Mark Bradley leaves the Donegal defence in his wake
Mark Bradley leaves the Donegal defence in his wake (Image: Oliver McVeigh)
Donegal 0-19 Tyrone 0-25
Tyrone picked up the win that they needed to keep their hopes alive of surviving in Division one of the National Football League when they had six points to spare over neighbours Donegal at O’Donnell Park in Letterkenny on Sunday afternoon.
In the end Tyrone’s greater need for the points ultimately was the difference between the two sides on a day when the visitors had an impressive twelve players featuring on the scoresheet.
It’s a result that leaves the Red Hands will still all to play for when they host Dublin next weekend although even a win there may not still be enough to preserve their top flight status.
For their part Donegal made eleven changes in personnel from their last game and manager Jim McGuiness will no doubt be pleased with the way that his charges stayed in the hunt for large spells of the contest.
The Donegal manager had made no secret of the fact that a place in the league final isn’t anywhere near the top of his list of priorities so he took the opportunity to give others a run out with All Ireland winning Captain Michael Murphy making his first start in the County colours since 2022 after featuring twice as a substitute earlier in the campaign.
Tyrone started brightly with Darragh Canavan on target before keeper Niall Morgan joined the attack to split the posts. Donegal though demonstrated that they weren’t just there to make up the numbers and by the 22nd minute the sides were level at 0-5 apiece thanks to points from Murphy and the impressive Jamie Brennan, Mattie Donnelly and Canavan among the Tyrone scorers.
The visitors then began to take a grip around the crucial midfield area winning a lot of breaking ball and that allowed them to establish a lead that they were never to lose.
Ciaran Daly, Brian Kennedy and Kieran McGeary all registered and while Kevin McGettigan and Brennan responded for the hosts it was the Red Hands who led 0-12 to 0-7 at the interval.
Murphy and Peter Harte traded points on the restart before a fine effort from wing back Michael McKernan was followed by a well struck two pointer from a Morgan placed ball.
When Tyrone increased their advantage to nine points it looked as though they were going to canter to victory but Donegal had other ideas.
Left half back Caolan McColgan stopped the rot for the home side with a superb two pointer before Donnelly and Brennan exchanged scores.
Donegal closed the gap with efforts from Kevin McGettigan, Finbar Roarty and a two pointer from Odhran Doherty with Tyrone’s sole response coming from full forward Mark Bradley.
Bradley then found the range again but when corner back Mark Curran raised a white flag there was just four between the sides and Tyrone were looking a little nervous.
Morgan though came to his side’s aid with another outstanding conversion of a two point free before Donnelly and substitute duo Sean O’Donnell and Darren McCurry both registered.
To their credit Donegal kept plugging away with Eoin McHugh unlucky with a goal attempt that struck the bar but he did get the last point of the contest after fellow substitute Moore had also scored.
It leaves things sitting nicely going into the last round of games this weekend with all but one of the eight sides having something to play for, Derry the exception as they were relegated following a defeat at home to Mayo.
Donegal: Gavin Mulreany, Mark Curran (0-1), Kevin McGettigan (0-1), Peadar Mogan, Odhran McFadden Ferry, Finbar Roarty (0-1), Caolan McColgan (0-2, 2pt), Hugh McFadden (0-1), Domhnall MacGiolla Bhride, Jamie Brennan (0-4), Jeaic MacCeallabhui, Odhran Doherty (0-2, 2pt), Charles McGuinness, Michael Murphy (0-4, 2F), Niall O’Donnell.
Subs: Luke McGlynn for Doherty, Eoin McHugh (0-1) for MacCeallabhui, Ciaran Moore (0-2) for McColgan, Keelan McGroddy for McGuinness, Johnny Carlin for Murphy
Tyrone: Niall Morgan (0-5, 2 x 2ptF), Aidan Clarke, Peter Teague (0-1), Niall Devlin, Michael McKernan (0-1), Rory Brennan, Joe Oguz, Brian Kennedy (0-1), Conn Kilpatrick, Mattie Donnelly (0-3), Kieran McGeary (0-1), Ciarán Daly (0-2), Peter Harte (0-1), Mark Bradley (0-4, 2F), Darragh Canavan (0-4, 2F)
Subs: Darren McCurry (0-1) for Bradley, Ruairi Canavan for Harte, Sean O’Donnell (0-1) for Oguz, Cormac Quinn for McGeary, Shea O’Hare for McKernan
Referee – Paul Faloon (Down)