Donegal 2-13 Derry 0-9: Donegal cantered to an easy win against Derry at MacCumhaill Park this afternoon.
Donegal dismantled a poor Derry side with a fine team performance that was probably over as a contest at half-time.
Tyrone will be a completely different task in the semi-final at Clones but Jim McGuinness can be more than happy with the development of his squad.
All over the pitch his team showed the appetite for a fight with fine performances from defence to attack.
The game was played in very slippy conditions with both sides finding it difficult to control the ball.
However Donegal had the better of the exchanges with the Donegal half-back line proving particularly effective.
Donegal could be further ahead but for a habit of overplaying the ball in attack in the last third of the pitch.
Colm McFadden and Paddy McBrearty have been working hard up front as has Karl Lacey who is doing a terrific job on Derry’s dangerman Paddy Bradley.
Despite being in control, Donegal were still only 0-4 to 0-2 after 25 minutes played with Derry’s defence working very hard.
Leo McLoone scored a fine point to make it 0-5 to 0-2 after 26 minutes.
Three minutes later Paddy Bradley pulled a point back after Frank McGlynn fouled Lynn.
Donegal made a vital break on the half hour mark when Colm McFadden broke through on the left wing and cut in.
He was eventually dispossessed but the ball fell to Leo McLoone who hit the back of the net from close range to make it 1-5 to 0-3.
Paddy Bradley pulled another point back after a foul with a fine long range kick.
Donegal continued to work hard up until the break and Michael Murphy put his name on the scoresheet with a free just before the break.
Donegal should be further ahead but they looked solid as the teams went in with Donegal leading 1-6 to 0-4.
Derry needed to liven things up from the restart but failed to do so.
They looked flat and allowed Donegal to cut through their midfield as Derry packed their defence.
After seven minutes of the restart Donegal’s hard work paid off.
Having hunted in a pack to close down a Derry attack, Donegal broke up the field and they eventually found McFadden who drilled the ball home to make it 2-7 to 0-4.
Derry looked to change things and brought off Enda Lynn, who impressed early on, to be replaced by Patsy Bradley.
Paddy Bradley got his fourth point a short time later for Derry in what was his fourth converted free kick.
Murphy popped over another free as Derry resorted to jersey pulling which didn’t escape the referee.
David Walsh, who enjoyed a fine game, finished a fine move for Donegal with a direct point in the 51st minute to make it 2-9 to 0-5.
Even big Neil Gallagher, not exactly known for his scoring prowess, took a point when he latched onto a lovely flick-on from Buncrana player Ryan Bradley.
With ten minutes still to go Derry fans voted with their feet when many began to leave the ground.
Ryan Bradley capped off a super performance with a point in the 60th minutes.
Paddy McBrearty almost got an ‘A’ after just completing his Leaving Cert when his shot came back off the upright in the 63rd minute.
Things couldn’t get worse form Derry when Donegal goalkeeper pulled of a terrific reflex save from Michael Lynch with five minutes to go.
Stephen Griffin and Dermot Molloy came on for McFadden and McLoone to shake things up for Donegal with a few minutes to play.
Glenfin’s Frank McGlynn was named man of the match but it could have been any one of half a dozen Donegal players including Ryan Bradley, Mark McHugh, Patrick McBrearty and Leo McLoone amongst others.
