EirGrid Ulster U20 FC semi-final: Derry 0-11 Donegal 0-5
DERRY eased their way into the Ulster U20 final later this month with victory over Donegal at Owenbeg on Saturday afternoon.
The Oak Leafers side were five points up at the break with Peter McCullagh landing three majestic points.
Derry took the sting out of the game in the third quarter with Matthew Downey involved in four points as they went 0-10 to 0-2 ahead with 10 minutes to play.
Senior players Eoin McEvoy and Lachlan Murray both sat out the game, with Niall O’Donnell replaced late in a game that lacked any bite.
Donegal elected to play into the breeze and Derry built their attacks with turnovers with McCullagh kicking scores and Charlie Diamond adding two frees.
It was Derry who got off to the perfect start with Patrick McGurk surging forward to land a point from the wing.
Donegal were level in the fourth minute when David Boyle swung over a difficult free before Derry who turned up the heat in the middle third.
With nine minutes gone, Donegal senior panellist Luke McGlynn was denied a point by an inspiring block from his marker Patrick McGurk and seconds later McCullagh swung a beauty between the posts off his left.
Dan Higgins won the next kick-out and McCullagh made it 0-3 to 0-1, this time with the right peg, and Derry were on their way to a 0-6 to 0-1 interval lead.
Diamond had the chance to extend the lead in the first attack of the second half, but his shot tailed wide and when Cullen’s kick-out launched a Donegal attack, McGlynn raced in before jinking inside and slotting over the bar.
For the next eight minutes, Derry bossed game, with Downey’s use of the ball pulling Donegal out of position enough to leave them chasing even more.
A fine Higgins catch led to a Downey score he made for himself and Donegal were staring up the mountain again.
McCullagh added a fifth point with Matthew Downey making score for Donncha Gilmore and Derry were eight clear.
Donegal brought Kevin Lynch at full-forward, but the one potent ball played in was broke loose and Lee Brady swept up the danger.
McGlynn, Oisin Caulfield (mark) and Donal Gallagher hit Donegal points but they never looked like grabbing the goal they needed to get the sniff of a comeback.
Derry: B O’Connor; J Murray, P McGurk (0-1), J McDermott; D McDermott, D Gilmore (0-1), R Forbes; D Higgins, P O’Kane; P McCullagh (0-4), C Diamond (0-3 frees), M Doherty; M Downey (0-2, 0-1 free), N McGonagle, N O’Donnell
Subs: R Ó Mianáin for N McGonagle (H-T), L Brady for D McDermott (H-T), C Downey for N O’Donnell (59), S Deehan for R Forbes (57)
Yellow cards: N O’Donnell (17), M Doherty (30+1)
Donegal: A Cullen; S Doherty, F Doherty, D Gallagher (0-1); C McMenamin, K Murray, K Magee; C Mulligan, O Caulfield (0-1m); D Gildea, S Ward, C O’Neill; D Boyle (0-1 free), L McGlynn (0-2), B McGarvey
Subs: D Marley for C O’Neill (38), L McGranaghan for C Mulligan (45), K Lynch for D Boyle (51), F Coyle for D Gildea (54), A Ward for C McMenamin (58)
Black card: D Gallagher (59)
Yellow cards: S Doherty (42), D Boyle (44), S Ward (53), L McGlynn (62)
Referee: M Loughran (Tyrone)
