Donegal v Antrim

:00:34. > :00:41.Good evening, welcome to the Championship. Welcome to full

:00:42. > :00:46.coverage of Donegal against Antrim. When it's all over, we will pour

:00:47. > :00:51.over it all in the company of Oisin, All-Ireland win back in the day,

:00:52. > :00:55.with Armagh. This park has become a fortress, they haven't lost in the

:00:56. > :01:01.Championship since 2010. For that reason, they go into today's game as

:01:02. > :01:05.overwhelming favourites. Your match commentary team, Martin Clarke

:01:06. > :01:10.alongside Thomas Niblock. COMMENTATOR: Let's look first at

:01:11. > :01:17.Donegal. They have an experienced defence. But one change, Mulligan

:01:18. > :01:23.will make his debut. He comes in at forward and replaces Patrick Purdy.

:01:24. > :01:27.As for Antrim, Chris Kerr, the captain, is in goal. A midfield

:01:28. > :01:34.partnership of Sean McMahon Steven Beattie. Up front, the danger man,

:01:35. > :01:39.McCann, the only survivor from the 2009 Donegal victory.

:01:40. > :01:47.The referee today, Paddy Newman, he is from Roscommon. His third year as

:01:48. > :01:57.a Championship referee. Today is his first ever Championship game in

:01:58. > :02:01.Ulster. Big crowd in Macau Park. The winner will play Derry or Tyrone in

:02:02. > :02:12.the semifinal. All ages in the crowd. Most expecting a Donegal win.

:02:13. > :02:16.Championship 2017 is about to begin for Antrim and Donegal. The referee

:02:17. > :02:20.throws in the ball, we are away. Straightaway, the ball into the

:02:21. > :02:26.hands of Donegal's Ryan McHugh. Under no great panic, he pushes it

:02:27. > :02:32.backwards. As Donegal on the attack, early doors here in Ballybofey. Ryan

:02:33. > :02:38.McHugh is the man outside of him. He decides to go himself. He passes the

:02:39. > :02:45.ball to Michael Carroll. Frank McGinn. Straightaway, Donegal just

:02:46. > :02:51.inside the 45. Can he get the angle? The tackling. Forced Jimmy Brennan

:02:52. > :02:54.out wide. Chance for a point to Donegal. Scoring the opening, the

:02:55. > :03:01.shot comes in from the left foot, and it was wide. A clever move by

:03:02. > :03:07.Donegal. It is a shot keirin Thomson has been nailing off that left foot.

:03:08. > :03:11.He has had a superbly campaign, he will be disappointed. We will see a

:03:12. > :03:16.lot that patient type of play from Donegal today as Antrim have numbers

:03:17. > :03:22.back. Antrim, way with it. They have drawn their first free. Fitzpatrick

:03:23. > :03:27.the man going down. Number 11. He has certainly had a busy week.

:03:28. > :03:31.Suspended for 48 weeks. That is what everyone bought on Wednesday. But by

:03:32. > :03:38.the end of the week that was crushed, and he is eligible to play.

:03:39. > :03:47.-- it was quashed. A free for Antrim on the 45, taken by that one --

:03:48. > :03:52.their corner forward, McGourty. And Antrim have the lead. Beautiful kick

:03:53. > :03:57.by CJ McGourty. We have watched him do that for a number of seasons now.

:03:58. > :04:02.He had a fantastic league campaign. A significant breeze. Favourite of

:04:03. > :04:11.Antrim in this half. CJ use that very well. Donegal and kick-out. On

:04:12. > :04:16.the attack. A man inside, Jason McGee, he finds Frank McGlynn, ever

:04:17. > :04:21.present in that defence of Donegal. Martin Reilly goes again. Eventually

:04:22. > :04:24.he finds Ryan McHugh. Three different Antrim players. Play

:04:25. > :04:35.continues. Play out on that far side, it's the

:04:36. > :04:40.cornerback. Won by Gallagher, chance for an early goal for Donegal for

:04:41. > :04:45.the briefest of seconds. Michael Murphy picks it up. Chance of a goal

:04:46. > :04:52.for Donegal! And a last-ditch tackle just about does enough. Well, a

:04:53. > :04:57.scramble in the Antrim defence. Tried to turn defence into attack.

:04:58. > :05:01.The ball down the left-hand side in the hands of Mark Sweeney, a former

:05:02. > :05:07.think Bridget is club man, now playing his club football in Dublin.

:05:08. > :05:11.-- Saint Bridget's club man. Wonderful kick, Antrim increased

:05:12. > :05:15.their lead. Superb score, lovely little pass from Mark Sweeney, what

:05:16. > :05:19.a great counterattack, bodies on the line from Antrim, you can see them

:05:20. > :05:22.falling over and bring themselves in front of the ball to prevent bad

:05:23. > :05:27.goal from Donegal, which they did. The goal was an -- that goal. Look

:05:28. > :05:34.at the desperation in the defending. A beautiful point by McCann after a

:05:35. > :05:39.lovely pass inside. Great confidence builder for Antrim. In the meantime,

:05:40. > :05:48.Donegal won the kick-out. Adams has plenty to ponder. Two points to no

:05:49. > :05:52.score, four minutes gone. That is McCann's kick, just using the

:05:53. > :05:56.breeze, got a job on his marker, don't have to over kick the ball,

:05:57. > :06:01.just floated up into the wind and the breeze has done the rest from

:06:02. > :06:07.both McGourty's point and from McCann. McCann is the only link from

:06:08. > :06:11.the 2009 surprise win between Antrim and Donegal here at Ballybofey. That

:06:12. > :06:18.man was a teenager at that time. Playing one of his first years for

:06:19. > :06:22.Donegal seniors. Five points that day, it wasn't enough. A chance of

:06:23. > :06:26.scoring this afternoon. Michael Murphy, as you would expect.

:06:27. > :06:31.Fantastic take. Murphy likes drawing them in from that side. Some people

:06:32. > :06:35.would say, you know, that favours a free kick. I personally like hitting

:06:36. > :06:40.them the opposite side. I have seen them strike the ball beautifully,

:06:41. > :06:44.especially here in Ballybofey. No surprise he is the first scorer for

:06:45. > :06:48.Donegal. Matthew Fitzpatrick was under pressure when he won the ball

:06:49. > :06:51.initially, took the return pass and kicked it away. Donegal have

:06:52. > :06:58.possession inside their own half. They build from the back. Kieron

:06:59. > :07:02.Ward taking no chances. Passes it to Jason McGee. The ball in the hands

:07:03. > :07:07.of Martin Reilly. Here comes to an ward again. Goes past his player.

:07:08. > :07:16.Pops it outside. Donegal asking questions of this

:07:17. > :07:20.Antrim defence, but so far the trim defence are answering every one of

:07:21. > :07:28.them. Sean McVeigh, the Antrim midfielder. This passes it inside.

:07:29. > :07:32.McCann still going, chances of a score on the left foot. McCann

:07:33. > :07:36.knocked it over the bar. Fantastic counterattack yet again from Antrim.

:07:37. > :07:39.One thing we did know, if Antrim were going to be competitive and

:07:40. > :07:44.potentially think about winning this game, they have to be clinical.

:07:45. > :07:51.Three attacks for three scores, a great conversion rate. Even turning

:07:52. > :07:56.it an attack into a shot, never mind three points, will be most pleasing

:07:57. > :07:59.for Antrim so far. Donegal on the attack, the ball in the familiar

:08:00. > :08:05.hands of Brian Moote you. Can he bring in the goods today? McHugh

:08:06. > :08:10.goes for it. -- Ryan McHugh. Donegal ball. Michael Murphy, number 14 on

:08:11. > :08:19.his back. Expecting to see him operating war around the middle. --

:08:20. > :08:25.more around the middle. Keirin Thomson has plenty of confidence to

:08:26. > :08:29.go around his man. There was a foul at the very end. It looked as if you

:08:30. > :08:37.McFadden was fouled. The referee says there is going to be a free in

:08:38. > :08:42.to Donegal. Some of the supporters. Perhaps not the start they wanted.

:08:43. > :08:46.3-1. We will have a look at that again. It did appear he tripped over

:08:47. > :08:52.himself. Just one of those ones where he is moving forward. Hugh

:08:53. > :08:56.McFadden, a fortunate free kick for Donegal. No doubt Murphy will stick

:08:57. > :09:01.it over the bar. He was going to put it on the ground but he will just

:09:02. > :09:06.take it out of his hands now. Taking it across the bounce. A chance to

:09:07. > :09:10.narrow the gap, Michael Murphy. Captain of a Donegal team that has

:09:11. > :09:14.won three Ulster championships, he would like to get to another final.

:09:15. > :09:20.Loc cit over the bar. Just one point between them. Donegal will crowded

:09:21. > :09:24.out. Antrim's defending has been disciplined and they have been able

:09:25. > :09:28.to hit Donegal on the counter. Antrim have really started this game

:09:29. > :09:35.well. Superb catch in the middle of the field. That time it was Stephen

:09:36. > :09:40.Beattie. The ball pumped into the area where McCann is very dangerous.

:09:41. > :09:44.Runs into it, confidence to take his dummy. On the right foot, he scored

:09:45. > :09:48.a wonderful point with his left foot a moment ago and almost got another

:09:49. > :09:52.one with his right. He has kicked one with his right and one with his

:09:53. > :09:57.left, that was a fantastic piece of play. McCann looks free, he has been

:09:58. > :10:01.carrying injuries for a few seasons and you can tell he is really on

:10:02. > :10:05.fire today. He is gearing, his speed and creativity can be dangerous dog

:10:06. > :10:13.bite Michael Murphy knocks it into the corner for Jamie Brennan. -- he

:10:14. > :10:18.can be dangerous. Shot from distance from our way out. You McFadden, too

:10:19. > :10:25.much Perl on it and it goes wide. Martin, from an Antrim perspective,

:10:26. > :10:28.those managers, Adams and Fitzsimmons, everybody expects

:10:29. > :10:31.Donegal to win today. To see his team starting well, leading and

:10:32. > :10:36.playing with confidence, it must be a massive boost? It is, and Antrim

:10:37. > :10:42.over the years have never feared anyone. They come here expecting to

:10:43. > :10:47.put in a performance where they are competitive in every game, but they

:10:48. > :10:50.ended up getting relegated. Adams and the Antrim players will not fear

:10:51. > :10:55.Donegal in any way. You can tell at the start of this game that is the

:10:56. > :10:58.case. Hugh McFadden was fouled he hit that shot but the referee brings

:10:59. > :11:02.it back for the initial infringement, it is going to be

:11:03. > :11:10.another free for Donegal on the 13 metre line. This should be 3-3.

