Late Derry blitz in Owenbeg denies Donegal minors Shield final spot 

Derry minors hit 1-02 in injury time to book their place in the Minor League Shield final and with it, secured top seeding and a home quarter-final draw for their forthcoming Ulster Championship.

The result, secured by Pol McPeake's brilliant two-pointer and Joey Mullan's second goal of the game, means Kieran Glackin's team finish second in the five-county Section A with last week's one-point defeat against group winners, 

Monaghan, the Oak Leafers' only defeat in four games: a run that sets up a Shield decider against Cavan on April 4th.

Yet that scenario looked far-fetched when Saturday's game at Owenbeg saw the clock tick past 60 minutes with Karl Lacey's Donegal leading by two at 1-07 to 0-12 and Derry struggling to make inroads despite having the strong breeze at their backs.

The almost game force wind, which was whipping straight down the Owenbeg pitch ensured the proverbial game of two halves.

Derry quietly content to go into the half-time break six behind at 0-9 to 1-0 with Mullan's goal one of only two shots the home side managed prior to the short whistle. 

The second landed further from goal than its shooter, an indication of the adverse elements!

That predictably changed second half as Glackin's team penned Donegal inside their '45' for long spells but the longer the half wore on, the more Derry tried to force their attacking play against a well organised Donegal who were more efficient with what little attacking possession they managed to have.

In contrast Derry were their own worst enemy at times, their over eagerness to get into forward areas often filling spaces which should have been left for late runs, though there was plenty to admire about the build-up play at times in conditions which made any type of kick pass or shot very challenging.

Joey Mullan was Derry's stand-out player, the centre-half back's driving runs and ability to take his team up the pitch crucial against the wind and when Derry were pushing for a path back into the game late on. 

Defensively, Derry were solid, especially in the opening half when their ability to win primary possession was crucial.

Five scoreless minutes where eventually punctured by Tadhg McDaid's opener for Donegal but just two minutes later Derry were on the scoreboard with their first effort (and goal) of the match, Mullan's low shot plotting a path through a sea of defenders and finding the corner of the net beyond an unsighted Cormac Crossan in the visitors' goal.

Donegal corner forward Darragh O'Hare, who finished with 0-5, was he visitors’ go-to man for two-point shots and he handed Lacey's team the lead with one from outside the arc in the 12th minute, two minutes after the visitors lost tall midfielder Danny Og Cooney to injury.

O'Hare repeated the trick from a 21st minutes two-point free for 0-6 to 0-1 but despite impressive substitute Evan Duffy (2) and Thomas McHugh increasing Donegal tally to nine by the break, Derry would not have been too disappointed going into the changing rooms.

Indeed, the second half started well with Don Mulholland breaking two tackles to slot over Derry's opening point of the game one minute in and when Cahir McDonnell made it 1-02 to 0-9 on 38 minutes, it appeared Derry were reeling Donegal in.

That momentum was halted by successive scores from McDaid and O'Hare, the latter after one of the stand-in umpires had signalled a wide ball in the build up. 

Two scores in two attacks from the first two times Donegal has escaped the home press seemed to rock Derry who hit five wides in the opening 12 minutes of the second half.

Indeed, when Conaill Campbell and Jim McGuinness' son, Mark Anthony McGuinness, swapped scores for 1-03 to 0-12 with 10 minutes remaining it was beginning to look a bridge too far for the Oak Leafers.

Scores from McDonnell (f) and sub Declan McEldowney offered hope but still too many wrong decisions were being made as Derry's play became increasingly lateral. 

With three minutes remaining the home side trailed by four until Mullan and sub Tadhg Scullion grabbed crucial scores yet even at 1-07 to 0-12, it looked too little too late.

Gabriel Gormley sent one two-point effort wide but into injury time and it was McPeake who took centre stage, driving over a brilliant long-range effort that tied the game and broke Donegal’s resolve. 

With a draw enough for Derry to secure second in the group, Donegal keeper Crossan lost possession in the rush to restart, allowing Mullan to roll the ball into an unguarded net to secure a league victory with big championship connotations!

Derry scorers: Joey Mullan 2-1, Pol McPeake 0-2 (1tp), Cahir McDonnell 0-2 (1f), Darragh O'Hare 0-1, Conaill Campbell 0-1, Declan McEldowney 0-1, Tadhg Scullion 0-1.

Donegal scorers: Tadhg McDaid 0-2, Darragh O'Hare 0-5 (1tp 1tpf), Matthew McGinley 0-1, Evan Duffy 0-2, Thomas McHugh 0-1, Mark Anthony McGuinness 0-1.

Derry: Oisin McGeehan, Fionn McGilloway, Conor Sargent, Dan McEldowney, Conaill Campbell, Joey Mullan, Dara McKaigue, Gabriel Gormley, Darah McKenna, Donncha Collins, Don Mulholland, Pol McPeake, Cahir McDonnell, Tomas Devlin, Tadgh Bradley. 

Subs: Declan McEldowney for T Devlin (40); Jarlath McCartney for D McKenna (50); Tadhg Scullion for C McDonnell (55).

Donegal: Cormac Crossan, Fionnan Coyle, Mark Wilkinson, Raynne Rowan, Thomas McHugh, Tadhg McDaid, Matthew McGinley, Conor Griffin, Danny Og Cooney, Oisin Mullen, Mark Anthony McGuinness, Jamie Monaghan, Darragh O'Hare, Jonah Cannon, Aaron McGinley. 

Subs: Evan Duffy for D Og Cooney (10); Lewis Cunnea for J Cannon (42; Rory Gill for F Coyle (58).

Referee: Carl Brannigan (Monaghan)