Derry ease past inexperienced Donegal in McKenna Cup

Derry 1-16 Donegal 0-8

Donegal look set to be without the services of Anthony Thompson this year – with doubts also still hanging over veteran midfielder Rory Kavanagh.

Rory Gallagher confirmed after yesterday’s McKenna Cup defeat by Derry that evergreen wing back Thompson is working in the UK and while the new Donegal manager says that he will “monitor the situation”, it appears the Naomh Conaill man will not be available for the foreseeable future.

“Anthony’s fairly clearcut, he’s working in the UK at the minute, himself and his girlfriend are both over there. We’ll just have to monitor the work situation.”

Kavanagh, who played a significant role in St Eunan’s victory in the Donegal championship at the tail end of 2014, has been given an extended break, though it’s understood the 32-year-old is unlikely to return.

Oldest member

"We're waiting on Rory Kavanagh. He's had a long club season and we left him off until January. He's probably the oldest member of the squad," said Gallagher at Owenbeg yesterday.

The former Fermanagh forward also revealed that Leo McLoone is taking an ‘extended break’, but confirmed that the rest of the experienced men who had taken Donegal to last September’s All-Ireland final will return.

“Leo McLoone’s taking a bit of a break as well, but apart from that everyone’s back. The McGees are back, Neil Gallagher’s back, Colm McFadden, but they’re just all working their way back in different stages.”

As a result of those absences, Gallagher handed out four starting debuts against Derry, and gave another three to substitutes. The relative experience of a Derry line-up that showed no debutants in the starting XV shone through.

Donegal had the breeze at their backs in the opening 35 minutes but after a scrappy opening 15 minutes they had raised just two white flags.

Within the space of four minutes, the hosts hit an unanswered 1-3, with Emmett McGuckin’s goal capping a performance in which he gave first-time full back Eamonn Ward a tough afternoon.

That put Derry into a 1-3 to 0-2 lead, though Donegal should have been ahead at the interval. They kicked 10 wides in the first half and went in three behind, 1-5 to 0-5, despite dominating midfield.

Superb saves

Once former Donegal boss Brian McIver had arrested the midfield problem, and indeed turned it completely on its head, the game became a non-contest. Only for superb saves by Michael Boyle that denied Conor McAtamney and Liam McGoldrick, Derry would have won even more comfortably.

The visitors, who welcomed back Mark McHugh for the opening 47 minutes, scored just twice from play as Derry, with captain Mark Lynch running the show, took complete control and cruised home.

McIver was able to hand debuts to three players from the bench, but the two teams will unquestionably look very different when they open Division One of the National League in Ballyshannon on the last day of the month. l In Saturday's McKenna Cup game, Monaghan beat UUJ 0-20 to 2-10 in Castleblayney.

DERRY: E McNicholl; O Duffy, N Holly, D Brown; K Johnston, J O'Kane, B Óg McAlary (0-1); M Lynch (0-4, 0-3f), C McAtamney (0-2); C McFaul, J Kearney (0-1f), E Lynn (0-1); D McKinless (0-1), E McGuckin (1-2), B McGoldrick. Subs: L McGoldrick (0-1) for McAlary (half-time), D Heavron (0-1) for B McGoldrick, B Heron (0-1, 45') for Lynn (43 mins), M Craig (0-1) for McAtamney (54 mins), S Brady for McGuckin (62 mins), J Bradley for Kearney (64 mins).

DONEGAL: M Boyle; E Doherty, E Ward, C Parke; C Gallagher, M McHugh, C McGinley; M McElhinney, G McFadden (0-2f); E Doherty, E McHugh, D Molloy (0-2, 0-1 45'); W Gillespie (0-1), H McFadden, M O'Reilly (0-3,f). Subs: J Gibbons for Gallagher (37 mins), R Melley for M McHugh (47 mins), M McDermott for Molloy (55 mins).

Referee: C Branagan (Down)