Donegal hold off Leitrim to save their senior status in relegation play-off

EVA GALLAGHER WAS in flying form for Donegal at Kilcoyne Park in Tubbercurry on Saturday as the O’Donnell County secured their TG4 All-Ireland senior football championship status with a relegation play-off victory over Leitrim.

While Gallagher broke the deadlock with a fine point inside the opening 60 seconds, Leitrim squeezed in front courtesy of unanswered efforts by Muireann Devaney (a late addition to the starting line-up) and Ailbhe Clancy.

Yet Kilcar attacker Gallagher soon followed with her second point of the game, and when Katie Dowds fed Susanne White close to goal on nine minutes, the latter fired smoothly into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

Following traded scores between the influential Gallagher and Leah Fox, Donegal stretched six clear when Gallagher, Dowds and Mia Bennett split the uprights in quick succession.

However, after Laura O’Dowd (older sister of Dublin midfielder Eilish O’Dowd) cut Leitrim’s deficit in half with a 19th-minute goal, Fox’s second of the day left just two points between the teams.

Gallagher (her fifth of the half) and Clancy raised further white flags for their side as the action progressed, before Jodie McFadden fired home a second Donegal major on 24 minutes.

This propelled James Daly’s Ulster side towards a 2-7 to 1-5 interval buffer and with Niamh Boyle, White and Bennett all on target, they enjoyed a whirlwind start to the second half.

Donegal remained in the driving seat after Gallagher and the ever-dangerous Devaney bagged two points apiece at either end of the pitch, but 2024 TG4 All-Ireland intermediate football championship winners Leitrim weren’t prepared to go down without a fight.

In the space of eight minutes inside the final-quarter, Jonny Garrity’s side outscored their O’Donnell counterparts by 0-5 to 0-1 – the impressive Devaney bagging four points to compliment a single contribution from Fox.

They subsequently received a potential lifeline when Devaney was fouled inside the small square on 58 minutes, but her resulting penalty was saved low by Donegal netminder Clare Friel.

This could have been the spark they needed to turn the tide in their favour, but with Gallagher and White knocking over late points for their opponents, Leitrim ultimately couldn’t avoid a return to the intermediate championship for 2026.

Scorers for Donegal: E Gallagher 0-9, S White 1-2, J McFadden 1-0, M Bennett 0-2, K Dowds, N Boyle 0-1 each.

Scorers for Leitrim: M Devaney 0-7 (6f), L O’Dowd 1-0, L Fox 0-3, A Clancy 0-2 (1f).

DONEGAL: C Friel; S McFadden, A Temple Asokuh, S McFeeley; B McLaughlin, E McGinley, C Gillespie; R Rodgers, M Bennett; S White, K Dowds, F McManamon; E Gallagher, J McFadden, N Boyle. Subs: R McColgan for Rodgers (36), A Caulfield for Gillespie (40), E Boyle for McFadden (45), A McGranaghan for Bennett (52).

LEITRIM: M Guckian; J Maye, C Tyrrell, E Quigley; D Beirne, C Owens, R McIntyre; N Tighe, A Quinn; A Gilmartin, V Egan, A Clancy; L Fox, M Devaney, L O’Dowd. Subs: S Quinn for Egan (40), C Dolan for A Quinn (46), L McKeon for Quigley (52), E Shanley for Beirne (54).

Referee: Philip Conway (Armagh).