Dr McKenna Cup Semi-final/ Donegal 0-9 Armagh 0-7:Donegal were entitled to feel pleased with themselves, making a return to the final of the McKenna Cup after a lapse of three years. And yet this victory over Armagh at Healy Park yesterday was not quite as it seemed.
This particular Armagh side, a Joe Kernan gathering of under-21 players, were admittedly biting at the bit to earn recognition.
What made Donegal's task easier was that, through a combination of circumstances, the opposition were simply unrecognisable as an Armagh team.
Crossmaglen had refused to release players ahead of the All-Ireland Club championship semi-final with Roscommon's St Brigid's.
Add to that significant factor the absence of Armagh players on All Stars duty in Dubai and a plethora injuries and you are left with yesterday's team.
Only Enda McNulty at full back and Peadar Toal at right half forward were instantly recognisable on Kernan's side.
Brian McIver, the Donegal manager, virtually admitted his doubts about the merit of the win, particularly in the context of the Ulster championship.
Asked if the victory would instil confidence ahead of the championship tie between the sides - they will meet at Ballybofey - he retorted, "This is January, then is May."
Indeed, the result could arguably be deemed a moral victory for Kernan's "tyros".
Donegal, in fairness, had to operate with only 14 players for the last quarter. Their midfielder Kevin Cassidy was given marching orders by the Derry referee Brian Toland for a second yellow-card offence.
While the dismissal was perhaps deserved, given Cassidy's first offence, Toland tended to be a little whistle-happy. He issued six yellow cards, three to each side.
Kernan was suitably pleased with the performances of his young players, who, he said, would be in serious contention for places come the league and championship.
He said, "Donegal had 12 of their first-team choices out there. One leader for us would have made a success of the thing.
"The young players fought to the end and you cannot ask for more than that."
Naive play from both sides made for an untidy match in which the teams in turn blew hot and cold.
Barry Monaghan, Friel, Cassidy and Michael Hegarty constituted a commanding midfield diamond to which Armagh, certainly in the first quarter, had little answer. This dominance helped Donegal open a four-point gap before Armagh got off the mark with a pointed free by Paul Toal after 24 minutes.
From this point until the interval Donegal seized up.
Armagh got a real grip on the proceedings in the second quarter and surprisingly led by 0-5 to 0-4 at the interval, the famine of scores from Donegal in that quarter in stark contrast to what had gone before.
Their forwards, notably their half-forward line, were guilty of giving away ball repeatedly.
"We should have been seven or eight points up at half time," said McIver.
Donegal failed to translate that first-quarter dominance into scores but when their midfield challenge collapsed in the third quarter the advent of Rory Kavanagh from wing forward to midfield made an enormous difference and helped hold the Armagh players at bay.
A nip-and-tuck trend ensued in the second half as extra-time became a probability.
Brian Roper (for Donegal) and Brendan McKevitt (for Armagh) scored inspiring points when arriving off the bench to help keep the outcome in doubt right to the finish.
DONEGAL: C Sharkey; P Campbell, N McGee, F McGlynn; T Donoghue, B Monaghan, E McGee; T Friel, K Cassidy; C Toye, M Hegarty (0-1), K Kavanagh; K McMenamin (0-4, two frees), B Devaney (0-2, one free), C Bonner (0-1). Subs: B Roper (0-1)for Friel; L Thompson for Bonner; A Sweeney for Thompson; B Bradley for Devaney.
ARMAGH: C McKinney; G McCreash, E McNulty, P McCreash; JP Donnelly, T McClelland, P Duffy; G Swift (0-1), K Toner; P Toal (0-3, two frees), M Macken, M Ferris; K O'Rourke (0-1), B Donaghy, S Forker (0-1). Subs: S Toner for Duffy; B McKevitt (0-1)for Swift.
Referee: B Toland(Derry).
