Four-goal Donegal stun Derry at Celtic Park!
Jim McGuinness and his players turn Derry's all-out attack against them
Ulster SFC quarter-final
Donegal 4-11
Derry 0-17
Derry were dumped out of the Ulster championship at home to Donegal on Saturday evening.
Jim McGuinness continued his winning record over Mickey Harte with four goals paving the way to a Donegal victory.
It was a victory built on an aggressive long kick-out plan that caught Derry out over the top.
Donegal won the midfield battle and it controlled the game. Elsewhere, Ryan McHugh bossed the game and when Donegal kept Ethan Doherty quiet in the second-half Derry struggled.
It was Derry who sparked early with Ethan Doherty kicking the first of three first half points.
Ryan McHugh tortured Derry in the same way Ethan Doherty to them. He pass to Caolan McGonagle for a goal chance deflected for a 45 Oisín Gallen nailed.
Conor Doherty replied before McHugh curled over and it was Ó Baoill who levelled matters (0-3 all) after Niall O’Donnell forced a turnover after 12 minutes.
It was McHugh who made the goal for Ó Baoill. With Derry pushed up and Lynch out, the Gaoth Dobhair lobbed for a 1-4 to 0-3 lead.
Derry brought on both Niall Toner and Gareth McKinless but was Donegal who stayed on top with McGuigan starved of possession.
The visitors were ravenous on the breaks in the middle third with Mogan getting forward to score.
Two Ethan Doherty points and a foisted score from McKaigue helped settle Derry. It was a McFaul pass to Rogers that made Derry’s final score of the half, as they trailed 1-7 to 0-9.
Donegal won the throw-in and kept possession but it was Eoin McEvoy with a wide.
From the kick-out, Patton put Donegal on the front foot via the hand Niall O’Donnell and it was Dáire Ó Baoill who lobbed Lynch for a second goal, carried over the line by Lynch to land a second major blow after 39 minutes.
Niall O’Donnell added a Donegal score after a kick-out long to Jason McGee only for Rogers to respond at the other end for an acute angle.
There was another boost for Donegal when Shane O’Donnell was a penalty off Chrissy McKaigue. Up stepped Gallen to send Lynch then wrong way for a 3-8 to 0-10 lead.
Shaun Patton was forced off injured after first half knock and it was Gavin Mulreaney’s long kick over the top that put Jamie Brennan through for the fourth goal that poured water on any chances of a Derry comeback.
Derry: O Lynch; C McCluskey, C McKaigue (0-1), D Baker; C Doherty (0-1), E McEvoy, P McGrogan; C Glass, B Rogers (0-2); E Doherty (0-4), C McFaul, P Cassidy (0-2, 1m), N Loughlin, S McGuigan (0-4, 2f) L Murray (0-1)
Subs: N Toner (0-1) for N Loughlin (27), G McKinless (0-1) for P McGrogan (29), E Bradley for L Murray (51), D Gilmore for C McKaigue(58), E Mulholland for C McFaul (66)
Yellow cards: S McGuigan (67), C Doherty (70)
Donegal: S Patton; M Curran, C Moore (0-1), B McCole, R McHugh (0-2), C McGonagle, P Mogan (0-1), C Thompson (0-1), M Langan;, S O'Donnell; N O'Donnell (0-1), D Ó Baoill (2-2); J McGee, O Gallen (1-3, 1-0 pen, 1f, 1 45), A Doherty
Subs: G Mulreaney for S Patton (INJ 56), J Brennan (1-0) for A Doherty (58), P McBrearty for N O’Donnell (58), O Doherty for J McGee (67), K McGettigan for M Curran (69)
Black cards: N O’Donnell (48), O Doherty (72)
Yellow card: D Ó Baoill (46)
Attendance: 14, 714
Referee: D Gough (Meath)