Dr McKenna Cup Section A: Donegal 3-16 Armagh 1-6
From Brendan Crossan in Ballybofey
IN the end, it was men against boys - quite literally - in Ballybofey last night as Donegal sauntered to a facile 16-point win over an inexperienced Armagh side.
Man-of-the-match Michael Langan, Kevin McGettigan and substitute Oisin Gallen grabbed the goals for the home side while Joe McClelland raised a green flag for the visitors.
An amazing 3,825 tickets were sold for last night’s opening Dr McKenna Cup opener in Ballybofey, obviously non-darts fans, between two markedly different outfits on show.
Armagh U20 manager Barry ‘Bumpy’ O’Hagan was also deputizing on the sideline for the absent Kieran McGeeney as a whole host of U20 players were given the opportunity to impress for the Orchard County in the pre-season tournament.
The only relatively well-known face on the Orchard team-sheet was goalkeeper Blaine Hughes – named among the subs - who was returning to the set-up after a year away.
For Donegal, Ryan McHugh was back wearing number the five jersey again after stepping away from the panel in 2022, while there were starts for young guns Finbarr Roarty, Kevin McGettigan, both Naomh Conaill, Ciaran Moore, Oisin Caulfield and Senan Carr.
Shaun Patton, Brendan McCole, Jason McGee, Michael Langan, Ciaran Thompson, Dáire Ó Baill and Patrick McBrearty gave the Donegal team-sheet a look of familiarity among the younger crew auditioning in front of Jim McGuinness.
Surveying the two starting line-ups before throw in, there was a stark physical advantage for the home side, and despite conceding an early goal – a confident finish off the crossbar from Donegal midfielder Michael Langan – the young Orchard crew steadied themselves and punched a few holes in the home side’s defence as the first half developed.
Trailing 1-2 to no score, Joe Sheridan of Madden advanced to claim and convert a ‘mark’ in the 16th minute and the resourceful Joe McClelland from Newtownhamilton found his range moments later.
Donegal, however, grabbed their second major of the first half in the 22nd minute when corner-back Kevin McGettigan finished off a flowing move through the hands.
But Armagh hit back with a goal of their own almost immediately.
McClelland held his position on the edge of the square and cleverly fisted Paddy Carr’s diagonal kick over Patton and into the Donegal net.
Callum O’Neill of Clan na Gael also struck confidently between Donegal posts in the opening 35 minutes to keep the visitors in touch.
While there was plenty of cuteness and even some swagger about Armagh’s play in the opening 35 minutes, they were caught on the counter-attack a couple of times by Donegal.
Langan never broke sweat in the first half and had 1-3 from play against his name going in at the break.
And there was good variety to Donegal’s attacking play too.
Never afraid to run the ball through the hands at pace deep into enemy lines, and they weren’t averse to kicking the ball in either, evidenced by one of Langan’s scores who drifted inside a couple of times.
Leading 2-6 to 1-3, McGuinness made no fewer than seven half-time changes – one of which was established attacker Oisin Gallen who found the net with his first touch in the opening moments of the second half, getting a hand to redirect the ball and wrong-footing Hughes in goal who’d also come in for the restart for Armagh.
The signs were ominous for the visitors as soon as Gallen raised Donegal’s third green flag of the night.
Armagh simply didn’t have the physicality or experience to deal with their seasoned opposition and rarely threatened.
Gallen tagged on a few more points soon after his goal, with Ryan McHugh, McBrearty (free), and Odhran Doherty ramming home Donegal’s advantage in what descended into a pretty futile exercise for McGuinness.
If anything, there were bigger lessons in the 70-plus minutes for Armagh’s U20 players in terms of what the rigours of senior inter-county football is about.
Armagh mustered just three points in a painfully one-sided second period, all coming from Brendan O’Hagan’s placed ball attempts.
Jimmy’s back winning matches - but there wasn’t a lot to be gleaned from this handy win.