Donegal off to flying start!

TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship

Donegal 2-10

Waterford 1-8

by Tom Comack

Donegal got their TG4 All-Ireland Championship championship campaign up and running with a deserved win over Waterford at Pairc MacDiarmada in Lifford.

It was a much changed Donegal side from that which went down to Waterford in the league. Former All Star Niamh Hegarty and Karen Guthrie have returned to the Donegal squad for the championship and they were joined for this opener by another former All Star Geraldine McLaughlin, who came on after the restart.

Hegarty and Amy Boyle Carr scored the goals for the newly crowned Ulster champions who led by four points at half-time.

Hegarty scored a goal and two points for Donegal – the goal was from the penalty spot after she herself had been fouled – as they led by 1-6 to 1-2 at the interval.

Susanne White posted two points and Amy Boyle Carr and Katie Dowd got one each for Donegal.

Lauren McGregor scored the Waterford goal after nine minutes while Aine O’Neill and Kelly Ann Hogan scored the points for the visitors.

Susanne White and McGregor traded early points on the resumption before Amy Boyle Carr broke through for a well taken goal.

That put Donegal ahead by 2-7 to 1-3 five minutes after the restart with Waterford failing to convert several scoring chances.

Katie McGrath landed Waterford’s second point of the half but they struggled to close the gap on the home side, with Ciara McGarvey landing two frees for Donegal after being introduced.

Player of the match Hegarty brought her tally to 1-3 in the closing exchanges while McGregor and Kelly Anne Hogan struck points for Waterford but they couldn’t get the goal they needed to get back in contention.

Scorers – Donegal: Niamh Hegarty 1-3, (1-0 pen), Amy Boyle Carr 1-1, Susanne White 0-3 (2f), Ciara McGarvey 0-2f, Katie Dowd 0-1.

Waterford: Lauren McGregor 1-4 (0-3f), Kelly Anne  Hogan 0-2, Aine O’Neill, Katie McGrath 0-1 each.

DONEGAL: C Friel; N Carr, A Asokhu, N McLaughlin; A Boyle Carr, L  Ryan, T Hegarty; E Gallagher, N McLaughlin; R Rodgers, K Long, K Dowds; N Hegarty, K Herron, S White. Subs: S McGroddy for L Ryan (h/t); C  McGarvey for S White (41), G McLaughlin for N McLaughlin (54), S McFeely for K Dowd (60).

WATERFORD: E O’Brien; C Murray; Karen McGrath, A Murray; A Waring, Kate McGrath, E Murray; K Murray, A O’Neill; K A Hogan, A Fitzgerald, C McCarthy; S McGuickian, C Hynes, L McGregor. Subs: Katie Murray for C Hynes (h/t); Abby Murphy for Fitzgerald(41).

Referee: S Curley (Galway).