Allianz FL D1: Roscommon stun Donegal

Allianz Football League Division 1

Roscommon 2-20 (2-4-12) Donegal 0-20 (0-4-12)

By Ian Cooney at King and Moffatt Dr. Hyde Park

Enda Smith catapulted Roscommon to a famous league win and, in the process, ended Donegal’s unbeaten league record at King and Moffatt Dr. Hyde Park.

In a game where Mother Nature dished out the harshest of weather with frequent hail showers, Roscommon — aided by Smith’s 0-6 haul and leadership qualities — held their nerve to guarantee their top-flight status for 2027 and leave themselves an outside chance of reaching the league final when they travel to Castlebar on Sunday next.

Donegal had Roscommon where they wanted them — overturning an 11-point half-time deficit to leave just a point between them with eight minutes remaining.

But, crucially, they never gained parity and Roscommon finished with an unanswered 1-2, aided by substitute Conor Hand’s goal, to leave the Rossies in the 5,689 crowd laden with giddiness at the final whistle.

Wind-assisted Roscommon set out their stall early, with Enda Smith hitting a couple of two-pointers.

Each time, Donegal replied through singles from Conor McCahill and Conor O’Donnell but the Rossies took over after that.

In the 13th minute, a brilliant turnover from Senan Lambe ignited a move that saw Paddy Gavin and Daire Cregg set up Diarmuid Murtagh for a goal.

The chances kept coming for Roscommon, and although Cregg and Smith were off target, Murtagh added a free after the home side put pressure on Donegal coming out of defence.

There was another big momentum swing in the 24th minute when a goal chance for Conor O’Donnell was snuffed out, and Roscommon counter-attacked swiftly which procured their third two-pointer of the half — this time from midfielder Keith Doyle.

Michael Murphy ended a 15-minute scoring famine for Donegal from a free, but Roscommon continued to push home their advantage.

Senan Lambe made space to clip over an excellent score before Murtagh — a two-point free — and Robert Heneghan added to their side’ tally.

Two points inside a minute from Colm Neary stretched Roscommon’s lead out to 13 points with four minutes remaining.

But Donegal rallied, with Jason McGee dragging a presentable goal chance wide before Conor Carroll denied Conor McCahill.

From the resultant ’45, goalkeeper Gavin Mulreany bisected the posts before Murphy landed a score all of his own making to leave the visitors 1-13 to 0-05 behind at the break.

As the hail returned with a vengeance at the start of the second half, Donegal quickly went about dismantling Roscommon’s advantage.

Substitute Shea Malone marked his introduction with a point before Eoghan Bán Gallagher burst through the heart of the Roscommon defence and added another score.

The tsunami of Donegal scorers kept coming as Jason McGee, Malone and Michael Langan hit a hat-trick of two-pointers.

Keith Doyle scored Roscommon’s only point in the first 20 minutes of the half as McGee and O’Donnell added to Donegal’s tally to leave Jim McGuinness’ side just 1-14 to 0-15 behind, and all the momentum behind them.

But Roscommon gained some traction, helped by the introduction of Conor Hand who grabbed a score, as did Smith and Diarmuid Murtagh (free).

But Donegal came again with their fourth orange flag of the half — this time an outside-of-the-boot effort from Finbarr Roarty.

Senan Lambe’s second point of the game was sandwiched between scores from Caolan McColgan, McGee and Jamie Brennan to leave just a point in it by the 62nd minute.

But Roscommon, with Smith showing immense leadership, finished with a flourish. The 2023 All-Star from Boyle brought his tally to 0-06 before Hand pounced for the game-defining goal.

Murtagh tagged on a free to finish with 1-05 as Roscommon laid down a serious marker and, in the process, stalled Donegal’s momentum.

Scorers for Roscommon: Diarmuid Murtagh 1-5 (1 tpf, 0-3f), Enda Smith 0-6 (2 tp), Conor Hand 1-1, Keith Doyle 0-3 (1tp), Colm Neary 0-2, Senan Lambe 0-2, Robert Heneghan 0-1.

Scorers for Donegal: Jason McGee 0-4 (2tp), Shea Malone 0-3 (1 tp), Conor O’Donnell 0-2, Michael Murphy 0-2 (0-1f), Michael Langan 0-2 (1tp), Finbarr Roarty 0-2 (1tp, Conor McCahill 0-1, Gavin Mulreany 0-1 (0-1 ’45), Eoghan Bán Gallagher 0-1, Peadar Mogan 0-1, Jamie Brennan 0-1.

Roscommon: Conor Carroll; Patrick Gavin, Niall Higgins, Colm Neary; Eoin Ward, Ronan Daly, Senan Lambe; Keith Doyle, Conor Ryan; Dylan Ruane, Enda Smith, Eoin McCormack; Diarmuid Murtagh, Daire Cregg, Robert Heneghan. Subs: Shane Cunnane for Ryan (44), Ruaidhrí Fallon for Neary (52), Conor Hand for Cregg (52), Caelim Keogh for Fallon (57), Robbie Dolan for Heneghan (60).

Donegal: Gavin Mulreany; Eoghan Bán Gallagher, Brendan McCole, Stephen McMenamin; Ryan McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, Finbarr Roarty; Hugh McFadden, Michael Langan; Peader Mogan, Conor O’Donnell, Max Campbell; Conor McCahill, Jason McGee, Michael Murphy. Subs: Shea Malone for McCahill (h-t), Caolan McColgan for Campbell (h-t), Jamie Brennan for McHugh (63).

Referee: Brendan Griffin (Kerry).