Ryan McHugh, Donegal, and Sean O’Donnell, Tyrone, in All-Ireland SFC action. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
All-Ireland SFC Group Three
Donegal 0-21 Tyrone 0-14
By Chris McNulty at Páirc Seán Mac Cumhaill
In front of 16,607 at Sean MacCumhaill Park, Jim McGuinness's Donegal had seven points to spare on Tyrone in their All-Ireland SFC Group Three opener.
The plates have shifted in Donegal since McGuinness's return as manager. A second Championship victory over Tyrone in a month was further proof.
Four minutes from time, Peadar Mogan – excellent throughout for Donegal – zipped his way through, slamming over his third point of a magnificent outing for the St Naul's man.
Before Tyrone could even shake their heads clear from that one, Odhran Doherty wonderfully arrowed over off the outside of the left boot.
Donegal fans leapt from their seats. Some of those attired in red and white too. The difference was they were making for early exits.
Darragh Canavan fired over a free, but Tyrone's goose was cooked by now. Shane O'Donnell and Michael Langan added further scores. The Ulster champions outscored Tyrone 0-11 to 0-5 in the second half.
When Jason McGee landed in the 49th minute, the gap was out to four, 0-14 to 0-10, for the first time.
While Niall Devlin cut the deficit, Mogan cut through for his second of the evening. Ballybofey shook when Ciaran Thompson pointed a mark for a five-point lead in the 53rd minute.
Briefly through Darragh Canavan and Kieran McGeary Tyrone kept in check, but Donegal finished superbly and left nothing to chance down the home straight this time.
Donegal stared down the barrel of the gun in each of their last two outings. The Ulster final went all the way to sudden death penalties, decided only when Shaun Patton saved from Shane McPartlan.
Four weeks ago, Donegal dug deep to force extra time and dump Tyrone out of the Ulster Championship. Then, at Celtic Park, Brendan McCole put his hand in the furnace to pull out the burning embers in normal time before Donegal prevailed in extra time.
Darragh Canavan and Darren McCurry popped over points in the opening four minutes as Tyrone laid down an early marker.
While they did, they also had to survive a couple of Donegal assaults on their goal. First, Daire Ó Baoill was denied by a Ben Cullen block after charging at will through the Tyrone rearguard before Ciaran Moore's attempted fist across the square was salvaged by the visitors.
McGee and Thompson brought Donegal level in a busy opening chapter.
Oisin Gallen has kicked thousands of footballs over the bar in this very arena over the years, albeit in quieter surroundings. Often, with nothing only himself and the sounds of the Finn for company. Gallen beautifully split the Town End posts to put Donegal in front for the first time in the 11th minute.
After McCurry clanged an upright with a free, Donegal broke and pace for Mogan to thump over at the other end.
Donegal captain Patrick McBrearty was restored to the Donegal XV with Mark Curran dropping out in the only change to the side that began the dramatic Ulster final win over Armagh.
Eoghan Ban Gallagher and McBrearty scored to open a three-point lead and there was hardly time to draw breath.
In between those scores, Darragh Canavan riffled wide after Tyrone forced a turnover and broke with menace. Canavan took aim, but a powerful attempt was wide of its intended target.
Tyrone wing-back Kieran McGeary summoned two responses in quick succession to a McBrearty free, landing big scores from either wing and the margin was at its narrowest again. 0-7 to 0-6.
Thompson eyed up the top corner after a brilliant Donegal move on the half-hour, but the Glenties man's effort shaved the paintwork on the far post.
Two McCurry frees brought Tyrone level, but Gallen gave Donegal an ever-so-slender 0-10 to 0-9 advantage when Joe McQuillan called half-time.
A 45-metre free off the boot of goalkeeper Niall Morgan was al that Tyrone could muster in the opening 15 minutes of part two. Yet, there was always a sense that they had the potential to throw a cat among the pigeons.
Peter Harte, the Tyrone skipper, made his return as a 58th minute replacement, just as Kieran McGeary brought them back to within three.
Cathal McShane, on for his 100th Tyrone appearance, sliced wide after being picked out by Morgan's vision and accuracy.
When it mattered here, Donegal had the trump cards to play.
Scorers for Donegal: Oisin Gallen 0-7 (5fs), Peadar Mogan 0-3, Patrick McBrearty 0-2 (1f), Ciaran Thompson 0-2 (1m), Jason McGee 0-2; Ryan McHugh, Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Odhran Doherty, Shane O'Donnell, Michael Langan 0-1 each.
Scorers for Tyrone: Darren McCurry 0-4 (1f, 1m), Darragh Canavan 0-3 (3fs), Kieran McGeary 0-3, Niall Morgan 0-1 (f), Mattie Donnelly, Niall Devlin, Sean O'Donnell 0-1 each.
Donegal: Shaun Patton; Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Brendan McCole, Ciaran Moore; Ryan McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, Peadar Mogan; Jason McGee, Michael Langan; Shane O'Donnell, Ciaran Thompson, Daire Ó Baoill; Patrick McBrearty, Oisin Gallen, Niall O'Donnell.
Subs: Odhran Doherty for Ó Baoill (45), Jamie Brennan for McBrearty (55), Aaron Doherty for N.O'Donnell (61), Jeaic Mac Ceallabhui for Gallagher (66), Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhride for Gallen (69).
Tyrone: Niall Morgan; Niall Devlin, Padraig Hampsey, Michael McKernan; Ben Cullen, Mattie Donnelly, Kieran McGeary; Brian Kennedy, Conn Kilpatrick; Ciaran Daly, Michael O'Neill, Sean O'Donnell; Darren McCurry, Darragh Canavan, Ruairi Canavan.
Subs: Joe Oguz for R.Canavan (HT), Cormac Quinn for Cullen (half-time), Cathal McShane for McCurry (51), Peter Harte for Kilpatrick (58), Lorcan McGarrity for O'Neill (66).
Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan).
