Brosnan disaster gives Donegal win
February 02, 2008
An 'own goal' by Kerry attacker Eoin Brosnan helped gift Donegal a 1-8 to 1-7 NFL opening round win over Kerry at Ballybofey.
The home side had dominated the game but when Tomas O Se put his side two points clear two minutes into injury time, it looked all over for the homesters.
However Donegal won a last gasp free and when Colm McFadden's lobbed effort landed in the goal area, Brosnan inadvertently deflected the ball past his goalkeeper Diarmuid Murphy into the goal.
Donegal just about deserved their win because of their greater consistency of effort and their never-say-die spirit.
Playing against the wind in the first half, the Ulstermen had rolled up their sleeves from the word go and had fought hard to be on level terms 0-3 apiece at the interval.
Kerry started the second half in whirlwind fashion with two points inside three minutes with Bryan Sheehan (free) and Declan O'Sullivan pointing.
Ryan Bradley hit back with a point for Donegal but the northerners were rocked moments later when Kieran Donaghy fisted the ball to the net after Declan O'Sullivan's shot came back off the crossbar.
Donegal refused to give in and three points in a row from Bradley, Lacey and McFadden keep them right in the hunt before Brosnan's own goal got them out of jail at the death.
Donegal - P Durcan; K Lacey 0-1, N McGee, P McDaid 0-1; K Cassidy, E McGee, F McGlynn; N Gallagher, C Bonner; C Toye, D Walsh, B Roper; C McFadden 0-2, R Bradley 0-3, K McMenamin 0-1. Subs - K Rafferty for Bonner, G McFadden for Toye.
Kerry - D Murphy; M O Se, T O Sullivan, P Reidy; T Griffin, A O Mahony, K Young; M Quirke, S Scanlon; E Brosnan, D O Sullivan 0-1, D Moran; S O Sullivan, K Donaghy 1-0, B Sheehan 0-5. Subs - T O Se 0-1 for S O'Sullivan, K O Leary for Moran
Referee: M Duffy (Sligo)
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