Much-changed Donegal battle well but lose to Tyrone

Tyrone, for now at least, gave their survival hopes a real boost with a derby win over Donegal.

In front of 8,410 in Letterkenny, Malachy O’Rourke’s side had too much in the tank for a much-changed Donegal on a day when the visitors’ need was greater.

With Michael Murphy back in from the start for the first time since 2022, Donegal - despite being shorn several of their regular performers - stayed in striking distance for long spells here, but Tyrone had six to spare at the conclusion.

Eleven minutes from the end, Murphy, having taken receipt of Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhríde’s probing ball forward, provided an assist for sub Eoin McHugh, but the Kilcar man rattled the crossbar. 

With their own goal frame shaking, Tyrone stirred and Darren McCurry bent over a point that eased any nerves - and keeps their chances of staying in Division 1 alive into the final day next weekend when Dublin go to Omagh.

The full-house signs went up for the 2,500-seater Dr James McDaid stand around 90 minutes before the throw-in in Letterkenny. The rest here means Donegal have now lost 10 of their 17 League games at O’Donnell Park since 2007, but the statistic won’t be too troubling in the context of what was at stake - or wasn’t - here. 

Tyrone, desperately in need of a win to hold off the cold fingers of relegation, began well with Darragh Canavan and goalkeeper Niall Morgan - who was named as the Man of the Match - popping over points inside of four minutes.

Jim McGuinness, who said a fortnight ago that he would “do what’s right for our players” in terms of his selection, made 11 changes with Michael Murphy - after two influential showings off the bench against Armagh and Derry - handed a first start in some 33 months.

With their own Division 1 position for 2026 already safe, Donegal made wholesale switches with only Mark Curran, Hugh McFadden, Jamie Brennan, and Niall O’Donnell remaining in the XV from the side that began their win over Derry a fortnight earlier.

The teams were level four times in the opening 25 minutes, but Tyrone outscored Donegal by five points to one in the last 10 minutes of the first half.

Murphy and Brennan each clipped three points in part one. Indeed, Brennan might have had a goal in the 14th minute but the Bundoran man, after slaloming into position following a determined solo run, riffled just over Morgan’s crossbar. 

When Ciaran Daly and Mark Bradley - coaxed back to the Tyrone squad over the winter by O’Rourke - scored two in a minute Tyrone were 0-9 to 0-6 in front with eight minutes until the break.

While Brennan narrowed the margins a little, Tyrone finished the half strongly. Bradley converted a free and Kieran McGeary drilled over a fine score two put them in front by four, 0-11 to 0-7.

After Charles McGuinness - among those in the home side in for their first starts of the year - was denied by Morgan, who beat away the Naomh Conaill man’s effort, the ball stayed alive. The hooter had sounded, but there was still time for Daly to find his range again for a 0-12 to 0-7 advantage at the short whistle. McGuinness had been fed by the involved Mac Giolla Bhríde, but Morgan saved and Tyrone recycled to add the final score of the first half.

The Red Hands were denied at the death last time out against Galway when Shane Walsh landed a last-gasp two-point free to rescue a point for the Tribesmen.

Memories will have been fresh, too, of Donegal roaring back to chew up an eight-point deficit on their way to beating Derry in Ballyshannon.

Morgan boomed over a delightful two-pointer from a 50-metre free in the 40th minute to put Tyrone ahead by double scores, 0-16 to 0-8, in the 40th minute.

With Peter Harte, Michael McKernan and Brian Kennedy on target, Tyrone were going through the gears nicely.

Their dominance was punctured by a beautiful Donegal score. Niall O’Donnell, the St Eunan’s man on familiar turf, spread the ball across field for Caolan McColgan to slot over a two-pointer.

Donegal might have been minus some regulars, but they stormed right back into it.

Naomh Conaill trio Kevin McGettigan, Finnbarr Roarty and an Odhrán Doherty two-pointer reduced the arrears to four points with 20 minutes to go.

Another two-point free by Morgan, expertly executed from the left-hand side, put a little more distance between them again 

Two-time All-Star goalkeeper Morgan showed his worth out the field with a majestic catch in the 58th minute that helped tee up Seanie O’Donnell for a score that put Tyrone seven up, 0-24 to 0-17.

Ciaran Moore and McHugh got on the scoresheet while Jonny Carlin and Keelan McGroddy came off the bench in the closing stages for their Donegal senior debuts.

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Scorers for Donegal: Michael Murphy 0-4, 1f; Jamie Brennan 0-4; Caolan McColgan and Odhran Doherty 0-2, 2p; Ciaran Moore 0-2; Hugh McFadden, Kevin McGettigan, Finnbarr Roarty, Mark Curran, Eoin McHugh 0-1; 

Scorers for Tyrone: Niall Morgan 0-5, 2x2pf;  Darragh Canavan and Mark Bradley 0-4, 2f;  Mattie Donnelly 0-3, Ciaran Daly 0-2; Peter Teague, Kieran McGeary, Peter Harte, Michael McKernan, Brian Kennedy, Seanie O’Donnell, Darren McCurry  0-1

Donegal: Gavin Mulreany; Mark Curran, Kevin McGettigan, Peadar Mogan; Odhran McFadden Ferry, Finnbarr Roarty, Caolan McColgan; Hugh McFadden, Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhríde; Jamie Brennan, Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí, Odhran Doherty; Charles McGuinness, Michael Murphy, Niall O'Donnell. Subs: Eoin McHugh for Mac Ceallabhui (half-time), Ciaran Moore for McColgan (48), Keelan McGroddy for McGuinness (48), Luke McGlynn for Doherty (54), Jonny Carlin for Murphy (63).

Tyrone: Niall Morgan; Aidan Clarke, Peter Teague, Niall Devlin; Michael McKernan, Rory Brennan, Joe Oguz; Brian Kennedy, Conn Kilpatrick; Mattie Donnelly, Kieran McGeary, Ciaran Daly; Peter Harte, Mark Bradley, Darragh Canavan. Subs: Seanie O’Donnell for Oguz (48), Cormac Quinn for McGeary (51), Ruairi Canavan for Harte (51), Darren McCurry for Bradley (57), Shea O’Hare for McKernan (67).

Referee: Paul Faloon (Down).