O'Donnell 55, P Brennan for McGee 63
Referee: M Deegan (Laois)