Donegal dig deeper

Donegal 1-17 Longford 1-11: Donegal got their championship ambitions back on track at Ballybofey on Saturday night. Victory was achieved without top forward Brendan Devenney and All-Star defender Kevin Cassidy. Devenney was sidelined with the injury that forced him out against Fermanagh while Cassidy cried off just before the game.

Longford had midfielder Liam Keenan back from injury while John Kenny deputised at full back for Cathal Confery who failed a late fitness test.

Donegal scarcely deserved their 1-6 to 0-8 half-time advantage after a free-flowing opening. A Stephen McDermott goal and a brilliant save from Donegal goalkeeper Tony Blake kept the home team's prospects very much alive.

Midfielder McDermott, who was having his first start, stole in behind the Longford defence to hammer pass Gavin Tonra on four minutes while in the middle of the half Blake went full stretch to deny Paul Barden from 14 metres.

Blake pulled of an even more daring stop in the early minutes of the second half to take the ball off Trevor Smullen's toe as he was about to shoot.

With Liam Keenan enjoying a fair share of possession in the middle of the park and Paul Barden's direct style creating panic in the Donegal rearguard Longford looked the more polished outfit in the first half.

Blake's heroics in dashing off his line to deny Smullen three minutes into the new half seemed to knock the stuffing out of Longford and in the space of 10 minutes Donegal had stretched their lead out to four points, 1-9 to 0-9, courtesy of Adrian Sweeney and Colum McFadden. And with the margin out to five points, 1-12 to 0-10, Donegal looked home and dry by the three-quarter mark.

But it looked game-on again with under 15 minute remaining when the subdued Niall Sheridan struck a a brilliant goal.

However, that was as good as it was to get for the visitors as Donegal picked it up again to reel off four rapid-fire points in a six-minute spell to well and truly slam the door on Longford.

DONEGAL: T Blake; N McCready, N McGinley, D Diver; S Carr, R Sweeney, B Monaghan; J Gildea, S McDermott (1-1); K Rafferty, M Hegarty (0-2, one free), J Haran; C McFadden (0-3, frees), A Sweeney (0-8, one free), B Roper (0-3). Subs: J McGuinness for J Haran (39 min), J McCafferty for M Hegarty (45 min); C Toye for K Rafferty (70 min)

LONGFORD: G Tonra; D Brady, J Kenny, F Coyle; M Mulleady, E Ledwith, A O'Connor; J O'Callaghan, L Keenan (0-4); T Smullen (0-1), P Barden (0-1), M Lennon; J Martin, N Sheridan (1-0), P Davis (0-5, two frees). Subs: P Shanley for M Kenny (33 min); M Kenny for J O'Callaghan (half-time); C Hannify for J Martin (62 min); M Kelly for P Shanley (66 mins).

Referee: D Joyce (Galway).