Canavan brothers combine to help Tyrone secure win over Donegal

MAN OF THE MATCH: Tyrone's Conor Meyler led the way to help his side into the quarter-finals. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

All-Ireland SFC Preliminary quarter-final

Donegal 0-13 Tyrone 1-18

Tyrone might just be finding their form at the right time as their best championship performance since lifting Sam Maguire in 2021 was too much for Donegal.

Last week, the Red Hands scraped into the last 12 of the All-Ireland series with a 0-18 to 0-18 draw against Weatmeath - which meant only two championship wins since being crowned All-Ireland SFC winners in 2021.

However, this evening in Ballybofey, Tyrone were back to their emphatic best and blew Donegal away with the type of performance that will make their forthcoming last eight opponents take very little for granted at Croke Park.

Tyrone had stars all over the field and in Ruairí and Darragh Canavan, had two of their best, with the brothers from Errigal Ciaran scoring a combined 1-6.

That energy was apparent from the very start. Twelve seconds in and the writing was on the wall, with Ruairí Canavan planting a shot just wide of the Donegal goal after a pulsating run from Cormac Quinn had created the opening with the latecomers still making their way to their seats at MacCumhaill Park.

Canavan didn’t have to dwell too long on his early miss as before the second minute was out, he would have his goal, taking full advantage of Shaun Patton failing to gather a dropping ball from Darren McCurry.

With McCurry, Michael McKernan and Darragh Canavan, from a monster Brian Kennedy turnover, all scoring by the ninth minute, Tyrone were 1-3 to 0-1 to the good. Donegal’s only score by that juncture was from Patrick McBrearty, who was such a late change it was four minutes into the match by the time it was announced with Conor O’Donnell injured in the warm-up.

Donegal had to cling in. They were always kept at arm’s length, although McBrearty, Oisín Gallen and Odhrán Doherty got the home crowd going. Eight minutes before half-time, at 1-5 to 0-6 behind, the glass half-fullers of them in the 11,971 crowd would’ve been content enough, considering the elements and the outset.

Tyrone showed why they had the upper hand late in the half, with Darragh Canavan bringing his first 35 total to four points, while Mattie Donnelly and Brian Kennedy with a late beaut, got in on the act for a 1-10 to 0-8 interval advantage for Tyrone.

It was the visitors who again showed their dominance with McCurry and then, brilliantly, cutting inside from the right, Darragh Canavan scoring to push it out to 1-12 to 0-8.

Ciaran Thompson hit two long-rangers for Donegal but Tyrone were in charge. Patton was sent off in injury time for kicking McKernan just after Donnelly’s brilliant score put the cherry on top. Tyrone are finding their groove and they’ve shown not so long ago where that might take them.

Scorers for Donegal: O Gallen 0-4, 1f; P McBrearty 0-3, 2f; O Doherty 0-1; C McColgan 0-1; C Thompson 0-2; S Patton 0-1, 45; L McGlynn 0-1 

Scorers for Tyrone: R Canavan 1-1; D McCurry 0-5, 4f; M McKernan 0-2, D Canavan 0-5, 1f; M Donnelly 0-3, B Kennedy and C Kilpatrick 0-1;

DONEGAL: S Patton; M Curran, B McCole, C McColgan; C Ward, E Gallagher, S McMenamin; C McGonagle, H McFadden; D Ó Baoill, C Thompson, O Doherty; J Brennan, O Gallen, P McBrearty.

Subs: J McGee for Doherty (h-t), L McGlynn for Ó Baoill (44), R O’Donnell for McFadden (47), B O’Donnell for McColgan (62), G Mulreany for Curran (70+3) 

TYRONE: N Morgan; M McKernan, R McNamee, P Hampsey; C Quinn, M O'Neill, P Harte; B Kennedy, C Kilpatrick; C Meyler, K McGeary, R Canavan; D McCurry, M Donnelly, D Canavan. 

Subs: F Burns for McGeary (56) R Donnelly for D Canavan (62); N Devlin for R Canavan (70+2).

Referee: C Lane (Cork).