:11:11. > :11:20.A big crowd in Ballybofey. Most Rob Lee expecting Donegal to win. A

:11:21. > :11:26.wonderful start from Antrim. -- most probably expecting Donegal to win.

:11:27. > :11:34.The reverential hush in Ballybofey. Left footed free straight over the

:11:35. > :11:38.bar, three points each, ten minutes gone. Yes, it is interesting that

:11:39. > :11:44.the three Donegal freezer have all been very close to goal. Some of the

:11:45. > :11:47.match, even that one it wasn't a particularly obvious free kick.

:11:48. > :11:50.Donegal have been very happy to have those three scores on the board

:11:51. > :11:56.because there attacks haven't been as creative as we know they can be.

:11:57. > :12:00.Chris Kerr's goalkick way in the middle of the field high, the

:12:01. > :12:04.breaking ball is won by Donegal inside of the 45-metre line. Help is

:12:05. > :12:08.found in the form of Ryan McHugh, left footed, tries to go for it and

:12:09. > :12:12.bounces just in front of Chris Kerr, who used every inch of his six foot

:12:13. > :12:18.four frame to get his fingertips on that. Always dangerous to let the

:12:19. > :12:19.ball bounced in front of you, but he did well, manage the situation.

:12:20. > :12:30.Antrim build again from the back. BT finds Matthew Fitzpatrick, who

:12:31. > :12:35.gives it inside, continues the run, doesn't get it back. -- Stephen

:12:36. > :12:44.Beattie. Bradley tries to switch the play. Antrim lose possession. But

:12:45. > :12:49.they have won a free just outside of the 45. And another opportunity to

:12:50. > :12:53.go in front. CJ was out well in front. He took the ball well at the

:12:54. > :12:57.second attempt. He will have every confidence in himself to say all

:12:58. > :13:00.this over. He had the first kicks, the first score of the game for

:13:01. > :13:04.Antrim from an almost identical position where he used the win to

:13:05. > :13:14.his advantage -- the wind. Although it is outside the 45 metres, you

:13:15. > :13:19.would expect CJ to put this one point already in this game, going

:13:20. > :13:25.for number two. Curls in, that's fabulous. That was sensational. We

:13:26. > :13:28.were right behind that, Thomas, just beautiful, the way he judged where

:13:29. > :13:33.to stop the ball outside of the left-hand post. It drifted in right

:13:34. > :13:36.between the goals, just a phenomenal point, you can't underestimate what

:13:37. > :13:42.a great strike that is and how clinical Antrim have been. And proof

:13:43. > :13:46.if ever it was needed to suggest the ultimate influence of having a good

:13:47. > :13:52.free taker to take the manage in those situations. Absolutely right.

:13:53. > :13:58.Donegal on the attack. He is made e-commerce thought about moving its

:13:59. > :14:02.store -- forward but it's that goes back. Michael Murphy tackled from

:14:03. > :14:07.behind by Shaun McRae. The referee with no hesitation gives a free in

:14:08. > :14:10.to Donegal from about 24 metres out -- Sean Abbott raised a point I

:14:11. > :14:15.would like to see Michael Murphy do a lot more of that, on the charge,

:14:16. > :14:18.demanding the ball. The angle of his run was fantastic, he was fed the

:14:19. > :14:22.ball and charged for goal, there is only one way to stop him and that is

:14:23. > :14:26.to bring him down. I just think that while he is doing so much heavy work

:14:27. > :14:30.round the middle, if he can do that more and more, Donegal will go into

:14:31. > :14:35.this season's Championship. A fantastic start by Murphy, really

:14:36. > :14:40.leading from the front. The three is taken by Ciaran Thomson. Just

:14:41. > :14:45.settling himself -- for free. Looking at the target, plenty of

:14:46. > :14:52.height. Over the bar! Donegal's fourth point today. All four of them

:14:53. > :14:56.coming from frees. All four of them from scoring range, freeze for a

:14:57. > :14:59.player of Thomson and Murphy's standard. Playing into the breeze

:15:00. > :15:04.they would be content with chipping away and having four points on the

:15:05. > :15:06.board in the 13th minute. Four points apiece, 30 minutes gone. A

:15:07. > :15:19.free in to Donegal yet again. Owen Gallagher drifting forward,

:15:20. > :15:23.creeps inside the 45. The ball in the hands of Jason McGee, transfers

:15:24. > :15:28.it to Ciaran Thomson, his partner in midfield. The shot is over the bar.

:15:29. > :15:32.Donegal take the lead for the first time in their first points from

:15:33. > :15:36.play. It is that man, Ciaran Thompson. He scored his free kicks

:15:37. > :15:41.with the inside of the brute, this is a difficult skill, the breeze is

:15:42. > :15:44.blowing into his face, he drilled underneath the ball, you see how low

:15:45. > :15:50.he put his leg to the ground, fantastic contact on the ball and a

:15:51. > :15:53.great point. What a fabulous catch by Matthew Fitzpatrick! His shot

:15:54. > :15:58.just wasn't as good as the initial cat. He climbed highest in front --

:15:59. > :16:02.the initial catch. Down on the ground he tried to toe tap it right

:16:03. > :16:10.into the screens on, something you very readily see in Gaelic football.

:16:11. > :16:13.-- very rarely. Donegal on the attack, the ball in the hands of

:16:14. > :16:20.Michael Carroll, pretends to go one way and goes another. Jason McGee

:16:21. > :16:25.looking for options left on side. Non-ahead of him so he decides to go

:16:26. > :16:29.backwards. There is the wrong from Frank McGlynn, what can he create?

:16:30. > :16:35.Passing it to Michael Murphy, just takes on the player, wins the free.

:16:36. > :16:36.The referee looks at it. Shaun McRae, it judged to have committed

:16:37. > :16:53.the foul. -- Sean McVeigh. Murphy wanted the

:16:54. > :16:57.ball to go forward. We see many teams are happy to part the ball

:16:58. > :17:00.sideways, backwards. Murphy drove the ball forward, great to see him

:17:01. > :17:04.do that, he is such a great athlete, so dangerous. Sean McVeigh has his

:17:05. > :17:08.hands full trying to contain him at the minute. Ciaran Thompson, an

:17:09. > :17:15.opportunity to increase his scoreline. From Donegal, three from

:17:16. > :17:22.27 metres out. Swings the left but at it. Over the bar it goes, 6-4.

:17:23. > :17:25.Donegal making Antrim pay, particularly from frees. Donegal

:17:26. > :17:30.committed one foul in this game. As for Antrim? They have committed

:17:31. > :17:35.five. That is the difference. I would say, I noticed it is Paddy's

:17:36. > :17:38.first game in an Ulster Championship, some of those frees

:17:39. > :17:42.you might not get off other referees, but let's commend the free

:17:43. > :17:46.taking and the general point taking of these two sides. To have ten

:17:47. > :17:52.points on the board in the first 15 minutes, you don't see it very often

:17:53. > :17:56.in an Ulster Championship. Midfielder Stephen Beattie, he has

:17:57. > :17:59.found a point. A former Antrim hurler had the decision at the

:18:00. > :18:05.beginning of the season to go with the hurlers or the foot ball,

:18:06. > :18:10.decided to go with the football. He hits a lovely point from the queue

:18:11. > :18:17.angle, 6-5, just the minimum between them. High ball into the heart of

:18:18. > :18:24.the Antrim defence. The saffron is come away with it, the saffron is or

:18:25. > :18:35.green today. -- the saffrons or green today. Keirin Ward, -- Caolan

:18:36. > :18:41.Ward, can he find his man? Lockdown, comes off one of the Antrim players.

:18:42. > :18:46.The umpire suggests it is a 45. I believe McCann played for that

:18:47. > :18:50.committee was outnumbered along the end line. He kicked it at the

:18:51. > :18:57.Donegal defence with the hope that he would win a 45, intelligent play.

:18:58. > :19:01.It gives an opportunity from a gaudy to keep up this great accuracy

:19:02. > :19:07.Antrim have had so far today. -- for CJ McGroarty. It is going to be 45,

:19:08. > :19:18.taken by CJ McGroarty. Trying to judge where the wind is

:19:19. > :19:22.blowing. Whatever slight advantage it may have, it looks like it is

:19:23. > :19:31.going out this first half. Off the tee that. -- off the deck. A foul

:19:32. > :19:40.has been committed, pulled back. Play will not continue, a free out

:19:41. > :19:44.for Donegal. Fantastic catch by Chris Kerr, you want your big men

:19:45. > :19:49.under the crossbar to save, pretty much he saved a point. Fantastic

:19:50. > :19:51.leap, fantastic catch, good effort by CJ McGroarty but great work from

:19:52. > :20:06.Murphy. Great catch from Murphy. Donegal on the attack. The ball of

:20:07. > :20:13.Caolan Ward pulls it out to Jason McGee. Michael Murphy. Two or three

:20:14. > :20:18.phases of play before Murphy gets on the ball, tucked the ball on the

:20:19. > :20:25.ground. Sean McMahon Egypt to get things back and running. -- Sean

:20:26. > :20:31.McVeigh eager to get things back and running. Antrim struggling to get

:20:32. > :20:36.the ball out of their own defence. He played from the back, Conor

:20:37. > :20:39.Hamill. The full-back, Patrick Gallagher, just about everyone at

:20:40. > :20:45.Ballybofey thought that was going to be impact, but the challenge didn't

:20:46. > :20:49.happen. Quick turn, on the left foot, the umpires look at one

:20:50. > :20:57.another and the ball goes wide. Lovely crossfield pass to McGourty.

:20:58. > :21:03.40 was under more pressure than he was. He would usually put them under

:21:04. > :21:07.the left foot. Paddy McGrath, fair pressure. First wide for Antrim.

:21:08. > :21:17.Donegal on the attack yet again. The ball is with cornerback Gallagher.

:21:18. > :21:24.It will be a free out. Here is the full forward, Brendan Bradley.

:21:25. > :21:31.Centre halfback, the St John's club man. Passes it outside. The ball

:21:32. > :21:38.finds its way to Brendan Bradley again, switches the play again.

