Derry show their power to defeat 13-man Donegal to retain the Dr McKenna Cup

It was cold and wet, yet hot and heavy at times but in the end, it was Micky Harte whose name will be the one linked to the Dr McKenna Cup again.
Derry 0-12 Donegal 0-6

On a breezy night in Omagh, Brendan Rogers was sent off for Derry, while Donegal’s Patrick McBrearty and Oisin Gallen were also dismissed. Bottom line though, April 21 is a date circled on their calendars, with the two to collide in the Ulster quarter-final. 

Six frees from Shane McGuigan meant a Derry team minus the Watty Grahams crew retained the trophy as they got the better of Jim McGuinness’s youthful Donegal. It’s Harte’s 13th victory in the competition - his first with his adopted county having won a dozen with his native Tyrone.

In ways, you almost forgot these two north-western neighbours are under managers in their first year in charge. 

With Shaun Patton suspended for the Allianz League opener against Cork on January’s last Sunday having been dismissed against Tyrone in last year’s All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-final, Gavin Mulreany kept goal.

Donegal faced into a huge first-half breeze, one which almost tore the flags off their poles on the Gortin Road and Mulreany was excellent off the tie and, when the opportunity arose, went up the field to open scoring with a crisp free.

Both sets of players had a bit of bother working out the coordinates in the wind, although there was no shortage in the commitment stakes. The majority of the play was in the Donegal half, with Shane McGuigan scoring four frees in the first period. 

There were only two points scored from play - one from either side - in the opening 35 minutes, with Declan Cassidy the sole proprietor of Derry’s and Donegal’s coming from Ryan McHugh’s impish effort. Late in the half the closest either got to a goal was a slapped attempt from close range by Diarmuid Baker, which was gathered on the Donegal goal-line by the alert Ciaran Moore. 

A free from Patrick McBrearty in first-half injury time trimmed Derry’s advantage down to two, 0-5 to 0-3, so by the break, Donegal’s plight wasn’t the worst. 

Derry made light work of the fact they were facing things in part two and managed to increase their lead out to four, 0-8 to 0-3, with Paul Cassidy, another McGuigan free and substitute Niall Toner all scoring by the 42nd minute. 

Daire Ó Baoill, barely on, scored a brilliant point from the right - at a stage when his team had already racked up eight wides -  and moments later as the clock clicked onto 50 was on the ground. Referee Conor Curran flashed a red to Rogers for an alleged stamp on Ó Baoill. Then, in a scuffle that followed, McBrearty was also lined for contributing to a melee as he came in with a shoulder.

Derry were still in control of their destiny it seemed and even though Mulreany scored a second free - a monster from 55 metres. Conor Doherty edged Derry ahead 0-10 to 0-5 and with the rain coming and going and things generally heavy, five points seemed an eternity. It seemed even more when Gallen picked up a second yellow with five to play. 

Donegal might've bundled a goal through the bodies late on through Caolan McGonagle and did point through Ciaran Thompson, but it wasn't to be. For Derry, Niall Loughlin and Cormac Murphy helped them see it out. Until they meet again.

Donegal scorers: Gavin Mulreany 0-2, 2f; Patrick McBrearty 0-1, 1f; Ryan McHugh, Daire Ó Baoill and Ciaran Thompson 0-1. 
Derry scorers: Shane McGuigan 0-6, 6f; Declan Cassidy, Paul Cassidy, Niall Toner, Conor Doherty, Niall Loughlan and Cormac Murphy 0-1.

Donegal: Gavin Mulreany; Mark Curran, Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhríde, Kevin McGettigan; Ryan McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, Peadar Mogan; Oisin Caulfield, Ciaran Thompson; Odhran Doherty, Shane O’Donnell, Ciaran Moore; Patrick McBrearty, Oisin Gallen, Jamie Brennan.  Subs:  Daire Ó Baoill for Caulfield (49), Ronan Frain for Brennan (54); Luke McGlynn and Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí for O’Donnell and Doherty (54), Stephen McMenamin for Curran (60)

Derry: Odhran Lynch; Diarmuid Baker, Eoin McEvoy, Chrissy McKaigue; Conor McCluskey, Gareth McKinless, Padraig McGrogan; Conor Doherty, Brendan Rogers; Donncha Gilmore, Declan Cassidy, Paul Cassidy; Niall Loughlin, Shane McGuigan, Cormac Murphy. Subs: Niall Toner for McEvoy (half-time), Shea Downey for McCluskey (60)
Referee: Conor Curran (Down).