Donegal U-20 hurlers top the Ulster league with victory over Armagh

Donegal 1-11 Armagh 1-10
Donegal’s U-20 hurlers finish top of the Ulster Hurling Development League with a one-point win over Armagh at the weekend.

Having overcome the challenge of Tyrone on the road last week in Garvaghy, the Donegal U-20 hurlers welcomed visitors Armagh to Convoy for the last of the league fixtures. Only Armagh could now stop a clean sweep through the league by Adie Gaffey’s lads and they were certainly up for it.  

With the wind at their backs in the first half, the Orchard County clocked up 0-7, four from play and three from placed balls. Armagh were two up before Donegal managed to register their first score in the seventh minute and two more in quick succession before there were 10 full minutes played.  

Armagh added three more points inside the next five minutes, and it would be a full 10 minutes more before the scoreboard got moving again with Donegal adding a point on the 25-minute mark and 31st minute before Armagh answered that with two of their own before the break. 

Donegal, playing against the wind, were quickly dealt a set-back when Evan McFadden pulled up in the first few minutes of play with a calf injury which saw Stephen Browne ably take his place at wing-back for the remainder of the match.  

Their work rate however ensured the gap at Armagh’s lead at the break was kept to two points. Donegal managed to get 15 shots away despite the headwind, resulting in four points from play and Brendan Gaffey adding the other from a placed ball.  

Donegal got the better start in the second half, playing with a slackening wind to their backs over the third quarter by adding two points to level matters.  

It was nearly point-for-point after that until Daire Tully opened up the Armagh defence to rasp home a goal giving the home team a four-point cushion on a scoreline of 1-11 to 0-10. 

Armagh weren’t done yet though and worked their way into the Donegal net with a fortuitous enough goal.  

With the clock quickly running out, Donegal held on to make it five from five in their league campaign. Donegal was the better team despite the narrow margin in the end. They showed some great on field game management to attend and frustrate Armagh’s tactics.  

Matthew Winters showed his versatility and reading of the game, popping up to support the play out of the backline from his corner forward position. With last week's full-back line all on the missing list through injury, Oisin Diver, Joseph Duddy, and Davitt Bradley Flynn snuffed out all opportunities.  

Aidan McKinney was exceptional in midfield alongside Donal Farrelly where he was in the fight for every ball and made some momentum swinging hooks and blocks to the delight of a heavily partisan crowd in the stand. 

Donegal: J Patton; J Duddy, O Diver, D Bradley Flynn; E McFadden, C Neely, F Farren; D Farrelly, A McKinney; B Gaffey, D Tully, C Porter; M Winters, F Gill, E Walsh. Subs: F Gill, C Purves, C Murphy, O Mulligan, O Lafferty, T Boyle, M Callaghan, S Browne for E McFadden, C Lafferty, R McBrearty, J Lambe for E Walsh, D Horgan, C Hanlon, JP Curran, M McCarron, C McDonald.