Allianz Football League Division One

Donegal 2-10 Tyrone 0-12

By Chris McNulty at Páirc Seán Mac Cumhaill

Declan Bonner’s team bounced back to winning ways as goals late in each half, by Conor O’Donnell and Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí, saw off Ulster rivals Tyrone.

Donegal were holding on by the finger nails when Mac Ceallabhuí hit the score that sealed the deal. The Naomh Conaill man applied the finish after Oisin Gallen and Peadar Mogan carved out the chance.

From Mogan’s ball to the far post, Mac Ceallabhuí connected to convert.

The teams were level eight times on the night with sub Gallen inching Donegal in front four minutes from the end.

Tyrone poured bodies forward and goalkeeper Niall Morgan was even inside the Donegal ’45 as they went in search of a leveller.

However, Donegal made sure of a vital win when Mac Ceallabhuí knocked in.

Conn Kilpatrick blasted over the top after Michael McKernan floated across goal from the right-hand side to put Tyrone in front for the first time in the 15th minute.

Donegal had raced into an early lead with Patrick McBrearty and Ryan McHugh on the mark.

While Tyrone saw the ever-lively Darragh Canavan prod wide from close range, Donegal squandered some good opportunities to widen their advantage.

Cavan scurried through to get Tyrone off the mark in the ninth minute and McKernan levelled things up.

Just when the balance of momentum was shifting in their favour as Kilpatrick put them ahead, the visitors lost Padraig McNulty to a nasty arm injury. After a stoppage of around six minutes, the Dungannon man was carried off on a stretcher.

On the resumption, McKernan registered a point from an acute angle that was hotly disputed by the hosts.

When Darren McCurry popped over his second free of the evening, after Niall Sludden burrowed his way into Tir Chonaill territory.

A fifth success Tyrone point, from Richard Donnelly, had Tyrone with a firm command, but Donegal got a goal they so badly needed in added time at the end of the half.

McBrearty was the architect and his clever play allowed O’Donnell to convert. The Carndonagh man has been marked out as one to watch in Donegal and, after a cruciate injury in 2019, he’s beginning to make a pace his own.

Jason McGee punted over from distance to bring Donegal level, 1-4 to 0-7, at the short whistle.

Tyrone had named Peter Harte and Conor McKenna in their side, but neither took a place in the starting XV.

Donegal goalkeeper Shaun Patton strode up to steer over a free from 48 metres early in the second half.

Patton, Conor O’Donnell and Shane O’Donnell all split the posts for Donegal, but McCurry’s fifth point brought Tyrone level once more.

Conor O’Donnell added two more, but Johnny Munroe’s point seemed to suggest a share of the spoils.

MacCumhaills man Gallen moved Donegal in front and Mac Ceallabhuí’s goal sealed a big two points for Donegal.  

Scorers for Donegal: Conor O’Donnell 1-3, Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí 1-0, Patrick McBrearty (1f) 0-2, Ryan McHugh, Jason McGee, Shane O’Donnell, Shaun Patton (1f), Oisin Gallen 0-1 each 

Scorers for Tyrone: Darren McCurry (3f) 0-5, Michael McKernan 0-2, Conn Kilpatrick, Darragh Canavan, Johnny Munroe, Richard Donnelly, Cathal McShane 0-1 each

Donegal: Shaun Patton; Caolan Ward, Brendan McCole, Stephen McMenamin; Ryan McHugh, Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Odhrán McFadden-Ferry; Hugh McFadden, Jason McGee; Shane O’Donnell, Peadar Mogan, Ciaran Thompson; Patrick McBrearty, Conor O’Donnell, Niall O’Donnell.

Subs: Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí for N.O’Donnell (36), Oisin Gallen for McFadden (59), Daire Ó Baoill and Ethan O’Donnell for S O’Donnell and McFadden-Ferry (68).

Tyrone: Niall Morgan; Michael McKernan, Padraig Hampsey, Frank Burns; Niall Sludden, Johnny Munroe, Kieran McGeary; Conn Kilpatrick, Brian Kennedy; Nathan Donnelly, Darragh Canavan, Conor Meyler; Darren McCurry, Padraig McNulty, Paul Donaghy.

Subs: Richard Donnelly for McNulty (22), Cathal McShane for Donaghy (56), Conor McKenna for McGeary (68).

Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare).