Gaelic Games

Donegal survive late Derry rally to set up final meeting with Cavan

Derry unlucky when Ryan Bell smashed a fierce shot against the crossbar

Donegal's Luke Keaney and Gareth McKinless of Derry in action during the Cadburys Ulster under-21 football semi-final at Healy Park in Omagh. Photograph: William Cherry/Inpho/Presseye
Donegal's Luke Keaney and Gareth McKinless of Derry in action during the Cadburys Ulster under-21 football semi-final at Healy Park in Omagh. Photograph: William Cherry/Inpho/Presseye
Thu Apr 04 2013 - 07:00

Donegal survived a furious late rally last night to make it through to the Ulster U-21 Football Championship semi-final.

Derry just fell short with an heroic effort as they came from six points behind at Healy Park, and were denied by the woodwork as Ryan Bell rifled a shot against the bar.

In the end, goals from Odhran MacNiallais and Caolan Ward did the trick for Donegal as they set up a final meeting with holders Cavan.

Donegal made a sluggish start, but wayward shooting on the part of their opponents gave them the opportunity to hit the front with a 10th minute goal from MacNiallais.

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Aaron Devlin and Fintan Bell had fired over a couple of Derry points, but Patrick McBrearty and Conor Gibbon both scored twice as Donegal moved into a 1-4 to 0-3 lead by the end of the opening quarter.

But the Oak Leafers clicked into action, and five points on the spin, three of them from Ryan Bell long range frees, had them in front by the 28th minute, and suddenly their challenge was transformed.

Donegal went 15 minutes without a score, before McBrearty angled over his third to tie it up, sending the sides in deadlocked at 1-5 to 0-8 at the break. Donegal got back on track with a second goal less than two minutes into the second half, McBrearty’s magical creativity sending full back Ward in to poke the ball past Christopher Bradley.

Bradley produced an excellent save to deny Donegal a third goal, diving to his left got on the end of a smart move involving Gavin Gallagher and Luke Keaney. But McBrearty continued to torment an assortment of markers, a delightful fetch, turn and point stretching his side’s lead out to six points, 2-10 to 0-10, by the 49th minute.

Donegal lived dangerously, but survived to score on the counter through O’Connor. Still the Derry men drove forward, reverting to route one football, and were desperately unlucky when Bell smashed a fierce shot against the bar.