Donegal v Kildare - All Ireland Q-Final 2011

Donegal 1-12 : Kildare 0-14

All Ireland Quarter Final

Croke Park

30 July 2011

This was one of the most remarkable games of the 2011 football championship. Donegal, under Jim McGuinness, had adopted a very effective defensive brand of football and it had secured them a first Ulster title since their All Ireland winning year of 1992. Their opponents in this quarter final, Kildare, had an unlucky break in Leinster when they lost the semi-final to Dublin by a single point that came from a last minute disputed free. Jim McGuinness and Donegal were on a mission. Kieran McGeeney and Kildare were determined to make amends.

You may have heard the cliché ‘a game of 2 halves’. Well this game was one of those and then some. The first half was a dour affair and Kildare had the upper hand on the score board leading 5-2 at the break. But the pace and excitement picked up, against expectations, in the second half and the game swung from Kildare to Donegal to the point that it seemed Donegal had it as good as won but a late Kildare comeback culminating in a 73^rd minute equaliser meant it was extra time. The match had been transformed from dour to dramatic in the second period and the drama continued into the extra time. Kildare regained the momentum and were on their way to a win … or so it seemed …. but ….. well watching it is the only way to appreciate what happened next !