Patrick McBrearty red card had a big bearing on the game - Jim McGuinness 

Jim McGuinness believes Patrick McBrearty's 50th minute dismissal had a real influence as Derry outgunned Donegal in Saturday’s McKenna Cup decider. 

Daire Ó Baoill had just interrupted an explosive start to the second-half from Mickey Harte’s side where - against the breeze - they landed the first three points after the restart. 

And, seconds later, Derry’s All-Star midfielder Brendan Rogers was dismissed for an alleged stamp on the same player. 

A melee of sorts then broke out and when that dust settled, Donegal skipper McBrearty also received his marching orders. 

With the wind and rain hammering down in Omagh, Donegal would have been content enough at the midpoint when, against a really ugly breeze, they departed for the changing rooms 0-5 to 0-3 adrift. 

However, Derry upped the ante following the restart to race five clear on 42 minutes. Donegal finally shook themselves as Ó Baoill, just in off the bench, severed that momentum. 

But with Donegal’s numerical advantage lasting barely a minute, Derry once again regained control. Before the end, Oisin Gallen also walked to a second yellow as the Oak Leafers eventually won out by 0-12 to 0-6. 

Speaking after, McGuinness said he was pleased with what his side offered in the first-half but rued the fact that Donegal allowed themselves to get sucked in after Rogers’ dismissal. 

“We struggled to deal with Derry at the start of the second-half,” said McGuinness. “They upped the levels and they’d a lot of runners off the shoulder. They were getting much more space than they were getting in the first-half. 

“The sending off situation had a big bearing on the game. There were 20 minutes left in the game. Brendan Rogers had just seen the line and from our point of view it was just disappointing that someone got involved. 

“It was a big moment. With the breeze that was here it could have been a different situation. But credit to Derry, they kicked on after that”.