Donegal opened their TG4 Ulster championship campaign with a hard-fought victory over Cavan at Kingspan Breffni writes Tom Comack.
Five points separated the sides at the final whistle. Cavan winning out 1-6 to 0-4 as veteran forward Karen Guthrie turning in a five-star performance in the full forward line.
Guthrie ended the game with a personal tally of 1-4 as Donegal bounced back from the disappointment of relegation from Lidl National League Division 1.
Guthrie’s goal before half-time was the game’s defining score and sent Donegal two points clear at the break. Katie Dowds was the other Donegal point scorer in the opening half.
Lauren McVeety landed two of the Cavan points and full-forward Aishling Sheridan posted the other as Donegal led 1-2 to three points.
Cavan scored the first point of the second-half. Neasa Byrd splitting the posts three minutes in, but that was the only score of the half for the hosts.
It was midway through the half before Donegal responded. Susanne White converting a close-range free, and the visitors finished with three late points to claim a vital win.
That was despite a missed penalty from 2022 TG4 Senior Players’ Player of the Year Niamh McLaughlin.
Cavan: Roisin O’Reilly, G Faulkner, S Lynch, C Charters, Z Fay, N Byrd, Rebecca O’Reilly, C Finnegan, A Cahill, Sophie Slowey, Aisling Gilsenan, Annie Deneher, L McVeety, A Sheridan, G Smith.
Substitutes: L. O Reilly for A. Deneher (h/t), G. Sheridan for G. Smith (45), A. Walls for A Cahill (48).
Scorers: L McVeety 0-2 (1f), A Sheridan, N Byrd 0-1 each.
Donegal: C Friel, N Carr, A Temple Asoko, Nicole McLaughlin, A Boyle Carr, S McGroddy, T Hegarty, S Twohig, Niamh McLaughlin, R Rodgers, K Long, K Dowds, K Guthrie, K Herron, S. White.
Substitutes: C McGarvey for S McGroddy (52), E Gallagher for K Long (60).
Scorers: K Guthrie 1-4, K Dowds 0-1, S White 0-1f.
Referee: P Conway (Armagh).
