Three second half goals see Derry past Ulster rivals Donegal

VITAL SCORE: Conor Doherty of Derry celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the All-Ireland SFC Round 2 match against Donegal at MacCumhaill Park in Ballybofey. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

All-Ireland SFC Group 4

Donegal 1-15 Derry 3-14

Second half goals from Conor Doherty, Lachlan Murray and Pádraig McGrogan proved to be the difference between Donegal and Derry in the All-Ireland SFC second round.

The goals gave Ciaran Meenagh’s team a cushion against a Donegal side, who had only scored two goals in league and championship this year and were beaten in Ballybofey in the championship for only the second time in 13 years.

Derry’s accuracy, particularly that of Shane McGuigan and Ciarán McFaul, was telling in the first half, although Donegal were still very much on it, thanks mainly to four first-half Oisín Gallen points.

Doherty’s belter on 46 minutes made for a lead of 1-11 to 0-9 for Derry, with the wing-back smashing high past Patton when he was set up by a surging run from Conor McCluskey. Donegal were keeping in touch mainly through the precision of nine-point Gallen, who was named man of the match.

Murray was only on the pitch a matter of seconds and goaled with his very first touch on 58 minutes, with Garth McKinless cutting through a Donegal defence like a Choc Ice in the heat. Derry had themselves a lead of 2-13 to 0-13 with Paul Cassidy and Brendan Rogers taking advantage of further Donegal holes at the back.

A third goal from Pádraig McGrogan, low and hard, three minutes from time following a give-and-go with Lachlan gave the away support among the 8253 their last bellow of the day. Donegal had thrown Patrick McBrearty on for the last 20 following a four-month spell out with a hamstring injury and four minutes into injury time the hosts’ endeavors were rewarded with Rory O’Donnell’s goal.

Scorers for Donegal: O Gallen (0-9, 4f, 2m), R O'Donnell (1-0), C Thompson (0-2, 1f), C O'Donnell (0-2), S Patton (0-1 '45), P McBrearty (0-1f).

Scorers for Derry: Paul Cassidy (0-4), C Doherty (1-0), P McGrogan (1-0), L Murray (1-0), S McGuigan (0-3, 2f), C McFaul (0-2), B Rogers (0-2), C Glass (0-1), N Toner (0-1), B Heron (0-1).

Donegal: S Patton; M Curran, B McCole, C McColgan; C Ward, E Gallagher, O Doherty; C McGonagle, J McGee; D O Baoill, J Brennan, C Thompson; H McFadden, O Gallen, C O'Donnell. 

Subs: L McGlynn for Brennan (52), P McBrearty (0-1f) for O Baoill (56), R O'Donnell for McGee (58), S McMenamin for Doherty (61), J Mac Ceallabhui for Ward (69).

Derry: O Lynch; C McKaigue, E McEvoy, C McCluskey; C Doherty, G McKinless, P McGrogan; C Glass, B Rogers; N Toner, Paul Cassidy, E Doherty; C McFaul, S McGuigan, B Heron. 

Subs: N Loughlin for Toner (46), Padraig Cassidy for Heron (52), L Murray (1-0) for McFaul (56), D Cassidy for McEvoy (65), S Downey for McKaigue (70).

Referee: B Cawley (Kildare).