Mickey Harte’s shortest battle as Donegal win the war to knock out Tyrone

Tyrone will wonder how they didn’t get a goal late on

Sun, 01 Nov, 2020 - 19:57

Alan Foley

Ulster SFC Q/F: Donegal 1-13 Tyrone 1-11

Ordinarily, football around now is taglined as ‘The Toughest’, and although in this peculiar year it’s county and not club that’s the winter focus, the same term was more than apt at the battle the quagmire of Ballybofey.

Ulster football in general, and Donegal and Tyrone in particular, can be close to the bone. On Sunday, though, with the rain bouncing off the top of the steel-roofed stand, and the pitch like a mud-spattered ice rink, it was as raw as ever before.

Ciaran Thompson — Man of the Match with seven Donegal points — was still pumped with adrenaline whilst his teeth were almost clattering as he picked up his award.

Matches between the two have often been labelled as chess in coloured jerseys. On Sunday those same jerseys were caked in muck as every loose ball was contested as if it would be the last. It was a war — and in war, there would be no second chance.

For the sixth time in 10 seasons, Donegal ousted Tyrone from the Ulster SFC. This time, though, was a first direct exit since 1979. With an away fixture in the most difficult of surroundings against his fiercest neighbour with no back door, Mickey Harte wondered if the gods were conspiring against him on his shortest championship season to date.

After the chip off the old block, Darragh Canavan, had taken advantage of a rare Eoghan Ban Gallagher slip to give Tyrone a 1-7 to 1-5 lead with a 42nd-minute goal, they let the initiative slip to concede the next four scores.

The same happened in the first period. After 20 minutes, Harte’s team were 0-5 to 0-1 in front. Donegal were malfunctioning, and Darren McCurry scored twice when his jersey was still relatively white, before Niall Morgan hit a peach of a ’45 between the uprights.

Given the incessant rain, it was more of a towel pause than a water break. Declan Bonner’s team sprung to life in that second quarter to lead at the break, 1-5 to 0-6, with a superb point from Michael Langan the catalyst for their comeback. The same player’s goal after 25 minutes swung the balance of that opening period.

On one of his more difficult days in a Donegal jersey, Shaun Patton’s kickout to the wing-forward position in front of the empty terrace was perfect, and set Peadar Megan into a gallop.

Claiming the ball on the Tyrone 45 in the normally claustrophobic surroundings, Mogan fed Langan, supporting on the shoulder, who took the pass and pierced a shot past Morgan to bring Donegal back on terms at 1-2 to 0-5.

Jamie Brennan and Paul Brennan then scored to aid Donegal’s forward trajectory, although the latter was fortunate to escape with just a yellow card late in the half following a needless open-handed slap on Michael McKernan — although the Tyrone player was quick to go down.

Bonner had matched fire with fire by opting for the physical presence of Neil McGee on Conor McKenna, who had created significant ripples for Tyrone since returning from the AFL.

With McGee not appearing for the second half due to a knock, McKenna would be more involved, although Donegal would still have felt content enough with how he was handled overall. Michael Murphy, now 31, played a conductor role and let the youngsters run while he did the dirty work with Hugh McFadden and Caolan McGonagle.

Donegal failed to find their range in the opening exchanges of the second half, as they had in the first, letting Tyrone take control with McCurry and then Canavan’s goal and a point edging them in front by one.

Donegal clung on, Thompson, Langan, and Jamie Brennan keeping them ticking over at the Town End to move 1-10 to 1-9 ahead by the time the second water break began.

Tyrone will wonder how they didn’t get a goal late on. Donegal corner-back Stephen McMenamin cleared off the line when a Richard Donnelly ball into the square to Conor McKenna slipped from Patton’s breadbasket.

Even later, McKernan put the ball into the Donegal square and it rebounded off the crossbar to safety for the home team.

In between these, Tyrone had levelled through Peter Harte to make it 1-11 apiece. Despite the November chill, this was melting-pot stuff.

