Donegal U-20 hurlers find the going far too tough against impressive Derry 

The Derry hurlers eased past the challenge of Donegal to secure their place in the Richie McElligott Under-20 All-Ireland B Final at a wet and windy Owenbeg on Saturday afternoon.

The game was effectively put to bed by the interval, with the Derry men taking a remarkable 1-13 to 0-0 half-time lead with a strong wind at their backs. Donegal almost matched them in the second half, with Ryan O’Neill’s men still outscoring them 1-6 to 1-5 after the break.

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It was the second meeting of the sides this year, with the Foylesiders also coming out on top in their Ulster Hurling Cup Round Two victory back in January, winning 5-12 to 1-12. Much like Saturday’s affair, that game was also effectively over at half-time, with the Derrymen leading 5-7 to 1-1 at the break.

St Eunan’s starlet Brendan Gaffney was the dangerman in that earlier Ulster Cup clash, hitting 1-10 from play when the sides met in January. However, this outing proved far less profitable for Gaffney, who received a straight red card in second-half stoppage time for a high tackle on Emmet Óg McKeever.

Ryan O’Neill’s men have now set up a Croke Park showdown with Roscommon in a repeat of their 2023 success. The Rossies overcame Tyrone in the other semi-final in a thrilling 5-9 to 1-18 victory after extra time, with goals proving decisive.

Within thirty seconds, Ruairí Biggs was almost in for a goal but saw his effort well saved by Caoimhín Irwin. Three minutes later, Paul McNicholl got the Foylesiders up and running. Derry hit five wides in the opening minutes but added further scores through Kevin Barry Mullan and Ryan McGilligan.

A brace of frees from Biggs and a Paul McNicholl point from play pushed Derry six clear by the quarter-hour mark, as the Donegal puck-out repeatedly failed to make it beyond halfway due to the ferocity of the wind and the pressure being applied by the Derry forwards.

Felix Glover rifled his shot to the back of the net moments later before Emmet Óg McKeever and Glover added further scores as Derry eased into a 1–9 to 0–0 lead by the twenty-second minute. McNicholl and Biggs added further points as Derry went in at the break with the game virtually over as a contest, leading 1-13 to 0-0.

Playing with the breeze in the second half, Donegal attempted to claw back some of the deficit as Brendan Gaffney scored their first point of the day. Biggs and PJ Glover responded for Derry.

Donegal then enjoyed their best spell of the match as the O’Neill County scored 1–3 without reply. A long ball into the Derry square somehow ended up in the back of the net, with Devyn McColgan getting the vital touch. That was followed by two Gaffney scores and a John Kealy point, but that was as close as Donegal would get, as Derry still led 1–15 to 1–5.

Ruairí Biggs steadied the Derry challenge with a badly needed score in the forty-third minute. Four minutes later, PJ Glover saw his goal ruled out for steps, but Biggs followed up with another converted free. Caolan Connery added the game’s final score just before the hour mark as Derry eased to victory.

Just before the final whistle, Gaffney saw red for a heavy high challenge on Emmet Óg McKeever, ending a disappointing afternoon for the O’Neill County men but rounding off a hugely positive day for Ryan O’Neill and his Derry charges, who now look forward to an All-Ireland final appearance next month.

Derry scorers: Ruairi Biggs 0-10, 8f, Felix Glover 1-1, Paul McNicholl 0-3,  PJ Glover, Emmet Óg McKeever, Kevin Barry Mullan and Ryan McGilligan 0-1 each.

Donegal scorers: Brendan Gaffney 0-4 2f, Devyn McColgan 1-0, John Kealy 0-1.

Derry: Caomhan Irwin; Declan Kelly, Tiarnan Melaugh, Deaglan McNamee; Cailean Gallagher, Emmet Óg McKeever, Phelim Óg Diamond; Ryan McGarvey, Ryan McGilligan; Paul McNicholl, Kevin Barry Mullan, Connor Melaugh; PJ Glover, Felix Glover , Ruairi Biggs.

Subs: Cathal Quinn for C.Melaugh (43 mins), Daire O’Lochlainn and Caolan Connery (0-1) for Mullan and PJ Glover (49 mins), Miceal Doyle-Kennedy for McNicholl (57 mins), Rory Scullion for McKeever (62 mins).

Donegal: Fionnian Gill; Sean Brady Devenney, Shane Ellison, Aidan Porter; Caolan Ó Raghallaigh, Kyron McColgan, Shay Bradley; John Kealy, Aidan McKinney; Fionn Farren , Brendan Gaffey, Dan Donnelly; Devyn McColgan, Eoin McDaid, Conal Herron. 

Subs: Pauric Kelly for McDaid (46 mins), Daire Galvin for Farren (49 mins), Davitt Bradley Flynn and Fionn McNulty  for Gill and Porter (52 mins). 

Referee: Barry Winters (Tyrone).