A LATE save from Daithi Roberts was key as Donegal edged past Ulster U-20 champions Tyrone to set up a semi-final tie with Monaghan.
Tyrone 1-9 Donegal 1-12
Donegal led by seven at one stage, but the Red Hands fought back to set up a tight finish which the visitors resisted with some brave defending.
Roberts denied Luke Donnelly right at the end as Gary Duffy’s team took the win.
Eoin Dowling’s eighth-minute goal gave Donegal the perfect platform, and after Johnny McGroddy and McFadden tagged on points, they led by 1-2 to 0-1 at the water break.
Luke Donnelly converted his third free, and points from Oisín McCann and Robinson left just a point in it.
Donegal finished strongly with McGroddy and Shane O’Donnell finding the target to send them in with a 1-6 to 0-6 lead.
It wasn’t until the ninth minute of the second half that Rory O’Donnell got the first score before McGroddy and Pádraig McGettigan swung over eye-catching points to open out a seven points advantage, 1-10 to 0-6, by the second drinks break.
Tyrone grabbed a lifeline when a defensive error gave Rory Donnelly the opportunity to rifle home a 50th-minute goal from Daniel Fullerton’s return pass.
Donnelly added another free to reduce the gap to two, but some excellent defensive work from Paul O’Hare, Jamie Grant and Jack Gallagher helped Donegal through a difficult spell.
They rallied again for scores from Nathan Byrne and McGroddy to secure a three points success and a place in the last four.
Tyrone: Mark McGale; John Rafferty, Lorcán McBride, Cormac Quinn; Neil Kilpatrick, Kevin Barker, Tarlach Quinn; Shea Daly, Oisín McCann (0-1); Ciarán Daly, Rory Donnelly (1-0), Ronan Duffin; Ciaran Bogue (0-1), Odhrán Robinson (0-1), Luke Donnelly (0-5, 5f). Subs: Oran Mulgrew for Daly (37), Michael McGleenan for Duffin (41), Daniel Fullerton (0-1) for Daly (45), Dara Curran for Rafferty (46), Sean O’Donnell for Bogue (57).
Donegal: Daithi Roberts; Caolan McColgan, Jamie Grant, Jack Gallagher; Kieran Tobin, Donal McBride, Richard O’Rourke; Rory O’Donnell (0-1), Ryan McFadden (0-2); Carlos O’Reilly, Shane O’Donnell (0-1), Ryan McShane; Eoin Dowling (1-1), Padraig McGettigan (0-2, 1f), Johnny McGroddy (0-4, 3f). Subs: Ciaran Moore for O’Reilly (half-time), Paul O’Hare for Tobin (46), Ronan Frain and Nathan Byrne (0-1) for S O’Donnell and Dowling (52), Anthony Doherty for McGettigan (60+4)
Referee: James Lewis (Fermanagh).
