Derry Minors into Ulster Final after win over Donegal

Derry  0-9

Donegal  0-4

Derry have returned to the Ulster Minor Football Final for a seventh time in nine years, battling past Donegal in a bruising and teeth-rattling encounter at Killyclogher.

Classy Conall Higgins top scored for the winners with four points, while midfielder James ‘Thunder foot’ Sargent hit two points from play and converted an almighty ’45.

In a very low scoring, but physical, first half, Derry ran in 0-4 to 0-2 up. Underdogs Donegal threw down an early gauntlet, and set the tone for the high intensity and frantic nature of the much anticipated meeting. Any number of early robust challenges reigned in from both sides, particularly from a hungry Tír Conaill - hell bent on upsetting the odds - throughout a breathless and relentless clash. A gripping encounter that fizzled and crackled in the physicality stakes, it did however lack scores to the concession of pragmatism and defensive rigour.

Nine straight wins after that galling League Final defeat at the hands of Saturday’s opponents brought Damian McErlain’s side to sunny Killyclogher in fine fettle. However, Derry’s recent comfortable victories will have left the Oakleafers far from battle hardened. They can’t say that now.

Donegal arrived at the semi-final thoroughly adapted to teak tough championship warfare. They regrouped quickly after Derry taught them a footballing lessen in round 4 of the group stages. Luke Barrett’s well-conditioned charges came up just short away to Monaghan next time out, before producing their best of the season in that epic one point quarter-final win over Cavan. Had they timed their run to perfection?

This wasn’t one for the purists, despite the immaculate pitch and bone dry conditions that are seldom seen in deepest, darkest Tyrone. Defences ruled the day, from both sides. It may have taken the Donegal up until the 25th minute before Shane Callaghan’s free finally opened their account, they will have been more than pleased to curtail previously high scoring Derry to just the four points at the interval.

A brace from James Sargent kick started Derry’s scoreboard, the first from distance before he added a second with the fist after a patient build up. Mixing hard running with a decent dollop of kick passing, the Oakleafers extended their lead to three when the impressive Conall Higgins converted a free with his left.

Guilty of sloppy passes and wides, both protagonists boasted highly impressive levels of strength and conditioning. Nobody will need rocked to sleep on Saturday night, and that includes the coaches.

Derry captain Fionn McEldowney had a magnet-like attraction for the ball and he was suitably supported by fellow pocket rocket Rory Small and Luke Grant in an obdurate Derry rearguard.

Opponents Donegal were almost as equally unyielding at the back. Indeed late half points from Callaghan and Eoghan Scott left Luke Barrett’s side with plenty of skin in the game, trailing by just two at the break.

Derry ‘keeper Jack McCloy had little to do all game other than positioning the radar for his kick-outs. That said, the Slaughtneil netminder pulled off a crucial point blank save at the start of the second half to deny an Eoghan Scott goal. Scott – the man who hit the winning goal for Donegal at the death in that league final come-back – was perhaps their brightest influence on this game too.

A Ger Dillon free, with the right peg from some distance, and then a Conall Higgins’ precision point stretched Derry to a 0-6 to 0-2 lead soon after the restart. But once again Donegal battled back courtesy of two scores from impact sub Danny Brown.

Roared on by their vociferous manager and bench, Donegal, with the bit between their teeth, threatened a shock win. Despite one glorious high catch from man of the match Conall Higgins, the lads in green and yellow began to dominate the middle third with momentum now on their side.

A second yellow card for Jack Hegarty, however, brought a killer blow to his side’s come-back. Once those brief storms had passed, the Derrymen made incremental but critical gains on the scoreboard. A man up, and in stiflingly hot conditions, a spirited and ultimately game winning finish saw the Oakleafers string the last three points of the contest together to run out five point winners.

A fourth point from Magherafelt’s Higgins was followed by a huge Sargent ’45. Ger Dillon, Ballinascreen’s finest, confirmed Derry’s place in the Ulster Final when he completed the scoring deep into injury time.

Of course, there’s plenty of work to be done on the glitches in today’s performance between now and Sunday’s final with Monaghan.

But in the modern game where defensive discipline is as important as attacking endeavour, Derry minors passed their toughest test to date with real athletic verve and audacity. This was another good day for Derry.

Scorers - Derry: C Higgins 0-4 (3f), J Sargent 0-3 (1 ’45), G Dillon 0-2 (1f)

Donegal: D Brown 0-2, S Callaghan 0-1 (1f), E Scott 0-1 (1f)

Derry: Jack McCloy, Rory Small, Finbar Murray, Luke Grant, Cahir Speirs, Fionn McEldowney, Odhran Campbell, Tommy Rogers, James Sargent, Eamon Young, Ger Dillon, Johnny McGuckin, John Boyle, Conall Higgins, Oisin Doherty

Subs: G McIvor for O Campbell (37), L O’Neill for O Doherty (49), D McGuckin for T Rogers (58), K B Mullan for J Boyle (60)

Donegal: Padraig Mac Giolla Bhride, Donal Gallagher, Jordi Gribben, Callum McCrea, Finbar Roarty, Darragh Hennigan, Luke Clerkin, Oisin Scanlan, Lorcan McGee, Jack Hegarty, Shane Callaghan, Eoghan Scott, Max Campbell, Conor McCahill, Eoin Gallagher

Subs: D Brown for E Gallagher (39), G Doherty for M Campbell (55), D Mulholland for C McCahill (60)

Referee: Enda Mallon (Armagh)