Donegal flying high in Masters Championship after hard-earned Tyrone win
Donegal made it three wins from three games in the All-Ireland Masters Championship with a hard-fought victory over Tyrone at Monellan on the Crossroads on Saturday.
Donegal 0-10 Tyrone 0-8
Damian Browne, Shaun Maguire, Brian Doherty, Benny Boyle, Gerard McBrearty and Aidan Duddy were all to the fore for the Eddie Crawford-managed side.
Donegal led 0-8 to 0-4 at half-time after a feisty opening period, with Maguire, Doherty and Browne among the scorers. Local man Browne kicked four of his five-point tally in the opening 30 minutes.
Browne and Duddy added Donegal's second-half scores as Tyrone stormed back into contention through the accurate free-taking of Barry Daly.
Daly kicked all of Tyrone's second-half points from placed balls. His final score, five minutes from the end of normal time, cut the Donegal lead to a single point.
However, Naomh Ultan's Duddy conjured up the last score of the game from a tight angle on the right-hand side to restore Donegal's two-point advantage and halt the Tyrone fightback.
Donegal started well and led 0-4 to 0-1 after the opening quarter, with Paul Melaugh, Duddy, Doherty, Ciaran Scanlon, Browne and Maguire all performing strongly.
Tyrone grew into the game during the second quarter and, but for some wayward shooting, could have been closer at the interval.
It was backs-to-the-wall stuff for Donegal in the second half, but with Boyle, Martin Donaghey, Melaugh and Scanlon leading the way, Donegal ran out deserving winners.
Following victories over Antrim and Cavan in their opening two games, Donegal now sit comfortably at the top of the Masters Championship table.
It was a second defeat for the Red Hands, who lost their opening game to Armagh before defeating Cavan in their second outing.
Donegal still have three games remaining in the league phase of the championship, with an away trip to Sligo up next.
Daniel Kelly, Shane McCann (2) and Conor O'Hare were also on target for Tyrone, the reigning All-Ireland Masters champions.
Donegal scorers: Damian Browne 0-5, 4f; Shaun Maguire and Brian Doherty 0-2 each; Gerard McBrearty 0-1.
Tyrone scorers: Barry Daly 0-4, 4f; Daniel Kelly, Cathal O'Neill, Conor O'Hare, Shane McCann 0-1 each.
Donegal: Kieran Doherty; Enda Bonner, Eamon Ward, Aaron Thompson; Martin Donaghey, Gerard Melaugh, Gary Dunnion; Aidan Duddy, Brian Doherty; Stephen Coyle, Ciaran Scanlon, Damian Browne; Benny Boyle, Shaun Maguire, Gerard McBrearty.
Subs (rolling): Eunan Keavney, Conor McShane, Shane Bradley, Brian McLaughlin, Ciaran Cassidy, Kevin McBrearty, Stephen Nairn.
Tyrone: Marty Rea; Damian McDevitt, Colm McGuirk, Liam Patterson; Oisin McAteer, Gary Coney, Adam Harley, Conor O'Hare; Gary Reilly; Cathal O'Neill, Niall McFadden, Daniel Kelly; Martin Taggart, Kevin McSorley, Barry Daly.
Subs (rolling): Shane McCann, Martin Doherty, Kieran O'Kane, Domhnall McAnallen.
Referee: Alan Nash (Derry).