All-Ireland SFC Preliminary Quarter-Final

Tyrone 1-18 Donegal 0-13

By Chris McNulty at Páirc Seán MacCumhaill

Tyrone sealed a place in the All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals thanks to a derby win over Donegal in Ballybofey.

The Canavan brothers paved the path to the last eight as Ruairi's early goal and Darragh's five points saw Tyrone through.

Donegal threatened to kick back at various junctures, but the goal always ensured that Tyrone had the upper hand and the hosts ended with 14 men with goalkeeper Shaun Patton sent off late on.

Tyrone bagged the game's only goal in the second minute.

Darren McCurry's effort for a point fell into the arms of Donegal goalkeeper Shaun Patton, but Canavan pounced to score. Initially fended off by a determined Caolan McColgan, Canavan clipped the loose ball to the River End net.

The Red Hands were out with purpose and might have had an even earlier goal. Canavan's balance and poise fashioned a chance, but the shot, with only 12 seconds gone on the stopwatch, trickled wide.

Donegal breathed in relief, but Canavan soon took the breath away with his goal.

McCurry, Michael McKernan and Darragh Cavan hit points as Tyrone opened up a 1-3 to 0-1 lead, with Donegal captain Patrick McBrearty getting the hosts off the mark.

McBrearty was in as a late replacement for Conor O'Donnell, who picked up an injury in the warm-up and the Kilcar man hoisted over a superb point around the midway point of the opening verse to narrow the margin.

Tyrone finished the half well, posting five of the last seven points, three of those from the boot of Darragh Canavan. Last weekend, he scored 0-10 as Tyrone squeezed through by the very skins of their teeth thanks to a fortuitous draw with Westmeath.

Mattie Donnelly curled over a delightful point from the left and midfielder Brian Kennedy landed a big score as Tyrone led by five, 1-10 to 0-8, when Conor Lane called for the ball at half-time.

Darren McCurry's two frees sandwiched Darragh Canavan's latest point with Tyrone continuing where they left off.

Donegal's season was in danger of faltering at one stage, but Aidan O'Rourke and Paddy Bradley really steadied the wobbles in recent weeks. Patton came up to convert a '45, narrowing the deficit to five after Niall Morgan clawed away a Jason McGee effort.

Donegal had to wait until the 49th minute for their first score of the second half, Ciaran Thompson brilliantly finding the range.

The Glenties man repeated the trick after Donnelly boomed over.

Any notions of a Donegal comeback were extinguished when Conn Kilpatrick roared through to get in on the act.

Patton saw red for kicking out at McKernan, just moments after seeing a 50 metre free that sailed all the way to the net chalked off a square ball infringement.

Regardless, Tyrone were already on their way to the last eight, Donnelly delightfully arching over the final point of the game.

Scorers for Tyrone: Darragh Canavan (1f), Darren McCurry (4fs) 0-5 each, Ruairi Canavan 1-1, Mattie Donnelly 0-3, Michael McKernan 0-2, Conn Kilpatrick, Brian Kennedy 0-1 each

Scorers for Donegal: Oisin Gallen 0-4, Patrick McBrearty 0-3 (2f), Ciaran Thompson 0-2, Odhran Doherty, Caolan McColgan, Shaun Patton ('45), Luke McGlynn 0-1 each

Tyrone: Niall Morgan; Michael McKernan, Ronan McNamee, Padraig Hampsey; Cormac Quinn, Michael O'Neill, Peter Harte; Brian Kennedy, Conn Kilpatrick; Conor Meyler, Kieran McGeary, Ruairi Canavan; Darren McCurry, Matthew Donnelly, Darragh Canavan.

Subs: Frank Burns for McGeary (56), Richard Donnelly for D.Canavan (61).

Donegal: Shaun Patton; Mark Curran, Brendan McCole, Caolan McColgan; Caolan Ward, Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Stephen McMenamin; Caolan McGonagle, Hugh McFadden; Daire O Baoill, Ciaran Thompson, Odhran Doherty; Jamie Brennan, Oisin Gallen, Patrick McBrearty.

Subs: Jason McGee for Doherty (half-time), Luke McGlynn for O Baoill (43), Rory O'Donnell for McFadden (46), Brian O'Donnell for McColgan (61), Gavin Mulreany for Curran (70+3).

Referee: Conor Lane (Cork).