Shane McGuigan misses a penalty as Derry lose to Donegal

Donegal 1-25

Derry 1-15 

It’s the hope that kills you. Nobody gave an out of sorts and injury-plagued Derry a sniff of winning this, and why would they? Battered and bruised by a league campaign that sapped confidence and yielded only relegation, Paddy Tally drew the shortest of straws when the fixture computer sent his beleaguered side into the lion’s den to face a Donegal side with notions of Sam on their collection minds.

And yet for twenty odd minutes Derry rose to the occasion and more that competed. Maybe, just maybe we dared to dream. And perhaps the relentlessly bright Ballybofey sunshine had the gods themselves were on our side. A missed penalty from star man Shane McGuigan might even have jolted the Oakleafers onto greater heights.

Back to back two pointers at the start of the second half had the visitors back in contention, and only trailing by a couple with the wind on their side. But, as expected, Jim McGuinness’ men proved to be a class above. Derry might well rue a badly misfiring kick out strategy that Donegal seized upon time and time again and punished. Back to the drawing board, then, for Paddy and his beaten men.

Despite Derry controlling the lion’s share of possession and territory, Donegal ran in comfortably ahead at half-time leading 1-12 to 1-5. The visitors, quite rightly, adopted a very deliberate and measured attacking strategy which yielded mixed results but managed to eat up a mountain of time. Donegal, by contrast and with the wind firmly at their backs, burst up the pitch on every occasion, but it would only be in the last 10 minutes of the half, when they nailed five out of the last six scores of the opening half, that they managed to eak out a measure of comfort on the scoreboard.

Fears of Derry’s demise appeared to have been greatly exaggerated, particularly in the opening 24 minutes when a second Shane McGuigan free pulled the two sides level at 0-5 apiece. Indeed, the Oakleafers could afford a saved Shane McGuigan penalty in the 7th minute that really would have put the cat among the pigeons. But after that Daire O Baoill rose to the occasion, sailing over a couple of huge two pointers and drilling home the Donegal goal.

Padraig McGrogan, looking sharp despite that long lay-off, opened the scoring after three minutes at Pairc Mac Cumhaill, pivoting neatly before leathering the ball straight over the black spot. It was just the shot of adrenaline Derry and their nervously fearful fans needed.

The home side replied to hit three of the next four scores. Lachlan Murray accounted for the second Derry point, fisting over a fine score after the ball had been moved swiftly and deftly through any number of Oakleaf hands. Niall Toner pointed after another measured and patient Derry attack.

Back to back McGuigan frees pulled us level before the hosts found a much deadlier gear to notch 1-6 late in the half and take a seven point lead into the break.

Half-time: Donegal 1-12  -  1-05 Derry

With the wind in their sails, Derry rocketed out of the blocks shortly after the restart. Brendan Rogers, magnificent all day in a losing cause, fired over the first score of the second half. Better was to follow. Conor Doherty nailed Derry’s first two pointer of the game before Rogers followed suit soon after with another mighty two pointer that left, amazingly, a mere two between the sides at 1-12 to 1-10. It was just the much needed elixir Paddy Tally and the Derry support craved.

But seven unanswered points quickly put paid to any Derry ‘long grass’ hopes of an unlikely ambush.

Frees from Shane McGuigan and Lachlan Murray stabilized the patient, before four more in a row from the home side had the local priests administered Derry their last rites in this year’s Ulster Championship.

McGuigan’s fourth free of the contest and a second two pointer from Rogers cleaned a little blood off the scoreboard but could do little to disguise that this was anything other than a bad beating.

Time heals. It also gives you a chance to right a few wrongs, to fix things, to lift heads and spirits. And given the outstanding calibre of player at Under 20 level that could well be promoted once their short season concludes, Derry’s season is not over yet - with a good run in the group stages offering an all too welcome shot at redemption.

Scorers – Donegal: Daire O Baoill 1-4, Paddy McBrearty 0-7 (3f), Finnbarr Roarty 0-1, Ciaran Moore 0-2, Michael Murphy 0-2 (1f), Peadar Mogan 0-2, C O’Donnell 0-2, Shane O’Donnell 0-2, R McHugh 0-1, Oisin Gallen 0-1

Derry: Brendan Rogers 0-5, Shane McGuigan 0-4 (4f), Dan Higgins 1-0, Conor Doherty 0-2, Lachlan Murray 0-2, Padraig McGrogan 0-1, Niall Toner 0-1

Donegal: Shaun Patton, Finnbar Roarty, Brendan McCole, Ciaran Moore, Ryan McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, Peadar Mogan, Hugh McFadden, Michael Murphy, Daire O Baoill, Ciaran Thompson, Shane O’Donnell, Odhran McFadden Ferry, Conor O’Donnell, Patrick McBrearty

Subs: Mark Curran for O McFadden Ferry (HT), Oisin Gallen for C O’Donnell (49), Jamie Brennan for P McBrearty (56), Niall O’Donnell for F Roarty (65)

Derry: Neil McNicholl, Diarmuid Baker, Brendan Rogers, Martin Bradley, Conor Doherty, Padraig McGrogan, Eoin McEvoy, Conor Glass, Dan Higgins, Ethan Doherty, Paul Cassidy, Ciaran McFaul, Niall Toner, Shane McGuigan, Lachlan Murray

Subs: Niall Loughlin for D Higgins (37), Cahir McMonagle for N Toner (50), Patrick McGurk for E Doherty (56), Jason McGee for H McFadden (59), Declan Cassidy for P McGrogan (65)

Referee: Brenda Cawley (Kildare)