Donegal overpower Tyrone to secure first Division 2 league win of the season

Donegal got their first Allianz NHL Division 2 win of the season at O’Donnell Park on Sunday when they had 10 points to spare over Tyrone. 

Both sides had lost on the opening day – Donegal away to Meath and Tyrone at home to Derry – and were targeting the win here to keep clear of the relegation zone. 

Donegal started strongly and led by four after the opening quarter, but was pegged back and led by the minimum, 0-10 to 0-9, at half time. 

The second half was all about Donegal though. Ronan McDermott got the opening score within 30 seconds of the restart and it was one-way traffic thereafter. 

Tyrone relied on the free-taking of Aidan Kelly, and Donegal were already six points to the good when the Red Hand side were reduced to 14 men after Ben Gormley was dismissed to a second yellow card. 

The only goal of the game soon followed. McDermott flicked a pass to Sean Ward who rode a strong shoulder charge and played the ball across the 13m line to the unmarked Conor Gartland who pulled on it first time and finished low to the net for a 1-18 to 0-12 lead in the 61st minute. 

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Luke White made a routine save from a penalty struck by midfielder Michael Little with a little over five minutes to go, and Tyrone found themselves down to 13 men when Cormac Munroe struck out at Donegal defender Brian McIntyre. 

McIntyre got a yellow for his part in that incident, and after getting into a tangle with Branán Molloy in front of the linesman, he immediately got a second yellow and made the short walk down the tunnel. 

For Donegal, the win gives them a shot at survival in the rarefied heights of Division 2. They’ll learn a lot about themselves in the games against Down, Kerry, and Kildare to come, but it’s the final game of this league, against Derry at the end of March, that’ll be circled as ‘must-win’.  

Tyrone and Donegal shared eight goals at O’Donnell Park in last year’s league semi-final when the Red Hands won by 5-9 to 3-14, but defences were meaner this time around.  

Donegal settled quickly and Sean Ward led the way in that first half, firing over four points from play, with Liam Og McKinney and Gerry Gilmore hitting a pair apiece. 

Donegal had opened a 0-6 to 0-2 lead by the 12th minute, and only for the sliotar sticking in the turf from a goal attempt McKinney might have had them even further ahead. 

But Tyrone showed great resilience, retaining possession off their short puckouts and then playing through the lines to find a spare man.  

They patiently drew themselves back into the contest and finished the first half with eight different scorers. 

Ciaran Magill, the only man to trouble the umpires twice, centre forward Aiden Kelly converted the only first-half point to come from a free, and Mark McCann brought Tyrone back to within a point, 0-10 to 0-9, with the last puck of the first half. 

Donegal were dominant after the break. Ronan McDermott got the opening point half a minute in and then set up McIntyre who tapped over to put them three clear. 

Tyrone responded with an Aidan Kelly free, but the centre half-forward was closely marked by Oisin Kelly and didn’t bring his usual influence to bear for the visiting team. 

Gerry Gilmore converted four second-half frees, and Liam Óg McKinney hit two from play, the first of which was an excellent effort from tight to the left sideline, as Donegal pressed home their advantage. 

With Sean McVeigh sweeping, and Christy McDermott strong at full-back, Tyrone couldn’t break through the Donegal defence and their discipline deserted them as the game wore on. 

Ben Gormley was dismissed to a second yellow and Donegal swiftly took advantage with Gartland getting the game’s only goal when he was picked out by Sean Ward and his side took a commanding 1-18 to 0-12 lead with a little over 10 minutes to play. 

Tyrone were awarded a late penalty, but Michael Little mis-hit his shot and keeper Luke White made the save. 

Aidan Kelly did point from play on the following attack, but Donegal responded with a Gilmore free and a well-taken point from St Eunan’s youngster Peter Kelly left 10 between the teams. 

The late red card for Munroe mattered little in the contest of this game, but his absence for next weekend’s home match with Meath may prove costly for the Tyrone team.  

Brian McIntyre’s red card came after a second yellow and he will be available for Donegal’s trip to Ballycran on Sunday to play league leaders Down.  

That opposition will be a whole different kettle of fish for manager Mickey McCann and his squad to deal with.   

Donegal scorers: Gerry Gilmore 0-6 (4f); Sean Ward and Liam Óg McKinney 0-4; Conor Gartland 1-0; Brian McIntyre 0-3; Ronan McDermott 0-2; Peter Kelly 0-1.  
Tyrone scorers: Aidan Kelly 0-5 (4f); Ciaran Magill 0-2; Cormac Munroe, Ben Gormley, Kiefer Morgan, Aidan Woods, Turlough Mullin, Mark McCann 0-1 each. 

Donegal: Luke White; Oisin Kelly, Christopher McDermott, Stephen McBride; Brian McIntyre, Jack O’Loughlin, Conor O’Grady; Conor Gartland, Danny Cullen; Sean Ward, Liam Óg McKinney, Sean McVeigh; Gerry Gilmore, Josh Cronolly McGee, Ronan McDermott. Subs: Peter Kelly for J Cronnolly McGee (34 mins); Michael Donaghue for J O’Loughlin (53 mins); Cormac Finn for S Ward (62 mins); Ruairi Campbell for R McDermott (66 mins); Dean Harvey for C Gartland (69 mins).   

Tyrone: Conor McElhatton; Dean Rafferty, Fionn Devlin Ronan Molloy; Cian McGuigan, Cormac Munroe, Tiernan Morgan; Seamus Sweeney, Michael Little; Aidan Woods, Aidan Kelly, Ciaran Magill; Branán Molloy; Kiefer Morgan, Ben Gormley. Subs: Mark McCann for R Molloy (11 mins); Turlough Mullin for S Sweeney (15 mins); Francie Hurson for K Morgan (50 mins); Conal McKee for C McGuigan (60 mins); Fionn Corry for M McCann (62 mins) 

Referee: James Clarke (Cavan)