:21:39. > :21:40.Matthew Fitzpatrick. One a Sigurdsson cup with St Mary's just a

:21:41. > :21:45.couple of months ago. High ball played into the square. McGourty

:21:46. > :21:48.with the shot! It goes along the face of the goal and wide! What an

:21:49. > :22:01.opportunity. Well, the Antrim coaching staff knew

:22:02. > :22:06.that was a real opportunity. CJ McGourty gets it. Just misjudged it.

:22:07. > :22:11.Great movement by McGourty across the face to get into that space. The

:22:12. > :22:15.side of the ground. Again he snatched at it. It was not an easy

:22:16. > :22:19.opportunity with the angle closing in and Paddy McGrath right on him,

:22:20. > :22:23.but you would expect CJ to hit the target that, he will be really

:22:24. > :22:26.disappointed with that. Lovely movement by Antrim, getting in

:22:27. > :22:31.behind, you don't often see that. Over the past three minutes, Donegal

:22:32. > :22:36.have had three attacks. The referee has blown the whistle three times.

:22:37. > :22:40.Two free is going out today, that was the third. Matthew Fitzpatrick.

:22:41. > :22:50.Gives it to his cornerback, Peter Healy. Declan Lynch has it. It is in

:22:51. > :22:54.the comfortable hands of McCann. Take a bounce. The referee says no,

:22:55. > :22:58.it is going to be a free out because he was using his other hand to push

:22:59. > :23:02.the player away. One point between the teams. 21 minutes gone. Those

:23:03. > :23:07.supporters might just be happy enough. Yes, they will. They've made

:23:08. > :23:11.the long journey across here to Ballybofey. They saw their minors

:23:12. > :23:18.have a fantastic win after extra time. We can see the Antrim seniors

:23:19. > :23:22.have really brought it right up to Donegal. Donegal on the charge yet

:23:23. > :23:27.again. Brian McHugh at the end of that one, opportunity presents

:23:28. > :23:33.itself, just the wrong side of the post. The ball goes wide. McHugh was

:23:34. > :23:37.looking for a man inside, he wanted the goal chance. When it was gone he

:23:38. > :23:39.went for a point, he was under extreme pressure when he tried to

:23:40. > :23:49.hook that back out over his shoulder. Just wide. Brian McHugh,

:23:50. > :23:57.an old-style, former Young Player of the Year, terrific young footballer

:23:58. > :24:01.Ryan McHugh. Antrim in possession, the ball with wing halfback Paddy

:24:02. > :24:04.McAleer. Tackled well by Murphy, McVeigh goes charging. Here come

:24:05. > :24:16.Donegal... Martin Reilly. Nice babe of the shoulder from

:24:17. > :24:17.Ciaran Thompson, who has been very impressive in the opening 23

:24:18. > :24:31.minutes. Hugh McFadden from a long way out.

:24:32. > :24:36.Super score. Fantastic score. McFadden is trying to lift the crowd

:24:37. > :24:40.as well. From that distance, the wind has died down a little in the

:24:41. > :24:44.last few minutes. Even to take the shot and was fairly ambitious, but

:24:45. > :24:50.to execute it was superb skill. Donegal lead by two points, their

:24:51. > :24:57.biggest lead so far in this game. 23 minutes gone. Chris Kerr will take

:24:58. > :25:01.the kicked out. Looking for someone. Hits it short, finds his man, as is

:25:02. > :25:04.the way in modern day Gaelic football.

:25:05. > :25:15.Paddy McNair ride, moving forward at speed -- Paddy McBride. Bradley has

:25:16. > :25:18.another man inside him. Stephen Beattie going for a second point,

:25:19. > :25:24.goes for the shot at the wrong side of the post. Another wide for

:25:25. > :25:29.Antrim, therefore so far. Yes, they started the game so well -- their

:25:30. > :25:32.fourth so far. In terms of converting opportunities, they have

:25:33. > :25:38.just fall away. Donegal have been able to get a bit more pressure on

:25:39. > :25:41.their shots. McCann and McGourty have not been as isolated. The shots

:25:42. > :25:47.have been tougher, Antrim will be looking to get another score. It is

:25:48. > :25:54.an advantage the wind has given them. Caolan -- Ciaran Thompson find

:25:55. > :26:01.his partner. Antrim or on the attack again. McGourty out in front of his

:26:02. > :26:05.man. The ball was too far on top of them. Instead, Donegal go. This is

:26:06. > :26:11.where Donegal are really dangerous, on the counterattack. The pass a

:26:12. > :26:15.little further in front than perhaps McHugh intended. The referee says it

:26:16. > :26:16.was a push and it will be a free in for Donegal. The ball kicked

:26:17. > :26:27.backwards. Hugh McFadden passed the ball

:26:28. > :26:36.inside. A shot comes in. The shot isn't on target, a wafer Donegal. --

:26:37. > :26:41.a wide. Their fourth so far. What will be under management by feeling

:26:42. > :26:44.right now? They will be relatively happy, they have got the faces of

:26:45. > :26:48.Donegal and force them to shoot from distance, they've had some great

:26:49. > :26:52.turnovers. Early in the game they were able to isolate their two

:26:53. > :26:55.threats, McCann and McGourty inside. They will be concerned in the last

:26:56. > :26:58.few minutes that they have been taking backwards and not been able

:26:59. > :27:02.to get the crossfield ball, the early ball into the inside forwards,

:27:03. > :27:14.as McGourty is down the line for this one. A great kick-out for Chris

:27:15. > :27:16.Kerr, Brendan Bradley took the mark. The advantage is that nobody is

:27:17. > :27:18.around to dispossess. The disadvantage of taking, gives

:27:19. > :27:20.Donegal an extra few seconds to get everybody back. Perhaps it won't

:27:21. > :27:23.battle. The referee says it was a foul on the early infringement

:27:24. > :27:27.brings the playback. The Antrim are giving as good as they get. That

:27:28. > :27:32.shouldn't really be a surprise. So many people were saying they didn't

:27:33. > :27:35.have a chance today. Perhaps people aren't surprised. I think for regard

:27:36. > :27:42.how will be a bit concerned about, we see again -- Gallagher will be

:27:43. > :27:45.concerned. They during the fire. It seems a little more open. I know it

:27:46. > :27:49.is early days in the Championship and a long time since the league,

:27:50. > :27:52.but Donegal seem potentially a little lacking in the structures

:27:53. > :27:58.around their defensive game that they've had over the last number of

:27:59. > :28:06.years. Oh, brilliant point! Superb free from CJ McGourty, absolutely

:28:07. > :28:10.brilliant. 7-6. The Antrim management console, and probably the

:28:11. > :28:20.answer is, brilliant score from McGourty! When he is confident, he's

:28:21. > :28:24.brilliant stop might yes, he is. You almost knew he was going to but that

:28:25. > :28:29.of despite it being a difficult free. The break of ball goes the way

:28:30. > :28:34.of Donegal. The crowd energised by that. You can hear them just a

:28:35. > :28:37.little bit louder. Hugh McFadden, partially blocked down. The ball

:28:38. > :28:41.eventually find its way to the other side of the field. The school comes

:28:42. > :28:49.in from distance, but it's not a score because it has gone wide. So

:28:50. > :28:56.will the score. Keirin -- Ciaran Thompson is the man who kicked that

:28:57. > :29:00.one. He has made it five. He was on for quite some time. The partial

:29:01. > :29:04.block from the Antrim defender was able to just get the Antrim defence

:29:05. > :29:08.back, set up enough to put pressure on to make that particular shot.

:29:09. > :29:11.Michael Murphy does well to win the break of ball yet again. Sean

:29:12. > :29:19.McVeigh chasing him, goes back another player, Frank McGlynn.

:29:20. > :29:26.Could Donegal, the kings of patience, take their chance, just

:29:27. > :29:29.wait for somebody, a little bit of space for some of the length,

:29:30. > :29:33.run-through, I should say. A little too long without hand telling, it is

:29:34. > :29:40.going to be a free, and taken quickly. Brendan Bradley with 14 on

:29:41. > :29:47.the back of his church playing a deeper role during this game. -- on

:29:48. > :29:51.the back of his shirt. Fitzpatrick evades the tackle. Fitzpatrick still

:29:52. > :29:57.going, switches the play. Can McGourty get there? He does.

:29:58. > :30:01.And already you can see that Gallagher has picked up CJ McGourty.

:30:02. > :30:16.It was initially Paddy McGrath. Peter Middleton, a man outside him,

:30:17. > :30:23.still going, Donegal, scrambling everybody back, 13 players inside

:30:24. > :30:27.their own 45. This is what Donegal are waiting for, the turnover from

:30:28. > :30:33.Antrim, someone to misplace the pass, then you see them slingshot

:30:34. > :30:39.forward. So far and should have kept the ball really well. McCann didn't

:30:40. > :30:40.get his butt on to the Boyle, and it bounced into the hands of the

:30:41. > :30:57.goalkeeper. Ryan McHugh has two Antrim players

:30:58. > :31:02.for company, there are still going, still charging against this defence

:31:03. > :31:07.but gives the ball away. Antrim come away with it, Patrick Gallagher goes

:31:08. > :31:11.for the kick pass. The full-back kicking the ball, something we

:31:12. > :31:17.rarely see, well known by Brendan Bradley, filed in the process of

:31:18. > :31:22.doing so, the free taking quickly. Fitzpatrick, lovely lazy style when

:31:23. > :31:27.he runs, seems to glide by players, did well to recover that situation.

:31:28. > :31:33.That was a heavy challenge on Mark Sweeney.

:31:34. > :31:39.He looks in a lot of pain there. It was a hefty challenge and those ones

:31:40. > :31:44.particularly when players go down with their heads over the ball, you

:31:45. > :31:50.really expose yourself, and it was a robust challenge by McGee. He is

:31:51. > :31:54.aggressive, and certainly the ball was one, but it will make no

:31:55. > :32:00.difference, that is very sore in the head region. The game will be held

:32:01. > :32:11.up and rightly so. Mark Sweeney was sitting up.

:32:12. > :32:18.Ponder for Adams and Fitzsimmons, just a point behind with half an

:32:19. > :32:22.hour gone. -- plenty to ponder. I guess this is the last five minutes

:32:23. > :32:29.were Antrim are thinking, we are doing well, in this game, let

:32:30. > :32:32.Donegal snatch a goal in the end of the first half and it changes the

:32:33. > :32:37.complexion at half-time. Antrim are not trying to hold onto the lead,

:32:38. > :32:44.though. Hyperlink on the Chancellor Antrim goal, Fitzpatrick with the

:32:45. > :32:50.shot, and it is wide. The reaction tells its own story. What an

:32:51. > :32:57.opportunity for Antrim, and the ball goes wide. It was, just miss kicked

:32:58. > :33:01.shot from ham more about failing, and it was an acute angle but what

:33:02. > :33:06.an opportunity, did everything right. Antrim come away with it

:33:07. > :33:12.again, Sweeney with ball in hand, referee says no foul. This is where

:33:13. > :33:17.Donegal are dangerous, on the counterattack, driving forward with

:33:18. > :33:19.plenty of numbers, yellow jerseys everywhere, the bowlers into Murphy,

:33:20. > :33:26.an opportunity for a scholar, there is the kick and there is the go. And

:33:27. > :33:29.you just had the feeling it was coming, those last few minutes

:33:30. > :33:34.before the end of the first half, dangerous minutes. Antrim had the

:33:35. > :33:36.opportunity to find the back of the net, they didn't take it, Donegal

:33:37. > :33:57.did, and now it is 1- 07. What a great run.

:33:58. > :34:01.Fantastic car and got the crowd going. Gallagher introduced as a

:34:02. > :34:12.late replacement to McGourty, raised eyebrows inside this stadium. Antrim

:34:13. > :34:16.on the attack again. The shot again dropped short.

:34:17. > :34:33.Donegal have it. On the attack yet again, 1- 0726 points. The smaller

:34:34. > :34:37.the margin where Gaelic football points can turn. Donegal have it

:34:38. > :34:40.again, it is that man, Jamie Brennan yet again, is he fouled? The referee

:34:41. > :34:50.says no. He has stopped play -- the referee has

:34:51. > :34:54.stopped play because Donegal player is on the ground. Great defending by

:34:55. > :34:58.Conor Hamill on that occasion, lovely clean hand on the ball and

:34:59. > :35:02.then fouled. Brendan would have been -- Brennan would have been confident

:35:03. > :35:08.Hattie got past Hamill but he made the file. Lovely tackling as we see

:35:09. > :35:12.there. Clean as it gets. Great tackle. A forward making that tackle

:35:13. > :35:17.almost makes it even more impressive. It does, and as well as

:35:18. > :35:21.that, if you turn the ball over in your own you can convert a turnover

:35:22. > :35:24.into a score or if you rely on getting turnovers in your defence

:35:25. > :35:29.that is a long way up the field, so that is what managers want and the

:35:30. > :35:32.team love seeing, winning the ball back, particularly if it is a

:35:33. > :35:40.forward, shows everyone is buying into the team ethos of hard work.

:35:41. > :35:45.Declan Lynch. Passes it forward to the court of

:35:46. > :35:54.Patrick Gallaher taking the ball perhaps 30 yards. Here is BT, away

:35:55. > :36:00.on the left-hand side, decides to go backwards. The ball in the pores of

:36:01. > :36:06.Gallagher. Antrim just trying to create that space, that opportunity.

:36:07. > :36:07.Sweeney from a distance, tackled from behind, the referee says no

:36:08. > :36:41.free. Kick out short. Donegal yet again on

:36:42. > :36:49.the attack, Martin Riley seeps into the 45. Goes for the shot. Jamie

:36:50. > :36:56.Brennan is having a real influence in this game. Fantastic score. I

:36:57. > :37:00.love the way he used the hand passed by McGee, get it into the man on

:37:01. > :37:04.form who has just scored a goal. Fantastic finish from that side of

:37:05. > :37:09.the ground as well, a real treat for the fans on that side of the

:37:10. > :37:12.stadium, a band roaring before the umpire reached for his white flag.

:37:13. > :37:16.We talked about the five minutes before the end of the first half,

:37:17. > :37:24.just a point separating the sides, and those five minutes are up. It is

:37:25. > :37:30.just a completely different team talk at half-time. It is, but you

:37:31. > :37:35.have to say the good teams wait for their moment, since an opportunity,

:37:36. > :37:39.and Donegal have put one on the board. They'd probably now put in a

:37:40. > :37:42.match-winning lead considering how well they play in the second half of

:37:43. > :37:51.games. They have the breeze behind them now. As much as Antrim could

:37:52. > :37:57.have clung on, it was only an inch or two across away from the post,

:37:58. > :38:01.but they are good teams and sense their moments, they pile on the

:38:02. > :38:06.scores and Donegal will be satisfied with the scoreboard and maybe more

:38:07. > :38:09.so than their overall performance. One Antrim player is a cause for

:38:10. > :38:16.concern, on the ground receiving medical treatment at the moment. We

:38:17. > :38:25.will wait to see just what is happening. It looks like it is

:38:26. > :38:28.Fitzpatrick on the ground. I think it is Sean McGreevy, former Antrim

:38:29. > :38:36.goalkeeper, trying to take off his gloves. It is not him, it looks

:38:37. > :38:41.nothing like him! My apologies to both men! This will be a worrying

:38:42. > :38:46.sign for Antrim because Mathew Fitzpatrick has been good when he

:38:47. > :38:49.has got on the ball. The dispossession tackle earlier was

:38:50. > :38:58.because of him. He would be a big loss stop new he is a great player,

:38:59. > :39:02.lovely to watch on the ball. He can pass the ball and take his own score

:39:03. > :39:08.but this looks like a significant injury, whether it is me or lower

:39:09. > :39:13.leg, they have called for the stretcher. Very disappointing for

:39:14. > :39:17.Antrim and Fitzpatrick. It has been a bad week for Mathew Fitzpatrick, a

:39:18. > :39:24.very disappointing one on all fronts, but he got the opportunity

:39:25. > :39:26.to play today. I know he was dying to play in this championship game

:39:27. > :39:34.but his afternoon has been ended early. We are into injury time in

:39:35. > :39:40.the first half. Ryan McHugh just gives him a pat. Very disappointing

:39:41. > :39:43.for Fitzpatrick, Antrim and bad management team because they will

:39:44. > :39:47.know what Rossi will be. And massive loss, you don't want any player to

:39:48. > :39:55.graft but particularly such a significant character. The way he

:39:56. > :40:00.was playing, helped inspire the team, so it will sink their hearts

:40:01. > :40:03.to see him go off in such pain. In -- it unfortunately looks to be a

:40:04. > :40:07.significant injury, whether it is his knee, it is very early but there

:40:08. > :40:14.is concern for them there, sad, you know? Let's have a look at that

:40:15. > :40:21.again, there is Fitzpatrick going in for it, goes down, straightaway,

:40:22. > :40:27.grabs it, difficult to tell. Let's look at it again, and knock to his

:40:28. > :40:31.ankle and his knee. Straightaway he grabs his right ankle. It could be

:40:32. > :40:37.his ankle or his knee or both. We just don't know, it is early days,

:40:38. > :40:41.but, great to hear him getting a round of applause, but it wasn't an

:40:42. > :40:50.incident that was particularly unfair as a challenge, it was just a

:40:51. > :40:55.greasy surface. Well-wishers turned that it -- Matt Fitzpatrick.

:40:56. > :41:01.Replacing Fitzpatrick is number 17, Kevin O'Boyle, the former Antrim

:41:02. > :41:06.captain. No more as a defender of attacker so perhaps a train jerked

:41:07. > :41:16.-- change of strategy from the Antrim management.

:41:17. > :41:27.CJ McGourty is on the 65 metre line, and is he going to have a go from

:41:28. > :41:32.here? I don't think so. I don't think I ever saw a kick scored with

:41:33. > :41:40.the breeze not being overly significant from here. We will see.

:41:41. > :41:48.There is map Fitzpatrick -- Mathew Fitzpatrick. Sad tight site to see

:41:49. > :41:53.Gaelic football. CJ McGourty did hit it short. Antrim on the attack yet

:41:54. > :41:58.again, McBride goes for the shot, it is acute, goes for it, and another

:41:59. > :42:03.wide for Antrim. That is their seventh so far today in comparison

:42:04. > :42:08.to Donegal's five. They have had opportunities. Yes, and that is the

:42:09. > :42:13.thing Rory Gallagher will be most focused on, trying to rectify in the

:42:14. > :42:18.second half, the fact that Antrim have got in behind the defence so

:42:19. > :42:24.often, but so many shots off. The half-time whistle goes. The score is

:42:25. > :42:31.Donegal one goal and eight points, Antrim six points. Supporters of

:42:32. > :42:36.both Donegal and Antrim needing their hats and sunglasses as the sun

:42:37. > :42:40.has come out to play. Beautiful sunshine, Donegal and Antrim

:42:41. > :42:43.supporters making the trip, all of them hoping to be in the next round

:42:44. > :42:52.of the championship and play either Derry or Tyrone for a place in the

:42:53. > :42:57.Ulster cup. Rory Gallagher, undefeated as assistant manager and

:42:58. > :43:01.manager of this Donegal team. He will be hoping that run continues.

:43:02. > :43:07.Play has restarted, the second half under way and Antrim when the

:43:08. > :43:15.breaking ball. Straightaway, Mark Sweeney one back. Rory McCann gives

:43:16. > :43:25.it to Sweeney, knew it would be blocked down. Sean McVeigh, gets it

:43:26. > :43:35.to Sweeney, passes it backwards. Trying to take on McGee, referee

:43:36. > :43:41.says it is free to Donegal. CJ McGourty will take this one.

:43:42. > :43:47.Confirmation of the teams going along the bottom of your screens,

:43:48. > :43:48.and it has been confirmed to the BBC that Matt Fitzpatrick has sustained

:43:49. > :44:02.ligament damage to the ankle. Free taken by McGourty off the

:44:03. > :44:05.ground, curling, doesn't have the distance or direction. Michael

:44:06. > :44:10.Murphy not for the first time today catches it inside the six yard box.

:44:11. > :44:17.Donegal on the counterattack. Breaking at speed. Cheon world. Now

:44:18. > :44:33.it is Ciaran Thompson. Trying to create space to get the

:44:34. > :44:38.shot off and Antrim are defending well, CJ McGourty back in his own 45

:44:39. > :44:41.there, ball goes loose, Donegal win it again, referee says no foul but

:44:42. > :44:47.eventually blows the whistle and the free will be given. 47 metres from

:44:48. > :44:56.goal. Yes, a strange start to the second half. A lot of mistakes, a

:44:57. > :45:00.lot of ball in dispute, and you can see that particular passage of play

:45:01. > :45:04.probably was a free kick in the end, and Murphy who caught that all under

:45:05. > :45:09.his own goalposts from the McGourty 45 metre free kick, charged up the

:45:10. > :45:14.field inspirationally, and is now with the wind at his back. We see

:45:15. > :45:20.him put this one in the ground and it is not beyond him. Michael Murphy

:45:21. > :45:23.just picking the grass from his studs. He has been in this situation

:45:24. > :45:31.so many times before, ball behind the 45, on the ground, goes for the

:45:32. > :45:40.shot, curls, doesn't have a direction. The man is human after

:45:41. > :45:48.all! Off the ground, curling, was never really making it. And it is

:45:49. > :46:03.one .0 8-6 points. Ball out of play, will be taken by Donegal.

