HANDS FAIL TO LAY A GLOVE ON SLICK DONEGAL
A MUCH slicker Donegal easily overcame Tyrone in a match that was marred by some silly second half melees at Ballybofey last night.
On the plus side the winners had superb displays from the elegant Ciaran Thompson, Michael Murphy, Ryan Mchugh, Marty O’reilly, and Paddy Mcgrath, until he was black-carded.
But this was a most disappointing display from Tyrone, who were outgunned in all departments.
Donegal totally dominated the opening half with Murphy, Ryan Mchugh and O’reilly dictating matters from the off.
Sean Cavanagh gave Tyrone an early lead from a free but that was as good as it got for the visitors.
Thompson then landed two of three superb points to put Donegal ahead by 0-2 to 0-1 after just three minutes.
Centre back Frank Mcglynn stretched the gap and Tyrone were playing catch up thereafter.
Their ploy of playing Sean Cavanagh and Mattie Donnelly as Twin Towers inside was irrelevant as Donegal ruled the middle third and had seven different scorers.
And the home side hit only one score from a free, a mammoth 45-metre effort from Murphy.
Peter Harte sprang to life midway through the half with a well-converted 45 and followed this up with an effort from play to level matters at 0-4 each by the 18th minute.
But the remainder of the half belonged to a clever and composed Donegal who tacked on some fine long-range points from Ryan Mchugh, Murphy, Paddy Mcgrath, Hugh Mcfadden and Thompson.
Tyrone, who often had 14 men behind the ball, were reduced to rare sorties but hit five uncharacteristic wides.
Donegal were well worth their half-time lead of 0-9 to 0-4 in treacherous conditions.
Mickey Harte threw on Padraig Hampsey and Conor Meyler, but things did not improve as points from Cian Mulligan and Ryan Mchugh countered an early Sean Cavanagh score.
Then in the 40th minute a bizarre melee involving almost all of the players developed after Justin Mcmahon decided to get up close and personal with Murphy.
When the handbags settled, the referee gave Mcmahon a yellow card and Mickey Harte sensibly hauled the veteran ashore.
Scores were then scarce in the dreadful conditions as the winners easily held out for a deserved victory.
DONEGAL: M A Mcginley P Mcgrath (0-1), N Mcgee, E Doherty; E Ban Gallagher, F Mcglynn (0-1), P Brennan; M Murphy (0-1f) C Thompson (0-3); E Mchugh (0-1), M O’reilly, R Mchugh (0-2); M Carroll H Mcfadden (0-2), J Brennan. SUBS: C Mulligan (0-1) for F Mcglynn, M Mchugh for P Mcgrath (55-b-card) M Mcelhinney for H Mcfadden (65) M Langan for P Brennan (66), B Mccole for J Brennan (70), S Mcbrearty for E Mchugh (75), TYRONE: M O’neill, C Mcshane, R Mcnamee, C Mccarron; T Mccann, J Mcmahon, R Brennan (0-1); C Cavanagh, D Mcclure N Sludden, K Mcgeary, P Harte (0-21f), M Bradley, S Cavanagh (0-32f), M Donnelly. SUBS: P Hampsey (2) for Mcclure (h-t) C Meyler for C Mcshane A Mccrory for J Mcmahon (44) R O’neill for R Brennan (54), J Monroe for C Mccarron (59)
REFEREE: D Coldrick (Meath)