Four goal Donegal end Derry's three-in-a-row Ulster title hopes

GALLANT GALLEN: Oisin Gallen of Donegal celebrates after scoring his side's third goal. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Ulster SFC quarter-final

Donegal 4-11

Derry 0-17

Donegal ended Derry’s hopes of a third successive Ulster title after a Saturday night ambush in Celtic Park.

After coming out on top against Mickey Harte in the three championship meetings of Tyrone and Donegal, Jim McGuinness made it a fourth to book a semi-final spot.

It was a victory built on four goals and an aggressive long kick-out plan that caught Derry out over the top.

Donegal won the midfield battle and it controlled the game. Elsewhere, Ryan McHugh bossed the game and when Donegal kept Ethan Doherty quiet in the second-half Derry struggled.

For both sides, it was the 13th game in 15 weeks which included the McKenna Cup final when half a dozen Shane McGuigan points shot Derry to a double scores win.

Saturday was different. If the second coming of McGuinness versus Harte in the Derry corner wasn’t enough to fully whet the appetite, then the race for tickets in the afternoon bigged it up even more.

It was Derry who sparked early with Odhrán Lynch passing to Ethan Doherty to kick the first of three first half points.

With Patton losing the first three kick-outs, Derry own the ball going two up when Paul Cassidy kicked an advanced mark after a pass from Paudi McGrogan.

Ryan McHugh tortured Derry in the same way Ethan Doherty to them. He pass to Caolan McGonagle for a goal chance deflected for a 45 Oisín Gallen nailed.

Conor Doherty replied before McHugh curled over and it was Ó Baoill who levelled matters (0-3 all) after Niall O’Donnell forced a turnover after 12 minutes.

Derry were wasteful, leaving shots short that Patton punched clear and it was McHugh who nosed Donegal ahead after 15 minutes.

Derry goalkeeper Odhran Lynch is beaten by a shot from Daire O Baoill of Donegal, not pictured, for Donegal's opening goal during the Ulster GAA Football Senior Championship quarter-final match between Derry and Donegal at Celtic Park in Derry. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

It was McHugh who made the goal for Ó Baoill. With Derry pushed up and Lynch out, the Gaoth Dobhair lobbed for a 1-4 to 0-3 lead.

Derry brought on both Niall Toner and Gareth McKinless but was Donegal who stayed on top with McGuigan starved of possession.

The visitors were ravenous on the breaks in the middle third with Mogan getting forward to score.

Two Ethan Doherty points and a foisted score from McKaigue helped settle Derry. It was a McFaul pass to Rogers that made Derry’s final score of the half, as they trailed 1-7 to 0-9.

Donegal won the throw-in and kept possession but it was Eoin McEvoy with a wide.

From the kick-out, Patton put Donegal on the front foot via the hand Niall O’Donnell and it was Dáire Ó Baoill who lobbed Lynch for a second goal, carried over the line by Lynch to land a second major blow after 39 minutes.

Niall O’Donnell added a Donegal score after a kick-out long to Jason McGee only for Rogers to respond at the other end for an acute angle.

There was another boost for Donegal when Shane O’Donnell was a penalty off Chrissy McKaigue. Up stepped Gallen to send Lynch then wrong way for a 3-8 to 0-10 lead.

Shuan Patton was forced off injured after first half knock and it was Gavin Mulreaney’s long kick over the top that put Jamie Brennan through for the fourth goal that poured water on any chances of a Derry comeback.

The reward for Donegal is a semi-final showdown next Sunday against the winners of Tyrone’s clash with Cavan Kingspan Breffni.

Scorers for Derry: E Doherty, S McGuigan (2f) (0-4 each), P Cassidy (1m), B Rogers (0-2 each), G McKinless, C McKaigue, L Murray, N Toner and C Doherty (0-1 each).

Scorers for Donegal: D Ó Baoill (2-2), O Gallen (1-3, 1-0 pen. 1f, 1 45), J Brennan (1-0), R McHugh (0-2), N O’Donnell, C Moore, P McBrearty (f) and C Thompson (0-1 each).

Derry: O Lynch; C McCluskey, C McKaigue, D Baker; C Doherty, E McEvoy, P McGrogan; C Glass, B Rogers; E Doherty, C McFaul, P Cassidy, N Loughlin, S McGuigan L Murray.

Subs: N Toner for N Loughlin (27), G McKinless for P McGrogan (29), E Bradley for L Murray (51), D Gilmore for C McKaigue(58), E Mulholland for C McFaul (66) Yellow cards: S McGuigan (67), C Doherty (70).

Donegal: S Patton; M Curran, C Moore, B McCole, R McHugh, C McGonagle, P Mogan, C Thompson, M Langan;, S O'Donnell; N O'Donnell, D Ó Baoill; J McGee, O Gallen, A Doherty.

Subs: G Mulreaney for S Patton (INJ 56), J Brennan for A Doherty (58), P McBrearty for N O’Donnell (58), O Doherty for J McGee (67), K McGettigan for M Curran (69) Black cards: N O’Donnell (48), O Doherty (72) Yellow card: D Ó Baoill (46)

Referee: D Gough (Meath).