The Alternative View: Even piper Christy had trouble getting through in Celtic Park

Even our Piper Christy Murray found it difficult to break down the defences in Celtic Park on Sunday. Raphoe man Christy was ejected from the pitch and that was an hour before the throw-in. We should have known then that there was going to be nothing easy on our second visit within a week to Derry.

The sluice gates of the Foyle were wide open a week earlier and Brian Dooher and his Tyrone backroom team saw what happened when Odhran Lynch, the Derry goalkeeper went walkabouts around midfield. It wasn’t going to happen a second time; their ‘keeper Niall Morgan stayed at home for the kick-outs and only came outfield when Tyrone were in control of the ball. As Joe Brolly in his Sunday Independent column opined, even Stevie Wonder would solve the issue after a quick glance at the video footage from the Derry-Donegal game.

And so Donegal and Tyrone went toe-to-toe at the same venue but this was a completely different game right from the throw-in.

The Donegal support travelled in huge numbers and by 1 pm were outnumbering their Tyrone counterparts by three to one on the terraces. It was around this time that Christy The Piper was removed from the field of play and the Donegal supporters got the chance to clear their throats. There was mixed reaction to his removal on social media, some saying that it must have been a Derry official who was still grumpy after the Donegal defeat the previous week.

Not long after there were deep breaths as the goalkeeping personnel from Donegal came down to the Brandywell side of the ground for their warm-up. Shaun Patton was a peripheral figure as Gavin Mulreany and Daithi Roberts were put through their paces. It was clear that Patton was not going to start.

Former Donegal star Martin Carney made the journey to the game and talking to him on Tuesday he was enthralled by what unfolded before and during the game. He was particularly taken with the fact that Jim McGuinness singlehandedly oversaw the Donegal warm-up with five different pieces of work, each finishing with a bonding circle and the manager barking out the orders.

Before 1.30 we got confirmation of our fears that Patton was out, but when we checked if Roberts was now included in the 26, we were informed that Patton was still the back-up. Would he have been able to take his place if Mulreany had picked up an injury? I’m not so sure. Indeed, there must still be a major doubt over Patton for the Ulster final as quad injuries, especially with his kicking foot, are notoriously slow to heal.

For St Naul’s man, Mulreany, as he said afterwards, it was a dream come true. A laid-back character, he must have had a few butterflies and when on nine minutes, he decided to come way off his line to try and intercept a Cathal McShane pass to Darragh Canavan, disaster loomed. He did enough to stop Canavan as both slid on the now-tricky surface due to a heavy shower. Our hearts were in our mouths as we looked at referee Brendan Cawley, who decided it was a genuine attempt at getting the ball.

Just to add to the tension, the sudden change in weather had the public address announcer advising a number of people to return to their cars as they had left their windows down.

Donegal were playing with whatever wind was out there but after the rain shower the wind seemed to disappear altogether. It was becoming obvious that the same energy and slickness of a week previous was not there. Tyrone kept the ball and Niall Morgan and Matty Donnelly were controlling the game.

Shot selection and accuracy was not up to standard. The shooting accuracy over the two days so far is the one area where improvement is obvious.

Some very good individual scores from Ciaran Thompson and Dáire Ó Baoill kept Donegal in touch but Tyrone pulled away with three late points to lead 0-8 to 0-5 at the break.

What a day for St Naul's club with three starters - Gavin Mulreany, Brendan McCole and Peadar Mogan

A recharge of batteries was needed. Mark Curran and Brendan McCole were doing a great job on McCurry and Canavan and Mulreany didn’t have anything major to deal with. Captain Patrick McBrearty was ‘rested’ for extra-time with Aaron Doherty coming in.

We felt the infamous Jim  McGuinness Moving Quarter (Third Quarter) was now more important than ever. And so it came to pass with big Jason McGee taking the game by the scuff of the neck, firing over two quick points. Dáire Ó Baoill dropped the shoulder and hit another beauty but was surprisingly subbed immediately. The slip of paper must have already been with the 4th Official.

Tyrone would take advantage of a couple of Donegal slips to go three ahead again by the 50th minute. The Donegal response was brilliant with Peadar Mogan and Caolan McGonagle hitting two brilliant points from either side of the pitch and Shane O’Donnell performed a near miracle to win a Ryan McHugh ‘mark’ and a free to get Donegal back on terms by the 56th minute.

The nerve ends of the Donegal support in a crowd of almost 15,000 were jangling from there to the 73rd minute. Michael McKernan nudged Tyrone in front but Ciaran Thompson levelled from a free but within seconds Darragh Canavan had Tyrone one ahead again with just over five minutes of normal time on the clock.

We knew that Donegal had time and could be patient but those final eight minutes seemed like an eternity. Peadar Mogan was almost through on goal after a lightning run and referee Cawley missed a blatant foul on Oisin Gallen. The Coronary Care department in Altnagelvin Hospital was now on stand-by.

