Ulster Minor Football Championship
Derry 0-8
Donegal 1-10

Richard Ferris has invited interested parties to come forward and take over the mantle of the Derry minors.

The county U18 coach looks to be stepping down after a gallant loss to Donegal in the Ulster quarter finals today but the Drumsurn man wasn’t looking for sympathy, just a new face to come in and take the Oak Leafers forward.

“That’s two years now and no competitive wins – that’s me signing off,” Ferris stated afterwards.  “There’s a great bunch of boys next year, and there’s good players coming through for the next three or four years. There are better coaches out there, there are better men than me. I’d love them to step up and take these players forward.”

But it was a gallant display at Celtic Park in the curtain raiser to the Ulster Senior Football Championship and, but for two top class Danny Rodgers saves in goals for Donegal, the hosts might have produced an unlikely turnaround.

Derry were restricted severely in the first period as only Jack Doherty – with two stunning efforts from distance – and Danny Tallon managed to register but it was all change after the break.

Trailing by six, Danny Tallon ate immediately into the gap before Shea Murphy split the posts from the 45’.

Conor Glass was denied as the Maghera midfielder burst through the middle and drilled one at the goals but Peter Hagan’s stunning effort from the left hand side set the stage for Barry Grant to curl over a free and put a goal between the sides as Derry bossed possession.

Then Ruairi McElwee watched the Donegal stopper acrobatically tip away his half volleyed effort as the ball broke in the area but the corner forward managed to put just two points in it as an extended purple patch for Derry went on and on but a host of missed chances let Bonner’s boys off the hook.

And the visitors rallied at the end with a strong finish, kicking three scores in the space of two minutes to give the scoreline an unfair reflection.

Donegal: D Rodgers, D McMonagle, C Gillespie, C Kelly, A McClean, T McClenaghan, C Mulligan (0-1), N Harley, C McGonigle (0-2, 1 ’45), E Ban Gallagher, L Connor, M Carroll (0-1), J Brennan (1-0), J Campbell (0-3), N Friel.
Subs: C Bonner for McClean, G McBride (0-1, f) for Campbell, S McBrearty (0-1) for Carroll, C O’Boyle for Mulligan, E O’Donnell (0-1) for Bonner

Derry: C Young, M McAvoy, P McNeill, C McNeill, D McColgan, N Keenan, C Mulholland, C Glass, J Doherty (0-1), P Hagan (0-1), T Flanagan, O Duffy, B Grant (0-1, f), D Tallon (0-3, 1 ’45), R McElwee (0-1, f).
Subs: D Curran for McColgan, L O’Hara for Flanagan, S Murphy (0-1, ’45) for Duffy, S Quinn for McNeill (BC)

Referee: R Barry (Down).

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