:46:04. > :46:09.Paddy McGrath goes past his man, almost as though he wasn't there,

:46:10. > :46:14.Frank McGlynn gets it perhaps fortunately, McGlynn still going,

:46:15. > :46:19.trying to find Riley, Edi was. Now with Thompson. Back with Riley

:46:20. > :46:25.again, here is McGlynn, continued his run, space, could be tempted to

:46:26. > :46:30.go for the score, over the bar it goes, Frank McGlynn. Round of

:46:31. > :46:36.applause from the Donegal support, his championship debut made in 2006

:46:37. > :46:39.and still going strong in 2017. Fantastic by McGlynn, the way he

:46:40. > :46:43.ghosts inside, it's not like the opposition don't know about it, he

:46:44. > :46:47.has done it so long, but the timing and composure on his weaker left

:46:48. > :46:52.foot as well, fantastic scoring an important were Donegal. Murphy

:46:53. > :46:57.driving at this Antrim defence. Loses possession, Antrim come away

:46:58. > :47:03.with it, trying to break at speed. Here is Kevin O'Boyle, and allows it

:47:04. > :47:10.to bounce in front of him, from Antrim captain, just passes it

:47:11. > :47:20.inside. -- former Antrim captain. He is Sweeney. Passes it back.

:47:21. > :47:27.Peter Healy tries to find Bradley, who in turn finds Kevin O'Boyle,

:47:28. > :47:34.will Eoin Doyle go for it? Bounced it twice. -- will Ogogo for it. The

:47:35. > :47:40.right decision but perhaps not the right man. A wasted opportunity,

:47:41. > :47:45.that passwords on, badly gave it to a Boyle and there was another chance

:47:46. > :47:50.for a go if Antrim played faster and properly. They only have themselves

:47:51. > :47:55.to blame for that file, and Donegal can build against a white Paddy

:47:56. > :47:59.McGrath, more championship starts than any other player, currently

:48:00. > :48:05.playing Gaelic football. So consistent, he offers so much

:48:06. > :48:09.defensively. When he gets on the ball he is neat and tidy and uses it

:48:10. > :48:19.well and that -- that stat doesn't surprise me, a key member of that

:48:20. > :48:25.team. Donegal just relaxing into this attack, it almost seems. So

:48:26. > :48:29.comfortable in possession. They eventually win the free, and this

:48:30. > :48:32.will be a substitution coming on, Jack Dowling from the Saint Bridges

:48:33. > :48:41.club in Belfast, his father played for Armagh back in the day, and Jack

:48:42. > :48:44.very much with Antrim, six foot four frame, I would imagine he would go

:48:45. > :48:48.straight into the middle of the field. He will, I played alongside

:48:49. > :48:52.him at Queens University for a couple of years, he will be throwing

:48:53. > :48:57.himself around, a big man as you can see, plays without aggression, but

:48:58. > :49:02.plenty of skill as well, unfortunate not to start but has almost a full

:49:03. > :49:08.half to impose himself. William McCann then man taken off, so it

:49:09. > :49:17.will be a free for Donegal -- Ruairi McCann. In similar position to the

:49:18. > :49:23.one he missed a few minutes ago. Retford, plenty of distance to spare

:49:24. > :49:30.and straight between the posts. Fantastic kick, and that ability to

:49:31. > :49:32.self correct from the previous one, almost an identical position,

:49:33. > :49:39.studied further towards the right-hand post and a great kick.

:49:40. > :49:51.Instead of dropping his head, he learned from his mistakes. Great

:49:52. > :49:57.kick. Antrim on the attack. McVeigh passes the ball to Declan Lynch. Now

:49:58. > :50:06.Stephen Beatty. Passes backwards team that they again and here is

:50:07. > :50:10.Jack Dowling, and there is Matt Fitzpatrick, and unfortunately

:50:11. > :50:15.Fitzpatrick is using a crutch. Thankfully it seems to be walking to

:50:16. > :50:18.an extent. We wish him well in his recovery. Good to see him come back

:50:19. > :50:24.out and support the team, get round to the bench. I have had an ankle

:50:25. > :50:29.ligament injury myself, needed surgery, and it is nasty and will

:50:30. > :50:32.probably be a season over, but thankfully it hasn't been more

:50:33. > :50:36.severe than that for Fitzpatrick. Murphy goes charging in but it goes

:50:37. > :50:43.to ground and with three yellow jerseys surrounding him, eventually

:50:44. > :50:58.the ball on the ground. Free out, Ryan McHugh takes it. Ward finds

:50:59. > :51:03.McGlynn. Here is the cornerback, Gallagher. Again, passes it

:51:04. > :51:08.backwards. Donegal very much in control. On the attack yet again,

:51:09. > :51:14.the shot from distance, blocked down. Antrim come away with it.

:51:15. > :51:22.Patrick Gallagher now has his hands on the ball. Passes it back. They

:51:23. > :51:31.tried to break out this left-hand side. Donegal with the high press,

:51:32. > :51:38.trying to prevent Antrim coming out of defence, that is brilliant play.

:51:39. > :51:45.Paddy McAleer still going, passes it inside to Conor Hamill, you could do

:51:46. > :51:51.with support, finds it. Badly. The referee blows his whistle, stops the

:51:52. > :51:55.play. He has to stop play because Donegal player is down. It is

:51:56. > :51:59.Brennan, he looks as if he has done something to his right shoulder

:52:00. > :52:03.during the tackle, he is in a great amount of pain. Right in front of us

:52:04. > :52:07.here, as soon as he went to ground he was rolling in agony, and it

:52:08. > :52:11.looks like a serious shoulder injury to the man who has scored the only

:52:12. > :52:22.goal and has had a great game so far. That looks so. -- it looks

:52:23. > :52:29.painful. He has made a brilliant impact since coming into this

:52:30. > :52:33.Donegal senior team. Concerned supporters, but all will be happy to

:52:34. > :52:38.see Brennan back on his feet. Will he be able to continue? The pat on

:52:39. > :52:43.the back suggests he will. We can see it just as he was tackling, he

:52:44. > :52:47.lands on the right shoulder, you can get a stinger sometimes where you

:52:48. > :52:50.just get that pain and it eases once you get up and get moving, and

:52:51. > :52:56.that's what they are going to try with him. Certainly looks painful. A

:52:57. > :53:12.change in the Donegal team, Eoin McHugh coming on, cousin of Brian,

:53:13. > :53:21.cousin of Mark, nephew of Martin. The man taken off is Mulligan, the

:53:22. > :53:26.late replacement for Patrick McBrearty. So a debut for him.

:53:27. > :53:33.Antrim in possession, Sweeney gives it to the long-running Jack Dowling

:53:34. > :53:41.who is chopped down as he attacked the ball, and a free for Antrim.

:53:42. > :53:44.They haven't scored in the second half. They could really do with a

:53:45. > :53:50.point here because the longer that goes on, it could turn into an awful

:53:51. > :53:56.disaster for Antrim. Absolutely. CJ will hope to put this over the bar.

:53:57. > :54:00.Good courage by Dowling, he put his head low over the ball, and got a

:54:01. > :54:04.leg to the head for his troubles, and a free kick in. Antrim

:54:05. > :54:09.definitely need this, the game needs Antrim to get on the scoreboard

:54:10. > :54:17.here. Seven points between the teams. CJ McGourty either the

:54:18. > :54:23.target. -- I was at the target. Kicks it over the crossbar, deficit

:54:24. > :54:26.reduced to six. Antrim's first score in 20 minutes. As we said they

:54:27. > :54:33.definitely need it. Nicely floated in as well by McGourty offer left

:54:34. > :54:37.footer, bloated in really nice, and Antrim will hope to build on this

:54:38. > :54:41.but you get the sense that Donegal are waiting to pounce and kill this

:54:42. > :54:49.came off. Brilliant catch from Jason McGee. Takes the mark, hits it

:54:50. > :54:54.quickly, Hugh McFadden, had an impact on the first half, tries to

:54:55. > :54:59.play it inside but the referee says it was a foul, just a little earlier

:55:00. > :55:04.before he hit the ball inside. A free in for Donegal. He pulled it

:55:05. > :55:07.back for the advantage there, within the five seconds, the advantage

:55:08. > :55:13.didn't accrue. Again you would expect Donegal to take this one. It

:55:14. > :55:24.was probably a free kick there as they were charging in. Good

:55:25. > :55:33.refereeing. Chris Kerr between the sticks, Antrim captain this year.

:55:34. > :55:39.Michael Murphy, Donegal captain since he was 22. In spite of all he

:55:40. > :55:43.has achieved he is still just 27 years old. Remarkable maturity, and

:55:44. > :55:55.an impressive young man. Rounds of applause suggest the free was

:55:56. > :55:58.successful. It was. 1.1 1-7 points. Rory Gallagher, almost looks as

:55:59. > :56:03.though he is playing every pass, taking every hit on the sideline.

:56:04. > :56:10.Jack Dowling goes up for it, gets its hands on, the referee says it

:56:11. > :56:18.will be a free end for Antrim. Sean McVeigh will take it, hits it back.

:56:19. > :56:23.Takes the return pass. McVeigh still going, passes it inside, finds the

:56:24. > :56:27.centre halfback. Declan Lynch, now Paddy McBride, nice ball inside to

:56:28. > :56:33.the path of Bradley who goes for the shot and again it drops short.

:56:34. > :56:49.Donegal now have time to build from the back. McGee, looks for the

:56:50. > :56:54.return pass, doesn't get it. McHugh gives it to his midfielder, that was

:56:55. > :57:02.Jason McGee, now Donegal have the ball inside the 13, playing it out,

:57:03. > :57:06.however. Michael Murphy. Trying to get into a bit of action, Murphy

:57:07. > :57:16.knocks McVeigh out of his way, goes for the score. Well, that is what it

:57:17. > :57:22.is. Pushes McVeigh out of his way, lies back, just throws the boot at

:57:23. > :57:26.it, his fifth point today. He goes from strength to strength.

