Donegal 3-11 Roscommon 1-9DONEGAL WILL face tougher challenges in the weeks ahead after dismissing Roscommon in Ballybofey on Saturday evening.

Despite the perfect start, they made hard work of overcoming a very poor Connacht side who were reduced to 13 men five minutes into the second half. Referee John Bannon came in for criticism for dismissing Cathal Cregg five minutes from the break and early in the second half he sent Roscommon substitute Johnny Dunning to the line along with Donegal full-back Neil McGee.

All three dismissals came as a result of the intervention of the linesmen.

At half-time Roscommon had fought back from being 2-1 down after 13 minutes to be just two points adrift, 2-3 to 1-4. Michael Murphy and Stephen Griffin had Donegal goals inside eight minutes before a Karol Mannion penalty brought Roscommon back into the contest. However, when Murphy converted a Donegal penalty on 49 minutes the game was over as a contest. Donegal added the next four points before Ger Heneghan and Seamus O'Neill added late Roscommon points.

Donegal manager Brian McIver was relieved with the win. "I thought we held our composure when they came back at us in the closing minutes of the first half."

DONEGAL:P Durcan; E McGee, N McGee, K Lacey; F McGlynn, B Monaghan, K Cassidy; N Gallagher, R Kavanagh (0-1); K Rafferty(0-1), D Walsh (0-1), S Griffin (1-0); C McFadden (0-5, three frees, 45), R Bradley, M Murphy (2-2, one pen, two frees). Subs: S McGowan for Monaghan; B Devenney for Bradley; C Toye (0-1) for Walsh; M McGowan for McGlynn; C Dunne for Walsh.

ROSCOMMON:G Claffey; P O'Connor, D Casey, S McDermott; D Keenan, G Cox (0-1), S Daly; M Finneran, K Mannion (1-1, pen); M O'Carroll, D O'Gara, J Rogers; C Gregg, S Kilbride (0-1), G Heneghan (0-5, five frees). Subs: J Dunning for Kilbride; S O'Neill (0-1) for Finneran; A McDermott for Keenan; C Devaney for Rogers.

Referee:J Bannon (Longford).