EirGrid Ulster U21 Football Championship quarter-final replay: Donegal 0-18 Tyrone 1-9
THE sequel seldom reaches the same heights as the original performance, and thus it proved in Ballybofey on Wednesday night.
Not even extra-time could separate these sides in a titanic tussle in Omagh last week, but things were substantially different on the banks of the Finn last night.
Donegal had a distinct edge in power and physique, but they did not really use it to any telling effect until the second half.
And a late flurry of points from man-of-the-match Michael Langan, Jamie Brennan and the excellent Cian Mulligan sealed the deal for the winners in the final quarter.
Outgunned Tyrone battled bravely, but were perhaps a tad unlucky to lose Peter Teague to a black card and centre-back Michael McLernon and Nathan Donnelly to late red cards.
But the match was well sealed by that stage as Donegal marched forward to meet Cavan in the semi-final in Brewster Park next Wednesday night.
Donegal’s superior physique proved crucial, especially in the second half allied to some swift counter-attacking saw them through.
And, they also had the luxury of missing a penalty in the 37th minute as Red Hand ’keeper Benny Gallon made a great save from Langan’s penalty.
But a clinically executed goal from impressive Tyrone full-forward Ryan Coleman was the big score of the opening half.
The Moy totem was left totally unmarked on the edge of the Tir Chonaill square as three Donegal players contested a 45-metre free from Lee Brennan.
The ball was punched out to the waiting Coleman who had loads of time to rifle the leather to the roof of the net.
Coleman’s cool finish in the 14th minute changed the whole tone of this replay as the home side had started brightly and looked the more authoritative side, until the Tyrone goal.
Donegal had the better of the earlier exchanges and jumped into the lead after just 16 seconds from the impressive Michael Langan.
But the impressive Tyrone wing-back Liam Rafferty burst forward for the first of his two points as the rain turned MacCumhaill Park into an ice rink.
Tyrone ’keeper Gallon pulled off a great save from Langan to deny the Tir Chonaill midfielder a certain goal in the third minute.
Langan, Michael Carroll, Adam Neely and a great left-footed Stephen McBrearty added to Donegal’s tally with the excellent Lee Brennan and Mickey McLernon replying for Tyrone as the home side led by 0-5 to 0-3 before Coleman’s crucial strike.
The scoring rate slowed thereafter and Tyrone seemed to have picked up some of the wides malaise and hit three in quick succession.
Coleman and Rafferty added further points as a rattled Donegal struggled to get back on terms.
They managed to break the Tyrone stranglehold briefly in the final minutes as Langan and Jamie Brennan levelled matters on a score of 1-5 to 0-8 at the interval.
But there was always only going to be one winner in the second half.
Donegal: D Rodgers; N Friel, S McMenamin, C Morrison; Gallagher, D O’Baoill (0-1) B McCole; M Langan (0-7, 0-6 frees), T McClenaghan M Carroll (0-1); C Mulligan (0-3) E Ban Gallagher, C McLaughlin; S McBrearty (0-1) J Brennan (0-3), A Neely (0-1 frees)
Subs: C McGonagle (0-1) for A Neely, K Gillespie for N Friel, E O’Donnell for C McLaughlin (h-t), C Bonner for T McClenaghan, D Monagle for C Mulligan (62), R Carr for M Carroll (62)
Tyrone: B Gallon; N Kelly, P Teague, R Coleman; L Rafferty (0-3) M McKernan (0-1), F Meenagh; B O’Donnell (0-1), C Kilpatrick; M O’Neill, D Mulgrew, N Donnelly; L Brennan (0-2), R Coleman (1-1), P Donaghy
Subs: C McLernon for R Coleman, E McNabb (0-1) for M O’Neill (42), J Harkin for L Rafferty, P McGirr for C Kilpatrick, B Kennedy for P Donaghy (57),
Black card: P Teague (52) replaced by C McGlinchey
Referee: M McNally
EirGrid Ulster U21 Football Championship semi-finals:
Wednesday, March 29: Donegal v Cavan (Brewster Park, 8pm); Armagh v Derry (Healy Park, 8pm)
Final date: Wednesday, April 5:
(8pm, venue tbc)
