Top score
Daire O Baoill
SIMPLE, brilliant, ruthless… A Ciaran McFaul shot had tailed wide and Patton hammered his kickout straight down the middle. Brendan Rogers jumped with Caolan McGonagle and Ryan McHugh snaffled the break. He passed to O Baoill who raced into acres. Six Donegal men faced by two Derry defenders but O Baoill didn’t pass. He looked up and saw Odhran Lynch scampering back to his goal but a perfectly-weighted Micky Sheehy-style chip meant the ball got there before the Derry goalkeeper. Jamie Brennan’s piledriver was a close second.
Turning Point
O BAOILL had scored his second goal and Gallen a penalty but Derry dragged themselves back to within touching distance and trailed by four with plenty of time left on the clock and Shaun Patton out of action with injury. However, they shot themselves in the foot in a pivotal five-minute spell that decided the outcome. Glass and Emmet Bradley shot wide and Gilmore landed his short. In between, an off-the-ball free at the other end gave McBrearty a tap-over free and that was that.
Ref Watch
David Gough (Meath)
There was a bit of a question mark over the penalty, but looked the right call as McKaigue pulled back Shane O’Donnell when he burst into the square. A bit inconsistent on overcarrying, with Caolan McGonagle in particular having cause to feel hard done by at one point. But always up with the play and generally managed the biggest game of this year’s Championship well.