:57:27. > :57:31.Fantastic, and he has done so much today, taking the game on, and

:57:32. > :57:39.proactive, McVeigh went with him at that time he made the move. He just

:57:40. > :57:43.shrugged McVeigh, who was a big man, and hit that shot and you knew when

:57:44. > :57:48.he got that he would nail the squirrel from so far out, and he is

:57:49. > :57:53.really stepping up today, Michael Murphy, what a point. Great score

:57:54. > :57:55.from the Donegal captain leading by example, Bailey is, in the middle of

:57:56. > :58:01.things yet again, going for the catch, doesn't get it, breaking

:58:02. > :58:05.ball, referee says a foul, free into Donegal. Karl Lacey has come on as

:58:06. > :58:13.substitute replacing Michael Carroll. There is Karl Lacey, the

:58:14. > :58:18.year, first played for Donegal in 2006, not a bad man to bring him on.

:58:19. > :58:23.Fantastic stunt to have them. The retirements Donegal have had have

:58:24. > :58:26.been documented. Some that the boy perhaps have their best football

:58:27. > :58:30.behind the moment is a chance for the new guys to come in, Callaghan

:58:31. > :58:33.Brennan. The opportunities are there now for them to get minutes and

:58:34. > :58:37.feature but key for people like Murphy and Lacey to come back into

:58:38. > :58:40.the fold, even in the fold, Ruan Pienaar in changing, after --

:58:41. > :58:45.training after a win loss to keep things on track. This game is fast

:58:46. > :58:50.deteriorating into the Michael Murphy show. Round of applause for

:58:51. > :58:54.him, and there he is, conducting the orchestra in the forward line, 1.1

:58:55. > :59:02.3-7 points, six points from Murphy today. He has taken them on. From

:59:03. > :59:07.the midfield role, often I have watched him play and I have wanted

:59:08. > :59:09.him to give the ball, get it back, driver defenders because I know he

:59:10. > :59:15.strikes the into them, and watching him do it today is fantastic. He

:59:16. > :59:20.looks anomalous form as the season rolls on. You are losing a game by

:59:21. > :59:23.six points and end up making some substitutions, there is one from

:59:24. > :59:32.Antrim's point of view, bringing on Conor Small.

:59:33. > :59:39.Here comes Brendan Bradley, being taken off.

:59:40. > :59:50.Brendan Bradley is, and there is Patrick McBrearty. Again, not a bad

:59:51. > :59:55.man to bring on. Yes, I still rate McBrearty as one of the top three

:59:56. > :59:59.four inside forwards in the game, the latex possession so plainly and

:00:00. > :00:03.turned sharply, and that left foot is so damaging. I expect him to

:00:04. > :00:08.start games at Donegal and progress further in the Ulster Championship.

:00:09. > :00:09.Jamie Brennan makes way, breaking ball was won by Antrim to McCann.

:00:10. > :00:20.It's it short. Behind from Michael Murphy. Murphy

:00:21. > :00:26.looking to do the dirty work. I have been hit by Jack Dowling before,

:00:27. > :00:31.Murphy has felt the effect of that, he is one solid man, loves the gym,

:00:32. > :00:35.Jack Dowling. It wasn't his fault that Murphy came in trying to

:00:36. > :00:41.dispossess him. He has come out potentially with sore ribs, Michael

:00:42. > :00:46.Murphy. Amazing that Michael Murphy is 27 years of age, captain of a

:00:47. > :00:50.county team at 22 committee said the 2011 game against Kildare when they

:00:51. > :00:54.won that quarterfinal was the best ever memory in a Donegal shirt,

:00:55. > :00:59.despite winning championships after that despite winning an All-Ireland.

:01:00. > :01:04.No matter how big he has put in the big stage, he is still doing dirty

:01:05. > :01:08.work. He is. He charges into the ball, looking to get a hand in to

:01:09. > :01:13.get it back. He might have hurt his hand. Yes, I think you are right.

:01:14. > :01:18.Hand or potentially ribs, lower ribs. We just don't know. Hopefully

:01:19. > :01:23.he will be OK to continue. He is one of the great players. Certainly of

:01:24. > :01:28.his own generation, the way he has led teams. I played against him at

:01:29. > :01:32.school football. Even then, you could tell he had leadership

:01:33. > :01:39.qualities. What a career. After those medals, you would be very,

:01:40. > :01:44.very happy. He is hungry for more. He won't want to come off. He said

:01:45. > :01:48.Brendan and of any was his childhood hero. One suspects there are many

:01:49. > :01:56.children in the crowd to beg where that man is indeed his hero. Murphy

:01:57. > :02:01.is back on his feet. Doesn't look 100%. I would be surprised if

:02:02. > :02:05.Donegal took the risk of letting Murphy finished the game, which is

:02:06. > :02:08.disappointing for the supporters. But I would imagine they will maybe

:02:09. > :02:17.try to get him off to protect their star player. Kevin O'Boyle takes on

:02:18. > :02:20.his man, does very well indeed. Patrick Gallagher, the full-back,

:02:21. > :02:26.tries to play at inside. Players charging with the ball.

:02:27. > :02:37.Conor Small finds his man. Kevin O'Boyle again. CJ McGourty, very

:02:38. > :02:41.deep. McGourty once the return pass, doesn't get it. Paddy McBride has

:02:42. > :02:44.it, does well to maintain possession, skips past one man and

:02:45. > :02:49.tries to go buy a second. Transfers in football, Jack Dowling has it. It

:02:50. > :02:53.is in the hands of Kevin O'Boyle. CJ McGourty. They are having to work

:02:54. > :03:02.very hard to get into this Donegal half of the field. Declan Lynch.

:03:03. > :03:11.Donegal's 13 players inside their own 45-metre line. Cornerback, Peter

:03:12. > :03:18.Healy, Declan Lynch. Paddy McBride, Jack Dowling.

:03:19. > :03:23.Donegal are making it extremely difficult for this Antrim attack to

:03:24. > :03:29.penetrate that defence. No holes, no gaps. Thomas McCann, trying to

:03:30. > :03:34.create a bit of space for himself, goes into the tackle, stripped of

:03:35. > :03:38.the ball. Donegal, away with it, and you wouldn't be surprised if Donegal

:03:39. > :03:42.can exist with the score, we have seen it so might then do it so often

:03:43. > :03:47.in the past. Attacking at speed was Eoin McHugh. The ball in the hands

:03:48. > :03:50.of Jason McGee, still going, goes for the shot. Off the post. Paul

:03:51. > :03:55.Stirling play and eventually trickles out for a goal kick,

:03:56. > :03:59.classic Donegal -- ball still in plaster, we didn't see that in the

:04:00. > :04:03.first half, Antrim were able to get in behind him. That is what Donegal

:04:04. > :04:11.are all about, a great counterattack. Brendan McCole comes

:04:12. > :04:16.in. Sean McVeigh is taking off. There is Sean. He played from

:04:17. > :04:22.London, the Munden team that beat Fermanagh in the Championship just a

:04:23. > :04:26.few years ago. -- the London team. Another substitution for Donegal.

:04:27. > :04:33.That man coming on, Martin Michael O'Neill. Two years ago during the

:04:34. > :04:38.first game of the he played against Tyrone, scored a goal that they --

:04:39. > :04:42.Martin McElhinney. Ciaran Thompson is a name we haven't heard an awful

:04:43. > :04:48.lot of the past few years. A massive impact today. Yes, he has, the whole

:04:49. > :04:52.seasons so far in Division 1, a fantastic league campaign. Today you

:04:53. > :04:56.can see his quality, what a left footed house. His brother Anthony

:04:57. > :05:02.has been a mainstay of the Donegal team. -- what a quality. Had a ride

:05:03. > :05:08.on the charge, Jack Dowling unable to bundle up the ball. For the

:05:09. > :05:14.briefest of seconds that goal needed Antrim to moving, were not able to

:05:15. > :05:20.do it. Donegal win back the ball, on the attack again. Referee says play

:05:21. > :05:25.on. Ryan McHugh. Still going, tries to pass it inside, given away.

:05:26. > :05:34.Donegal win it back. Patrick McBrearty. Left foot from a long way

:05:35. > :05:42.out. And it is wide. Paddy McBrearty is hoping to play in his seventh

:05:43. > :05:48.gold -- Ulster final this year. He is only 23 years of age. Yellow card

:05:49. > :05:52.for keirin ward. Back to the McBrearty Boyd, 23 years of age and

:05:53. > :05:57.hoping to make a seventh Ulster final -- Caolan Ward. I had to check

:05:58. > :06:01.that, it seemed absurd. It is hard to believe he is only 23 years of

:06:02. > :06:05.age. He has been around for such a long period of time and integral to

:06:06. > :06:12.the success Donegal have had in that period. How many more years will he

:06:13. > :06:14.be via? What a player. Donegal winning the breaking ball, highball,

:06:15. > :06:19.good defending from Antrim. The degree Patrick Gallagher. Whether

:06:20. > :06:23.they are written so much on defence or attacking from defence, Patrick

:06:24. > :06:27.Gallagher has been impressive today. Antrim have had a number of players

:06:28. > :06:31.holding their own, some defenders really came out, they have not been

:06:32. > :06:36.able to convert early on, come bursting opportunities, it really

:06:37. > :06:40.died off after the first 15 minutes, struggling for scores big-time.

:06:41. > :06:45.Paddy McBride tries to bring it in front of Mark Sweeney. Coming just a

:06:46. > :06:49.little bit too much. It goes wide -- hurling.

:06:50. > :06:58.We already have too much yous on the field, we're about to get a third,

:06:59. > :07:05.Mark McHugh. When with All-Ireland. -- window with All-Ireland. --

:07:06. > :07:13.winner. Hoping to get back on the field. Frank McGlynn. Finds

:07:14. > :07:17.McBrearty out in front of his man. Strong attack from McBrearty. You

:07:18. > :07:22.can hear the ball snap off his gloves. Still going, look at the

:07:23. > :07:26.return pass, fast hands. I challenge, the referee says play on

:07:27. > :07:30.coming the shot from distance, as the direction but not strength. The

:07:31. > :07:34.referee brings it back for the initial foul, it is going to be a

:07:35. > :07:42.three in so much trouble free inside the 45. That is -- a free inside the

:07:43. > :07:48.45. He sprinted towards goal, that is a trait that not many forwards

:07:49. > :07:52.have today. Most pass it back. McBrearty is so direct, that is why

:07:53. > :07:58.we rate him so highly. Caolan Ward is making way. Again, high

:07:59. > :08:03.performance from Ward, attacking at every single opportunity. We want to

:08:04. > :08:08.see more of him in the future. It was him who made the intercept as

:08:09. > :08:12.Jack Dowling was an golf Antrim a couple of minutes ago. He tracked

:08:13. > :08:15.back, a clean tackle to save a goal opportunity -- on goal for Antrim.

:08:16. > :08:21.McBrearty going for this one, a free.

:08:22. > :08:32.Takes a couple of bounces, and just steadies himself.

:08:33. > :08:41.McBrearty, curls it with the left, straight over the cost of my

:08:42. > :08:46.crossbar. -- by crossbar. Getting off the mark in the Ulster

:08:47. > :08:49.Championship, a nice free for him, struck it well, lovely left footed

:08:50. > :08:57.free kicks we have been treated to today with CJ McGourty.

:08:58. > :09:10.Intercepted, Jason McGee. Donegal's midfield has been impressive this

:09:11. > :09:15.afternoon. Paddy McGrath takes it. Attacking at speed, needs troops

:09:16. > :09:20.left and right. One of them is McHugh. Ryan McHugh passing it

:09:21. > :09:26.inside. Paddy McGrath! Who started the move, finishes it into the back

:09:27. > :09:32.of the net. And Donegal, whether it is an attack, midfield or defence,

:09:33. > :09:36.they are absolutely sensational. They were, and Michael Murphy with a

:09:37. > :09:44.defence splitting crossfield pass to stop bad. Some great fast hands.

:09:45. > :09:48.McHugh finding it. But Paddy McGrath, he rode the tackle from the

:09:49. > :09:52.keeper well. He just got the foot onto the ball, a lovely smile on his

:09:53. > :09:58.face, she is chuffed with that goal, lovely unselfish play, by degree

:09:59. > :10:03.from McHugh. It cut the move wide open and it freed up so many

:10:04. > :10:07.players. Fantastic goal by Donegal. Thomas McCann goes for the school,

:10:08. > :10:11.the angle acute, even for a right footed attack at -- Thomas McCann

:10:12. > :10:19.goes for the score. Just didn't have the direction. Rory Gallagher, go

:10:20. > :10:28.get the subcommittee shouts. -- go get the Saab, he shouts. Passes it

:10:29. > :10:32.backwards. Lacie has been quiet since being introduced as a

:10:33. > :10:39.second-half substitute, but he has found the time. It is going to be a

:10:40. > :10:46.free in yet again. Karl Lacey always has nice jazzy but is. Yes, he does.

:10:47. > :10:51.-- jazzy boots. He is a nice player to watch and he looks after himself

:10:52. > :10:54.as well. You can see he is a fantastic athlete. It will be

:10:55. > :10:57.interesting to see his impact, how content he will be with potentially

:10:58. > :11:02.having a bit part in this Donegal team. He will want to play as many

:11:03. > :11:05.minutes as he can. How you can adapt to what the Gallagher is asking him

:11:06. > :11:10.to do off the bench could be crucial. Is that the key point in

:11:11. > :11:13.how we see? He said whether I play seven minutes or one minute or no

:11:14. > :11:17.minute at all, I'm still feeling good enough I want to give everybody

:11:18. > :11:22.a goal -- Karl Lacey. The easiest thing for those 32-year-old would be

:11:23. > :11:28.to say, I have been there and done it. The guys who want to be there,

:11:29. > :11:35.the team, the young guys to aspire to. Retallick will be delighted to

:11:36. > :11:40.have him. Great kick from Paddy McBride and eat -- Rory Gallagher

:11:41. > :11:46.will be delighted. Coming on is 23, Michael Langan. Getting to know

:11:47. > :11:50.Paddy McBride. Frank McGlynn has made way.

:11:51. > :12:02.Into the middle of the field. Yet again chasing midi. -- McGee. Paddy

:12:03. > :12:09.McBride in needs help, find it. Karl Lacey, will he be tempted to go for

:12:10. > :12:15.a score? Left foot, goes for it. The game as a contest is over right now.

:12:16. > :12:18.In reality it has been for a while. This is veering an exhibition stuff

:12:19. > :12:23.for Donegal. On the left foot as well. Quick hands, unselfish play,

:12:24. > :12:27.the man and a better position. McGlynn on the left foot and now

:12:28. > :12:30.Karl Lacey, they are bonus was the Donegal. Fantastic scores that they

:12:31. > :12:39.are, we have been treated to some very fine point taking today. A 23

:12:40. > :12:46.point total, it is impressive. From Ari Gallagher's team. -- Ruairi

:12:47. > :12:53.Gallagher. One of the Antrim players has lost his boot. I think that's

:12:54. > :12:54.Conor Small. A little bit of argy-bargy going on between McGee in

:12:55. > :13:08.there. Paddy Nealon, the referee, has

:13:09. > :13:13.little this is used to be made today. Yes, he has. It is a game

:13:14. > :13:17.that has been easy enough to referee. Michael Murphy gets a

:13:18. > :13:20.yellow card. He was putting in a shift offensively for his side right

:13:21. > :13:24.to the end. A bit overzealous with the tackling there. It just shows

:13:25. > :13:28.you how hungry he still is. I'm surprised to see him out there after

:13:29. > :13:31.that heavy head he took, but he wants to be out there, leading the

:13:32. > :13:36.team every minute of the day. Paddy Muir and has had a good job.

:13:37. > :13:42.Potentially a few free kicks he gave in early that could have been let go

:13:43. > :13:47.-- the referee had a good job. But he has been consistent and had a

:13:48. > :13:52.good game. Kevin O'Boyle. Fiennes Jack Dowling, Mark Sweeney. He needs

:13:53. > :13:56.help, he has found it, Tomas McCann. High challenge from McGee.

:13:57. > :14:07.The referee blows the whistle. Tomas McCann will bounce up from that.

:14:08. > :14:24.Yellow card shown. To Neil McGee. The full-back.

:14:25. > :14:36.CJ McGourty strikes the free. Knocks it over the bar. Eight points to

:14:37. > :14:41.Antrim. 216 for Donegal. The Donegal supporters will be saying now, OK,

:14:42. > :14:45.the next thing the Ulster semifinal. It's going to be either Tyrone or

:14:46. > :14:49.Derry. And one might suspect that most people will either think that

:14:50. > :14:58.is going to be two, what a semifinal that could be. I stress, could. Of

:14:59. > :15:01.course, Derry have it within them to beat Tyrone. But you would expect it

:15:02. > :15:05.is going to be a big semifinal no matter what, a big step up from

:15:06. > :15:11.Donegal from here. Rory Gallagher will know that. And removed down

:15:12. > :15:15.into division four. Lovely pass. They will face a lot bigger test

:15:16. > :15:20.than this. It is great way to start, especially in the second half. A

:15:21. > :15:21.nice ball from McHugh, the bounce deceived Hugh McFadden and Antrim,

:15:22. > :15:33.we have it. Nugent. -- Nugent. McBride trying to take on this

:15:34. > :15:38.Donegal defence. Good plate from the wingback, he has found it. CJ

:15:39. > :15:45.McGourty, outside of the brood. Caught by the keeper. -- outside of

:15:46. > :15:47.the boot. Karl Lacey take the challenge, looks for help and finds

:15:48. > :15:54.it. Well, it has been a disappointing

:15:55. > :15:59.day for the Antrim management. They will have to regroup and go the way

:16:00. > :16:03.of the qualifiers. As for the goal, and this man in possession of the

:16:04. > :16:07.ball, Hugh McFadden, they are going into the Ulster semifinals. McFadden

:16:08. > :16:11.has been very impressive. He doesn't go for a score, he passes to Michael

:16:12. > :16:17.Langan. And Michael Langan gets a score.

:16:18. > :16:22.Giggled a lot of Donegal's scores have been coming off this right-hand

:16:23. > :16:30.side, great strength and determination by McFadden. Fantastic

:16:31. > :16:34.kick as well. With that breeze by Lang, he would be happy to get on

:16:35. > :16:38.the scoresheet. Unselfish play in the forward line. Donegal have given

:16:39. > :16:41.the ball to the man with the appropriate possession to take the

:16:42. > :16:44.score, that is why they scored so heavily on the second half. Donegal

:16:45. > :16:49.when the breaking ball, not the first time we have said that this

:16:50. > :16:51.afternoon. -- win the breaking ball. Mark McHugh just switches the play,

:16:52. > :17:03.Donegal on the attack. Jason McGee. Four additional minutes will be

:17:04. > :17:09.added at the end of this match. Donegal, well, they look as if they

:17:10. > :17:13.could play all day. Another point. 218-8 points. The school is just

:17:14. > :17:19.blowing out now. Donegal is putting their dominance on the game -- by

:17:20. > :17:22.score. A nice point with the breeze, Keidan that hands. Had enough on it

:17:23. > :17:28.to make it over the crossbar -- ticking. They will regroup, it will

:17:29. > :17:31.be a long month for them to find out who they get in the qualifiers. It

:17:32. > :17:35.is going to be difficult to see how they're going to be able to put

:17:36. > :17:41.together a run but you have to say they held their road to the first

:17:42. > :17:47.half of this game today. -- their own. Although it chance, a yard wide

:17:48. > :17:54.of the post, they conceded the first golden Brennan, that ended the game

:17:55. > :17:59.as a contest. -- the first goal to Brennan. Paddy McBride on the

:18:00. > :18:03.attack. He has been fouled, the referee says comeback. Paddy McBride

:18:04. > :18:07.is saying, why can you not say play advantage, play on? Shows his

:18:08. > :18:13.frustration. The Roscommon man says no, brings it back for the free. And

:18:14. > :18:22.it is game to be a free in for Antrim. CJ McGourty the man who will

:18:23. > :18:28.take it. Well, they have had big injuries coming into this game. Both

:18:29. > :18:35.Murray brothers, they lost their captain from last year, Kevin

:18:36. > :18:40.leglock. We talked about the manner having a smaller pool of players

:18:41. > :18:44.than the bigger teams -- Fermanagh. They are such quality players.