Thompson’s seventh point, from a second free brought forward by McQuillan, and an Oisin Gallen point managed to create the two-point margin that Tyrone could not bridge. Tough stuff.

The 60-second report

IT MATTERED

Michael Langan’s goal on 25 minutes papered over Donegal’s ineffective start in awful conditions. Tyrone showed in that opening quarter they had kept plenty up their sleeves from the 2-17 to 2-13 loss in the league at the same venue two weeks beforehand. Donegal got going from the minute Langan blasted past Niall Morgan. There was still plenty of work to be done and Tyrone always carried a threat, but it set the wheels in motion for a famous win.

GOOD DAY

Donegal have developed something of a reputation in recent years of being a nearly side, often squandering leads and losing out when push comes to shove. Declan Bonner can be delighted with the way his panel fought their way to the finishing line.

BAD DAY

Tyrone will wonder how they didn’t add to Darragh Canavan’s goal at the start of the second half. They came agonisingly close when Stephen McMenamin cleared off the line after Shaun Patton spilled the original shot. If it was a summertime championship, surely it would’ve spun over the line.

PHYSIO ROOM

Conor McShane was an obvious miss for Tyrone, as was the banned Rory Brennan, although Donegal had to line up without Patrick McBrearty, who has been suffering from a quad injury of late. Neil McGee went off at half-time yesterday and might be a worry for Donegal ahead of the semi-final.

SIDELINE SMARTS

When Jim McGuinness rocked into the Donegal hotseat as manager in 2010, his native county had only ever won five Ulster SFC crowns, never back to back. Now, following his three successes in the province, Declan Bonner’s side are going for a three in a row for the first time ever, with their two main rivals in Tyrone and Monaghan out of Ulster already.

BEST ON SHOW

Ciaran Thompson’s seven points kept Donegal ticking over throughout and his performance was cental to victory. However, when Declan Bonner’s team needed kick-starting at 0-5 to 0-1 down, it was mainly thanks to a wonderful point and goal from Langan, who must’ve ran Thompson close to the award.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE

Mickey Harte wasn’t overly impressed with the performance of match referee Joe McQuillan afterwards. The Cavan official opted not to send off Paul Brennan for an open-handed slap on Michael McKernan. McQuillan also brought forward two Donegal frees, which Ciaran Thompson popped over.

NEXT UP

Donegal continue on their quest to win a third Ulster SFC in succession when they take on Armagh the weekend after next. Tyrone’s season has come to abrupt end.

Donegal scorers: Ciaran Thompson (0-7, 5f), Michael Langan (1-2), Jamie Brennan (0-2), Paul Brennan and Oisin Gallen (0-1 each).

Tyrone scorers: Darragh Canavan (1-1), Darren McCurry (0-3, 1f), Mark Bradley (0-2), Mattie Donnelly, Frank Burns, Peter Harte, Conor McKenna (f), Niall Morgan (45) (0-1 each).

Donegal: Shaun Patton; Stephen McMenamin, Jeaic Mac Ceallbhuí, Eoghan Ban Gallagher; Ryan McHugh, Neil McGee, Paul Brennan; Hugh McFadden, Caolan McGonagle; Peadar Mogan, Niall O'Donnell, Ciaran Thompson; Jamie Brennan, Michael Murphy, Michael Langan.

Subs: Eoin McHugh for MacCeallbhuí (24), Andrew McClean for N McGee (half-time), Oisin Gallen for O’Donnell (44), Jason McGee for McGonagle (70+1).

Tyrone: Niall Morgan; Liam Rafferty, Mattie Donnelly, Ronan McNamee; Tiernan McCann, Michael O'Neill, Michael McKernan; Brian Kennedy, Frank Burns; Kieran McGeary, Conor McKenna, Conor Meyler; Darren McCurry, Peter Harte, Darragh Canavan.

Subs: Mark Bradley for McCurry (50), Richard Donnelly for O’Neill (53), Paddy McGrath for P Brennan (55), Padraig Hampsey for Kennedy (57), Niall Sludden for Canavan (63).

Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan).