Rackard Cup semi-final: Fingal are Croker-bound
May 24, 2014
Westmeath, Roscommon and Kerry join Meath in the semi-finals.
Donegal 1-12
Fingal will face Tyrone in a novel Nicky Rackard Cup final at Croke Park in two weeks' time after knocking out the holders Donegal in Letterkenny.
The North Dublin outfit took the lead for the first time with two minutes remaining from a Peter Daly free and held on for a famous victory after trailing by eight points at one stage. Donegal's misery was compounded by red cards for Shane Gallen and Enda McDermott in the final four minutes.
Ray Durack's men got off to the perfect start when McDermott netted after just three minutes. Dean Kelly raised a green flag at the other end within two minutes to tie up the scoring, but a Kevin Campbell-inspired Donegal then took control with eight unanswered points to ease into a 1-8 to 1-0 lead.
However, the visitors finished the first half strongly as Davy Smyth's goal left the minimum in it at the break, 2-4 to 1-8.
The tone for the second half was set when Kelly levelled immediately after the restart. Fingal 'keeper Hilary Murray-Hession kept his side in it with a great save to deny Danny Cullen before Mick Kennedy's charges finished the stronger to make the final.
Fingal - H Murray Hession; P Coyne, I Kennedy, A Morris; N Ring, D Vaughan, P Sheridan; D Hattie, R McGarry; D Kelly (1-2), A Richardson (0-1), C O'Flynn; C Foley (0-1), D Smyth (1-0), P Daly (0-7, 6f, 1'65). Subs: B Kelly for P Sheridan, D Butterly for C Foley.
Donegal - P Burns; B Tourish, J McGhee, S Gallen; J Donnelly, J Boyle, C McDermott; P Sheridan, D Cullen (0-3, 2f); R McDermott (0-1), E McDermott (1-0), S McVeigh (0-2); K Campbell (0-3f), P Hannigan, C Matthewson (0-3, 2f, 1'65). Subs: J Browne for D Cullen, E Organ for K Campbell.
Referee - J Clarke. Tweet
