Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
TIRS FOR CHEERS
Ruthless Donegal dispose of Tyrone as they secure a final berth in Ulster Championship
DONEGAL used the hurt of three Championship defeats to arch rivals Tyrone in the last three years to sink the Red Hands in last night’s semi-final in Cavan.
Bundoran’s Jamie Brennan’s sparkling 1-3 from play in the opening half laid the platform for a stunning victory – which sends Tyrone crashing into the qualifiers and awaiting Monday morning’s second round draw.
They will also be anxiously awaiting the referee’s report after Tiernan McCann appeared to make dangerous facial contact with Donegal defender Stephen McMenamin.
In a surprisingly error-strewn performance, Tyrone were chasing the game and taking a low percentage of scoring chances from early on.
A point from Mattie Donnelly after 16 seconds suggested great things from the Red Hands, but they were already 1-3 to 0-3 down when they lost Peter Harte to a controversial black card after 10 minutes.
Brennan rattled the Tyrone net after just four minutes, McBrearty sliding through a precision pass that took out three defenders, and he dropped the ball onto his right foot and buried a low shot past Morgan.
It was the loss of Harte which was another major first-half talking point.
He was dismissed by David Gough for a rash challenge on Ryan McHugh, but it was hardly cynical, and a yellow at best.
Donegal kicked on with Tyrone’s early plan to hit Cathal McShane failing to produce the goods. It worked the first few times but Donegal reacted by double-marking him and his influence waned.
Tyrone, however, could do nothing with Brennan and he almost nailed a second goal, but his piledriver across Morgan smashed off the woodwork and away to safety.
Michael Langan, Eoin McHugh and Brennan piled on the misery as Donegal romped to a 1-9 to 0-5 interval lead.
Brian Kennedy and Richie Donnelly had tried to cut into that deficit by going for goal but the shots were at a nice height and easily saved by Shaun Patton.
It was anticipated Tyrone would come with a third-quarter surge and while Darren McCurry made some impact off the bench with 0-3, fellow subs Connor McAliskey and Niall Sludden added little.
Hugh McFadden’s 67th point put Donegal six points clear, at 1-15 to 0-12, and while Tyrone rallied with late points from McCurry, Richie Donnelly and Michael Cassidy to cut it to three, Donegal’s game-management was superb.
Murphy rose into the skies, took a kickout, and Eoghan Ban Gallagher and McBrearty combined to put defender Stephen McMenamin through to pop the ball over the bar for an easy insurance point.