Ó Baoill the scourge of Derry again as Donegal seal Dr McKenna Cup final spot

A powerful third quarter in which Daire Ó Baoill once more was the bane of Derry at Celtic Park was enough to get Donegal over the line and into the Dr McKenna Cup final against Monaghan.

Donegal were three down at half-time and managed to turn it around impressively, with Ó Baoill’s goal on 34 minutes helping to turn the tide as they reeled off 1-7 without reply. And when the tills were counted and the receipt examined, this was the part where you'd be taking the red pen out to highlight.

The same player had lobbed Odhran Lynch twice to mark the return of Jim McGuinness to championship football in 2024. A McKenna Cup semi-final wasn't as sunny or significant, although it was what it was and was another useful runout ahead for Donegal, 10 days out from the first outing in the National Football League Division 1, away to Dublin.

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Although Derry had lost their way, they did make a fist of it late on, with Ryan Mulholland’s goal coming just too late in the fourth and last minute of injury time.

Derry opened well in the smoother, coming from deep with runners and Conor McAteer and Conor Doherty both scored early points.

Gavin Mulreany in the Donegal goal was busy to begin with, saving after only 10 seconds from Paul Cassidy and then again three minutes later as McAteer took a swing at it.

Donegal got going and got level with a couple of Jason McGee points by the seventh minute and Derry netminder Shea McGuckin had to be on his toes as Turlough Carr twisted his way into space to shoot at goal from close in.

However, Lachlan Murray’s brace in succession and a free from Niall Loughlin meant the hosts were 0-5 to 0-2 in front by 11 minutes, although both teams were not being hampered by the conditions, not sitting in and not afraid to use kick-passes to advance.

But Donegal weren’t unnerved and by the 16th minute were on terms again, this time at 0-5 apiece, with Ciaran Moore, Peadar Mogan and Ó Baoill all scoring, with the last of those courtesy of a classy assist from Carr.

Loughlin, one from play and another for a free, knocked over at the Brandywell end. However, Donegal built commendably again and Mogan split the posts from a tricky angle. Eight minutes from the break and Derry were 0-7 to 0-6 ahead.

Although Donegal were managing to rake their fingers through Derry’s coattails and occasionally catch them, it was the home side who were slightly edging it. Ethan Doherty and Murray maintained their advantage.

However, Mogan, with a second point, took Donegal back to just the two down and they would’ve gone in front only for misfortune when Ó Baoill rattled the Derry crossbar from 25 metres on 27 minutes with a brilliant effort.

But Cassidy would have the last word in the half, scoring a point and Derry went for the changing rooms, after a little scuffle, 0-10 to 0-7 ahead. Referee Mark Loughran would yellow card McGee and Gareth McKinless before the second half would start.

Ciarán Meenagh’s Derry’s first half was economical and effective, with just one wide to their name whilst Donegal had four and one that dropped short, with the inside right channel proving beneficial time and again.

By virtue of a 0-12 to 0-6 over the same opposition two years ago, before the competition was shelved for a year, Derry went in as holders of the Dr McKenna Cup.

After last year’s annus horribilis, where they failed to win a single game in league or championship, Derry will be looking to make a much more telling footprint in 2026.

Donegal handed first starts to Carr and Eoin McGeehin, who netted the only goal in Sunday’s 1-15 to 0-7 win over Antrim in Cargin. The team managed by Jim McGuinness were supposed to open 2026 against Derry in Letterkenny earlier this month, only for the match to be postponed and the points shared in the sub-zero conditions.

McAteer, in his debut season with Derry, as he had in the first half, was the first man to score in the second to put Derry 0-11 to 0-7 in front. But then it all changed, with Donegal's urgency making for a 10-point swing.

When the goal chance came, Ó Baoill, who opted for power with his first half, was the epitome of precision to place the ball under the advancing McGuckin with the Gaoth Dobhair player pinching a kick-out from under the nose of Cassidy to get in. It meant Donegal were just one down on 34 minutes and just four minutes later they were in front for the first time.

Hugh McFadden, just on the break, levelled and then Ó Baoill continued his hotstreak with another point and a 1-9 to 0-11 advantage for Donegal.

Mogan then added back-to-back points, with Donegal taking total control in the second half. A two-point free from goalkeeper Gavin Mulreany and a precise point from Conor McCahill saw Donegal go into a lead of 1-14 to 0-11.

Sean Kearney, Cassidy and Conor Doherty woke Derry from their slumber, having just managed one point in 18 second-half minutes beforehand. They kept their foot on the throttle and hemmed Donegal in, with only Kevin Muldoon managing a spoint at the other end.

Matthew Downey and Kearney’s scores made for a two-point game, 1-15 to 0-16 for Donegal, with two minutes of the 60 left. Donegal got their hands on the ball to take the fizz out of Derry.

Derry moved it in patiently and Mulreany and Ryan McHugh had to dive at McKinless’ feet in the 62nd minute to preserve the clean sheet and three-point lead from a goal chance. Their coolness was rewarded with breakaway points from Ryan McHugh and McCahill. They needed them as Mulholland, the Derry substitute, scored a goal from close range with the last kick of the game.

Derry scorers: Lachlan Murray 0-3; Ryan Mulholland 1-0; Niall Loughlin 0-3 2f; Conor McAteer 0-2; Conor Doherty 0-2, Ethan Doherty 0-1: Paul Cassidy 0-2, Matthew Downey 0-1, Sean Kearney 0-2.
Donegal scorers: Daire Ó Baoill 1-2; Peadar Mogan 0-4; Jason McGee, Conor McCahill and Kevin Muldoon 0-2; Gavin Mulreany 0-2, tpf; Ciaran Moore 0-1; Paul O’Hare: Hugh McFadden and Ryan McHugh 0-1

Derry: Shea McGuckin; Conor McCluskey, Padraig McGrogan, Diarmuid Baker; Shea Downey, Gareth McKinless, Mark Doherty; Conor Doherty, Paul Cassidy; Conor McAteer, Conor Glass, Ethan Doherty; Niall Toner, Niall Loughlin, Lachlan Murray. Subs: Jack Doherty for S Downey (half-time); Matthew Downey and Sean Keanery for McAteer and Toner (47) Ruairí Ó Mianáin for Glass (50), Ryan Mulholland for M Doherty (55).
Donegal: Gavin Mulreany; Caolan McColgan, Brendan McCole, Paul O’Hare; Max Campbell, Caolan McGonagle, Peadar Mogan; Jason McGee, Michael Langan; Daire Ó Baoill, Turlough Carr, Ciaran Moore; Conor O’Donnell, Kieran Gallagher, Eoin McGeehin. Subs: Ryan McHugh, Hugh McFadden and Finbarr Roarty for Campbell O’Hare and Gallagher (half-time); Conor McCahill, Mark Curran and Shea Malone and for McColgan, Carr and McGee (46), Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhríde and Kevin Muldoon for O’Donnell and Langan (49), Ultan Doherty for Mogan (53).
Referee: Mark Loughran (Tyrone).