:18:45. > :18:49.Losing multiple quality players for a relatively small team who are, you

:18:50. > :18:53.know, up against the odds as it is, you can't afford to do it. And

:18:54. > :18:56.that's why it's hard when the opposition are bringing on quality

:18:57. > :19:00.of the bench and you're just hanging in there. Having sought Fermanagh

:19:01. > :19:03.last night and again and tonight, they need everyone fit and firing,

:19:04. > :19:09.and unfortunately they haven't had that luxury. When these sides played

:19:10. > :19:16.in 2009, Donegal have won three Ulster championships in All-Ireland,

:19:17. > :19:18.they have gone one way. Antrim have struggled, but they were impressive

:19:19. > :19:24.at times in the first half. A transfer Paddy McBride in! -- Paddy

:19:25. > :19:30.McGrath do. They are finishing with class! It is almost too easy. A

:19:31. > :19:33.great run inside, the pass was off-loaded, the perfect time. A

:19:34. > :19:39.change of gear by McBrearty. The finish was fantastic. Antrim have

:19:40. > :19:43.thrown in the towel now. It is just the way he caught inside the near

:19:44. > :19:47.post, great finish. One thing on his mind when he got there, it has

:19:48. > :19:51.really been too easy for Donegal this past 15 or 20 minutes, they

:19:52. > :19:56.have folded up quite weakly. You give opportunities like that to a

:19:57. > :20:01.team of talented players like Donegal, you can expect big scores,

:20:02. > :20:04.318, very impressive in a game of Championship football, particularly

:20:05. > :20:07.up here in Ulster. They're not finished yet. Another score! Mark

:20:08. > :20:24.McHugh this time. 319-9 points. People perhaps were fearing the

:20:25. > :20:31.worst today. But 19 point is massive... It is, that's what we

:20:32. > :20:35.fear. That is why the Championship has its critics, the former of a

:20:36. > :20:39.Division 1 team taking on a division 14. But it is what it is. Donegal

:20:40. > :20:43.have been exceptional, very professional. Last night in the

:20:44. > :20:47.second half they powered away, their fitness and experience and strength

:20:48. > :20:50.and depth has shown. It is difficult to Antrim, especially with the

:20:51. > :20:55.injury that sustained to Fitzpatrick as well. You know, Donegal have

:20:56. > :21:00.moved so well in the second half. They will be looking forward to that

:21:01. > :21:03.big semifinal we talked about. But Antrim have lost every game they've

:21:04. > :21:08.played away this year. That looks as if it is going to continue. I note

:21:09. > :21:11.the positivity, Martin Clarke, during the first half they were

:21:12. > :21:15.impressive at times, they did lead. What is the one thing that Antrim

:21:16. > :21:19.can take for this game Brazil and they look at the first half and how

:21:20. > :21:24.they got in behind Donegal, and organised defensive unit. They were

:21:25. > :21:31.able to get shots away from that, scoring around the 21. McGourty and,

:21:32. > :21:35.can cause problems. Unfortunately they don't have the strength and

:21:36. > :21:39.numbers to play for 70, 75 minutes of a Championship football. But they

:21:40. > :21:43.really took the fight to Donegal early. It did come down to the lack

:21:44. > :21:46.of numbers and the quality of Donegal in the end just to run right

:21:47. > :21:52.over the top of them. And to be so ruthless. That is what happens in

:21:53. > :21:56.Championship football against the best teams, there is no letting up,

:21:57. > :22:03.the competition for places is so hot. Antrim on the attack! They get

:22:04. > :22:07.a goal! The man that scored it is Conor Small. What a pass by McGourty

:22:08. > :22:11.outside of the left foot. Antrim have deserved a goal. That wasn't

:22:12. > :22:17.the first time they threatened the Donegal goal. Just seeing this path

:22:18. > :22:21.again by McGourty... Beautiful pass. Three or four Donegal defenders who

:22:22. > :22:24.took out, tidy finish in the top corner. The Donegal defence probably

:22:25. > :22:30.won't even worried about that, the ball had to go by four players.

:22:31. > :22:32.Shows the class. But the class belonged to Donegal today,

:22:33. > :22:37.particularly that man, Rory Gallagher. They go on to the Ulster

:22:38. > :22:47.semifinal. Handshakes all round. Final score from Ballybofey, it has

:22:48. > :22:52.finished 319 to one goal and nine. Congratulations, Rory, what was your

:22:53. > :22:56.overall take? Very pleased to be in the next round. To be honest, it was

:22:57. > :23:00.a poor game, it never really caught fire so it didn't, you know. It will

:23:01. > :23:03.stop- start in the second half but we will well in control. In the

:23:04. > :23:07.first half you had to be patient because Antrim had a decent start.

:23:08. > :23:12.Luckily there was a strong breeze out there. You wake up with a breeze

:23:13. > :23:17.and to be fair to CJ he had a couple of late scores, as did Tomas McCann.

:23:18. > :23:21.It took us a while to settle down, but it was an average performance

:23:22. > :23:25.for our souls from a long period. Very disappointed in the second-half

:23:26. > :23:29.performance. It was men against boys. Donegal stayed on in the

:23:30. > :23:32.second half and put us to the sword. You can have no complaints. I

:23:33. > :23:37.thought the first half we gave a very good performance, we are having

:23:38. > :23:41.a lack of luck these days. We lost Matthew Fitzpatrick, who was playing

:23:42. > :23:45.really well. We had a couple of good goal chances we didn't take the

:23:46. > :23:50.chances for points. It is a Division 1 team against a division 14. Were

:23:51. > :23:54.the goals are real highlight given the fact there were three fantastic

:23:55. > :23:57.team but is and you showed your transition on the strength of their

:23:58. > :24:02.side? Listen, they were good goals, a lot of good players. The reality

:24:03. > :24:05.is, we are operating in Division 1 the last number of years, Antrim

:24:06. > :24:11.were down to division four, we have got very good footballers. The goal

:24:12. > :24:16.has brightened up the whole day. Job very much done. As for Antrim, a big

:24:17. > :24:21.job of work to do. That is it, Oisin. A competitive enough first

:24:22. > :24:25.half, they had goal chances. They started the game positively. For a

:24:26. > :24:29.team that is coming out of division four, give Donegal a really good run

:24:30. > :24:34.for the first 15 minutes. The goal chance is obviously something they

:24:35. > :24:38.have worked on. Two diagonal balls, CJ McGourty, more of a half chance

:24:39. > :24:41.than an actual chance. This one, Matthew Fitzpatrick. You know,

:24:42. > :24:48.that's a real chance. That goes into the bottom end of the net. You have

:24:49. > :24:51.got a completely different game on our hands. Fortunately for Matthew

:24:52. > :24:55.Fitzpatrick, he had a tough week and ended up going off early. The ball

:24:56. > :24:59.should have went left, instead it goes right. Fluffed the chance, the

:25:00. > :25:03.ball in the keeper Boz McCance. The unfortunate thing from Antrim point

:25:04. > :25:07.of view at that stage is that Donegal then go to counterattack,

:25:08. > :25:10.right at the top of the field, and stick the ball in the back of the

:25:11. > :25:14.net. That encapsulated the game, the way the game had gone. You know

:25:15. > :25:18.what, I suppose from a Donegal point of view, you could see that the

:25:19. > :25:22.young lads, after this goal, the young lads started to build

:25:23. > :25:25.confidence. Michael Murphy of course involved, as he was in a lot of

:25:26. > :25:29.things. Brennan Scarlett the ball in the back of the net. Two minutes

:25:30. > :25:33.later, Michael kicks the ball over the bar. You could see Donegal,

:25:34. > :25:36.their spirit raised and the confidence levels. From that point

:25:37. > :25:43.on, the game was more or less up for the second half. The goals kept

:25:44. > :25:52.coming. Paddy McGrath and McGrady. McGrath had got a fair fairly torrid

:25:53. > :25:55.time for the first 15 minutes. They were on the counterattack, Antrim

:25:56. > :26:01.had no choice but to push out at this stage. The Donegal of old. Yes,

:26:02. > :26:08.and easy finish from McGrath. Ryan McHugh again involved. Clearing it

:26:09. > :26:12.up. At this stage, you know, Donegal were running completely rampant.

:26:13. > :26:16.Karl Lacey come on and had a good cameo, Paddy McGrath and he. --

:26:17. > :26:24.Paddy McGrath do. He showed his quality, going into

:26:25. > :26:28.the semifinal, it is nice to have players like that coming off the

:26:29. > :26:33.bench. To a large extent Rory Gallagher didn't seem that happy

:26:34. > :26:37.after the game. But I think he would be OK, he knows they will improve

:26:38. > :26:40.from this point. Paddy McAleer deep was nearly in the starting line-up,

:26:41. > :26:46.we are not sure whether it was practical or not that he didn't

:26:47. > :26:50.start -- Patrick McBrearty. You know, sometimes something like that

:26:51. > :26:56.just works. McBrearty has been tremendous. He is only 23 years of

:26:57. > :27:00.age. He is still on a steep learning curve, but you have to say that when

:27:01. > :27:03.he came onto the pitch today he was very impressive. Whether it was

:27:04. > :27:07.injury or a kick up the prostate and, it worked. What worked and

:27:08. > :27:11.worked today, that was Michael Murphy. We could have picked out

:27:12. > :27:16.several incidents, but this stood out early in the second-half. Sean

:27:17. > :27:19.McVeigh is no small man. He has thrown him off, he then has the

:27:20. > :27:27.composure to kick the ball over the bar. Michael Murphy is around a long

:27:28. > :27:29.time, but these young players still look to somebody like Michael

:27:30. > :27:32.Murphy. He was tremendous today, he is strong and agile. He is able to

:27:33. > :27:36.kick free kicks and points like that, an inspirational figure.

:27:37. > :27:40.Banks, Oisin. That is Donegal through to the semifinal, where they

:27:41. > :27:46.will play either Derry or Tyrone. There you have it, Derry taking on

:27:47. > :27:52.Tyrone next Sunday, the 28th of May, across BBC Sport NI. And a nudge,

:27:53. > :27:59.also the way of the mighty man, Pienaar. BBC Sport NI brings you a

:28:00. > :28:03.unique insight. That is tomorrow evening, 10:40pm on BBC One. And

:28:04. > :28:08.that is just about it from Ballybofey, where it has been very

:28:09. > :28:13.much Donegal's day. We will do it all again next Sunday. I hope that

:28:14. > :28:18.you can join me, Oisin, Paddy, Mark McHugh, the team, that is. But for

:28:19. > :28:20.now, from me, it has been Donegal's day, Donegal march on. From everyone

:28:21. > :29:29.in ballad -- Ballybofey, goodbye. He's played his last game

:29:30. > :29:33.in an Ulster jersey,