JOE’s Championship round-up: Double Ds do it again

Both today’s provincial finals returned the same winners as 2011 but it was Donegal’s performance in Ulster that stood out.

Of the big games on this weekend, the Ulster final looked the least appealing on paper. And for the first 30 minutes of Donegal v Down at Clones it was very unappealing on the pitch too. Holders Donegal trailed 0-3 to 0-2 in a very scrappy game and few would be forgiven for flicking over to keep an eye on the golf.

But if you did you missed the explosive 40 minutes that Donegal put in from that point, a showing that has many saying that they are now the favourites to win it all in September. They certainly looked very, very good today.

A goal by Leo McLoone sparked it off for Jim McGuinness’ side just before the half-time whistle and while Down levelled matters just after the restart, 1-5 to 0-8, the game was all Donegal in the second 35.

They racked up 1-11 in the second half, with Frank McGlynn’s goal a real highlight, and in the end they trounced Down 2-18 to 0-13. If Donegal can play at that level, and with that potency in front of the posts, for the rest of the summer they will be very hard to stop.

The team that stopped them last season, Dublin, also went back-to-back in their province, but in nowhere nearly as convincing a fashion. They began well against Meath at Croke Park, racing to a 0-6 to 0-1 lead after 15 minutes.

But they drifted from the game, surrendered their midfield dominance and lost Alan Brogan. Those factors conspired to open the door for Meath and approaching the break they had the gap down to two.

Then two goals in a minute, one by Bernard Brogan, one by Denis Bastick, turned the tide Blue and Seamus McEnaney’s men were unable to turn it back. A great save by Stephen Cluxton from Brian Farrell denied the Royals a potential route back into the game after 43 minutes but Banty’s men never gave up and they slowly clawed their way back as Dublin again went to sleep.

A Jamie Queeney goal, narrowing the gap to just three with less than three to go, set up a grandstand finish but a very classy point by Bernard Brogan soon quelled the Meath resurgence.

Probably the most interesting bit of the second half was a point by Eoghan O’Gara that was clearly over the bar. The umpire initially waved it wide but after a replay on the big screens caused the entire crowd, well the Blue parts anyway, to howl at the referee Marty Duffy he asked the umpire to signal for the point. Video evidence is in the GAA at last.

The final score, 2-13 to 1-13, was far tighter than it should have been for Dublin but they got the win they came for.

The goals by Dublin were beautifully taken but the long, and numerous, periods that they lost their way in the Leinster final, and the injury to the elder Brogan brother, will worry Pat Gilroy tonight.

Before we go a quick mention must go to Dublin minor footballer Cormac Costello. He nabbed 3-4 as the Dubs took the minor title by also beating Meath. A very good day at HQ then for Cormac’s dad John, the Dublin County Board chief executive.