'Top keeper' and 'leader' Shaun Patton is Donegal's penalty shootout hero
Shaun Byrne A Saving Goalkeeper Picture: ©inpho/ryan Game Penalty Patton To Celebrates The Donegal Win
Shaun Patton’s sudden death penalty save was the defining moment as Donegal won the Ulster title in high drama at a packed St Tiernach’s Park.
Patton had got something on Tiernan Kelly’s kick, Armagh’s, fifth of the shootout before denying Shane McPartlan in sudden death to signal the start of the celebrations.
It was pain for Armagh once again after losing to Derry on penalties 12 months ago.
Kieran McGeeney’s side, who led by a point at half-time, went four points clear but failed to score in the final 20 minutes of normal time before Patrick McBrearty forced extra-time.
A third point from Aidan Nugent looked to have sealed the deal for Armagh in extra-time but Donegal - with Ryan McHugh involved in the last play - found a way and Patton’s pass led Shane O’Donnell in for a point that took it all the way to penalties.
“We needed a score when it went to four (points down), the bigger the gap the more dangerous it was going to be,” said a happy Donegal selector Colm McFadden.
Surrounded by fans on a packed St Tiernach’s Park, McFadden spoke of Donegal’s missed chances in the second half before they pulled their way back into contention.
“Niall O’Donnell stepped up with a big score and we clawed it back,” he said.
“When we went to two (points), it gave us a bit more confidence that we could bridge the gap.
“It’s a great testament to the boys, they showed great character to keep digging in to claw to back in.
“At the end of normal time we felt we could push on and win it in normal time (before penalties).”
On the weekend the northern lights lit up the sky, Sunday’s Ulster final blockbuster delivered an emotionally charged blockbuster.
It was a game with buckets of whopping scores at both end Armagh will have to live with the regrets of failing to kill off Donegal when they had them on the ropes despite Stefan Campbell’s herculean effort.
When all is said and done Jimmy was winning matches again and it was a first Donegal Ulster title since 2019.
Ten years after steering Donegal to Ulster glory in his first tenue, McGuinness backed up wins over Derry and Tyrone with Sunday’s victory.
After 90 minutes of action it went all the way to penalties Patton was the hero.
“He is top a ‘keeper,” McFadden said. “There was a lot of ball landing in about the square and he is just back from injury. He is a big leader in that team with the way he conducts himself.”
Forker opened the scoring before Gallen hit the first of five first half points.
Both teams kicked well Gallen and Shane O’Donnell putting Donegal 0-5 to 0-3 ahead after 16 minutes.
Two points from Conor Turbitt and one from Andrew Murnin had the sides level 0-6 each, Murnin’s score after Armagh’s only press of the half of Patton’s kick-out.
It was the Orchard County who nosed ahead by the break (0-10 to 0-9) with a second Bern Crealey point after Rory Grugan picked him out with a pass for an advanced mark.
It was Armagh who took the second half under their wing with points from Turbitt and Conaty before Campbell kicked them 0-13 to 0-9 ahead inside five minutes.
With Greg McCabe closing off the path to Gallen inside, it took two wonder scores from Niall O’Donnell as Donegal went 20 minutes without a score after leading 0-15 to 0-11.
Langan and McGee kicked points for Donegal before McBrearty’s point took the game to extra-time.
A McBrearty free edged Donegal ahead in extra time, their first lead since the 20th minute.
Armagh missed two chances before Murnin levelled matters again.
Two points from Nugent saw Armagh go in at the break ahead, 0-18 to 0-17.
Mogan and Oisin O’Neill exchanged points before Nugent kicked Armagh two ahead.
There was still time for Dáire Ó Baoill and Odhrán Doherty to take the game to penalties.
Ciarán Thompson, Aaron Doherty (twice), Michael Langan, Jason McGee and Dáire Ó Baoill dispatched their penalties.
For Armagh, McPartlan scored his first kick, with Turbitt, Oisín Conaty, Aidan Nugent and Tiernan Kelly all on target before Patton denied McPartland to take the title.
Next up for Donegal is an all-Ulster clash with Tyrone in the opening round of the All-Ireland series.
For Armagh, they’ll have dust themselves down ahead of their date with Division Three champions Westmeath to get their season back on track.
C Turbitt 0-4, A Nugent 0-3 (2f), B Crealey (1m), A Murnin, O Conaty, S Campbell 0-2, R O’Neill (m), R Grugan, Ciarán Mackin, O O’Neill and A Forker 0-1 each.
O Gallen 0-6 (4f), P McBrearty (f), D Ó Baoill, P Mogan, S O’Donnell, N O’Donnell 0-2each, M Langan, J McGee, J Mac Ceallabhuí and O Doherty 0-1 each
B Hughes; P Burns, A McKay, P McGrane; G McCabe; J McElroy, Ciarán Mackin, A Forker; R O’Neill, B Crealey; S Campbell, R Grugan, O Conaty; A Murnin, C Turbitt
Subs: J Óg Burns for G McCabe (61), O O’Neill for B Crealey (66), A Nugent for C Turbitt (67), T Kelly for A Forker (70), J Duffy for J McElroy (HT ET), J Hall for P McGrane (79), S McPartlan for C Mackin (HT ET), C Turbitt for R O’Neill (85)
Yellow cards: A Murnin (66), R O’Neill (73)
S Patton; B McCole, C Moore; M Curran; R McHugh, EB Gallagher; S O’Donnell, C McGonagle, P Mogan; J McGee, M Langan; C Thompson, D Ó Baoill; O Gallen, N O’Donnell
Subs: C McColgan for M Curran (HT), P McBrearty for C Moore (42), A Doherty for D Ó Baoill (46), J Brennan for EB Gallagher (55), J Mac Ceallabhuí for C Thompson (67), O Doherty for O Gallen (72), D Ó Baoill for N O’Donnell (HT ET), C Thompson for P McBrearty (87)
Yellow cards: J McGee (10), C Thompson (44) Attendance: 28, 896
M McNally (Monaghan)