Finally, Donegal get it right in the end

ALL-IRELAND SFC QUALIFIER ROUND THREE Donegal 2-13 Derry 0-18 (AET – 1-11 to 0-14 after normal time): DONEGAL FOUND their form at the fourth time of asking to despatch Derry from the championship in Ballybofey on Saturday.

Comfortably ahead for most of the game thanks to a Colm McFadden goal on 18 minutes, they had to withstand a Derry comeback in the final 10 minutes of normal time as they hit five points to force extra-time.

The momentum swung back to Donegal with Kevin Cassidy landing the second goal early in the first period of extra-time and despite hitting some bad wides, the home side held on to win by the minimum margin.

“We deserved the criticism we got before this. We had a great night’s training on Tuesday night and I had seen in some of the boys’ eyes that there was a big match in them,” said Donegal manager John Joe Doherty.

The first half was tense with the sides sharing 10 wides in the first 12 minutes before Brendan Boyle and Michael Murphy combined to put McFadden through for a goal.

With Paddy Bradley kept quiet by Karl Lacey, it was left to Mark Lynch and James Kielt to keep Derry in the race and the goal separated the sides at the break, 1-5 to 0-5.

“We probably lost it in the first 20 minutes of the first half. We lost the initiative at that stage and we were always playing catch-up after that,” said Derry manager, Damien Cassidy.

When Donegal went five clear with some great points from Michael Murphy and Kevin Cassidy early in the second period, it seemed they were on their way.

Derry lost Paddy Bradley to injury but they found their form in his absence with some of the best scores of the game from Eoin Bradley, Mark Lynch and an equaliser from Chrissy McKaigue to leave it 1-11 to 0-14.

In the first period of added time Eoin Bradley edged Derry in front for only the second time but Kevin Cassidy hit the second goal almost immediately to restore Donegal’s lead.

Derry had the margin down to one on three occasions through Gerard O’Kane and two Kielt frees, but David Walsh and Michael Murphy points were enough to send Donegal to the next round.

DONEGAL: M Boyle; F McGlynn, N McGee, K Lacey; B Dunnion, B Monaghan (0-1), E McGee; B Boyle, K Cassidy (1-1); R Kavanagh, B Roper (0-1), L McLoone; C Dunne, M Murphy (0-5,three frees), C McFadden (1-4, two frees). Subs: D Walsh (0-1)for McLoone (58 mins), M Hegarty for Roper (63 mins), J Gallagher for N McGee (72 mins).

DERRY: B Gillis; G O'Kane (0-1), K McCloy, S M Lockhart; C McKaigue (0-1), B McGoldrick (0-2, two frees), S L McGoldrick; F Doherty, Patsy Bradley; J Diver, J Kielt (0-5,three frees), B Mullan; E Bradley (0-3, one 45), Paddy Bradley (0-2, two frees), M Lynch (0-3). Subs: B Óg McAlary for McCloy (34 mins), G McShane (0-1)for Diver (43 mins), B McGuigan for Mullan (45 mins), E Lynn for Paddy Bradley (50 mins).

Referee: D Coldrick(Meath).