Three minutes of added time were notified and Donegal were still probing. Ryan McHugh took  responsibility but it seemed all was lost when his effort for a point was half-blocked. It seemed an easy catch for Niall Morgan but Mark Curran came from distance and jumped with the ‘keeper, who fumbled. The ball broke to Aaron Doherty who swung a leg but Morgan saved and the ball popped up into the hands of Brendan McCole to tap over with his left.

A collective sigh went out from the Donegal support. But the job was not yet done. Donegal won the kick-out with just under a minute left and Jim McGuinness was urging them to go forward but once they turned back the referee was happy to send the game to extra-time.

And all of Donegal were happy too.

Tyrone had only scored a couple of points in the final quarter plus added time and their legs were getting heavy after suffering extra-time the previous Sunday against Cavan.

Jeaic Mac CeallabhuÍ, someone I have felt has been underused by Donegal, was in the action and he fisted Donegal ahead two minutes in, the first time Donegal had been ahead since the opening point from Niall O’Donnell, which now seemed a week ago. There was still a kick in Tyrone with two wonderful points from Michael McKernan and Mattie Donnelly, but Donegal were now on top with McBrearty back in the play and pointing a free to equalise and Shane O’Donnell showing his great ability to beat a man and put Donegal ahead again.

There were many chances for Donegal to close out the game but 15 wides tells its own story. The finger nails were again tested in the second period with McBrearty missing what for him would be classed a certain free but then he closed out the game with a magnificent score to allow the Donegal support to exhale for a second time. 

There was still one final moment of danger as Tyrone launched a final high hopeful ball into the Donegal area but man mountain Jason McGee took control and Ryan McHugh emerged with the ball, something the Kilcar man had done three or four times in dangerous moments. Over the last two weeks in Celtic Park, McHugh has been truly magnificent and his selection as Player of the Week on GAA.ie was well deserved.

The sea of Donegal colours broke all cordons as they covered the entire grass of Celtic Park to shake hands, clap and get pictures and autographs with their heroes. And there were so many of them it would be unfair to single out anyone.

Where to now for Donegal? We are being quoted at 4/7 for the Ulster final against Armagh, but that will be a different kettle of fish altogether. Losing to Donegal in the Division 2 League final in Croke Park will not sit well with the Orchard men. They will pose a more physical challenge but Jim McGuinness has two weeks to prepare which should be enough.

Donegal have plenty to work on. The slickness and energy from the first day in Celtic Park will be needed again and one feels there will be plenty of shooting practice in Convoy in the next week or so.

As this piece is being finalised the draw has just been made for the All-Ireland series and wouldn’t you know, we will play Tyrone or Derry again. It makes a mockery of the new system and it also begs the question, why is this draw made prior to the provincial finals being played?

Footnote: One aspect of the Donegal support which was reported to The Alternative View was the booing of Tyrone players taking placed balls, most notably Niall Morgan. It is not something we would like to see Donegal associated with. There were reports that some supporters had to be ejected from Clones on Saturday night during the Armagh-Down game. It would be sad if this type of activity became the norm.

Game Statistics

Donegal 0-18, Tyrone 0-16 (after extra-time)

Donegal scorers: Oisin Gallen 0-3,3f; Jason McGee, Daire Ó Baoill, Niall O'Donnell, Ciaran Thompson (1f), Patrick McBrearty (1f) 0-2 each; Peadar Mogan, Caolan McGonagle, Brendan McCole, Jeaic Mac Ceallabhui, Shane O'Donnell 0-1 each.

Tyrone scorers: Darragh Canavan  0-4,1f, 1m; Niall Morgan 0-3,3f; Darren McCurry 0-2,2f; Ciaran Daly, Michael McKernan 0-2 each; Sean O'Donnell, Cathal McShane, Mattie Donnelly 0-1 each.

Donegal: Gavin Mulreany; Mark Curran, Brendan McCole, Ciaran Moore; Ryan McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, Peadar Mogan; Jason McGee, Michael Langan; Shane O'Donnell, Ciaran Thompson, Daire Ó Baoill; Patrick McBrearty, Oisin Gallen, Niall O'Donnell. Subs: Aaron Doherty for McBrearty (half-time), Jamie Brennan for Ó Baoill (48), Jeaic Mac Ceallabhui for Curran (70+2), McBrearty, Ó Baoill and Caolan McColgan for Doherty, Brennan and Moore (full-time, normal time), Doherty for Gallen (half-time, extra time), Brennan for N.O'Donnell (88).

Tyrone: Niall Morgan; Conal Devlin, Padraig Hampsey, Michael McKernan; Sean O'Donnell, Mattie Donnelly, Niall Devlin; Brian Kennedy, Conn Kilpatrick; Ciaran Daly, Kieran McGeary, Michael O'Neill; Darren McCurry, Darragh Canavan, Cathal McShane. Subs: Aidan Clarke for Devlin (41), Ben Cullen for McGeary (63), Ruairi Canavan for O'Neill (76), Aodhan Donaghy and Cormac Donnelly for McShane and Kilpatrick (87).

Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare)