McGuinness focused on Cork trip after impressive win over Tyrone

“We're thinking about the next game. Cork isn't an easy place to go and the travel is long, all of that."

Sun, 26 May, 2024 - 10:21

Tom Nelson

Donegal 0-21 Tyrone 0-14

With Donegal facing the long trip to Páirc Uí Rinn to face Cork on Saturday, manager Jim McGuinness has already pressed the reset button on what has gone before.

Donegal put in an impressive second half against Tyrone on Saturday night in Ballybofey and knows a win this weekend will provide a huge step towards topping their group in the All-Ireland series and gaining straight access to the quarter-final stage.

“Ultimately, you get a two-week break if you top the group and that's a massive carrot, but we're not thinking that way,” he said on Saturday night from the Donegal GAA Centre in Convoy, with his panel immediately bussed the 11km journey from MacCumhaill Park for an instant recovery ice-baths session.

“We're thinking about the next game. Cork isn't an easy place to go and the travel is long, all of that. We know what we're heading for and we just have to do as much as we can. We have to start from zero again and go as hard as we can in terms of the bits and pieces around the edges.” Oisin Gallen struck seven points as they overcame their neighbours for the second time in four weeks and remain the only team in the country who haven’t lost in league of championship.

A high-scoring first half left a differential of just a single kick - the last one - which came from Gallen after a brilliant run from deep by Ciaran Moore. It made for a slender Donegal lead of 0-10 to 0-9 and a well-merited break.

The margins, typically, were thin, with Darragh Canavan and Darren McCutry putting the visitors two in front before the hosts got motoring. By the 20th minute, Donegal were 0-6 to 0-3 ahead, with six different scorers - all from play.

Both fashioned goal chances. Canavan, going like a train, played a give-and-go with Conn Kilpatrick before a blistering shot flew just wide of Shaun Patton’s goal. Then, at the other end, Ciaran Thompson was just off the mark - hitting the outside of the post - at the end of a brilliant move that involved Niall O’Donnell and Jason McGee.

In fact, Donegal weren’t awarded a free of any sort until 23 minutes in and Kieran McGeary’s back-to-back scores took Tyrone back to just one down, 0-7 to 0-6. Gallen, though, put over Donegal’s last three points of the opening 35 minutes, with Sean O’Donnell and then McCurry hitting Tyrone’s last two.

Ryan McHugh and Gallen's scores at the start of the second half put Donegal 0-12 to 0-9 up and on 49 minutes Jason McGee pushed the advantage to four for the the first time. It soon moved to five thanks to Ciaran Thompson’s mark, 0-16 to 0-11, by the three-quarter-mark.

Canavan and McGeary’s third of the evening sliced those arrears down to three, with the excitement among the 16,607 crowd reaching fever pitch. Cathal McShane, from a brilliant Niall Morgan pass, got in around the back for Tyrone only to slice wide when faced with Patton from an angle.

Donegal, from there, got home with the impressive Peadar Mogan hitting his third from play, Odhran Doherty’s stylish effort with the outside of the boot, then Shane O’Donnell and Michael Langan’s cherries on top.

“It’s a different Donegal team this year,” Dooher, whose co-manager Feargal Logan was at the game following a recent illness, said afterwards. “It’s all about recovery now and getting bodies and minds focused. Donegal are in pole position but all we can do is look at Clare.”

Donegal scorers: O Gallen 0-7, 5f; P Mogan 0-3; J McGee 0-2; P McBrearty 0-2, 1f; C Thompson 0-2, 1m; E Gallagher, R McHugh, O Doherty, S O’Donnell and M Langan 0-1.

Tyrone scorers: D McCurry 0-4, 1f, 1m; D Canavan 0-3, 3f; K McGeary 0-3; N Morgan 0-1, 1f; M Donnelly, S O’Donnell and N Devlin 0-1.

Donegal: S Patton; E Gallagher, B McCole, C Moore; R McHugh, C McGonagle, P Mogan; J McGee, M Langan; S O'Donnell, C Thompson, D Ó Baoill; P McBrearty, O Gallen, N O'Donnell. Subs: O Doherty for Ó Baoill (45), J Brennan for McBrearty (55); J Mac Ceallbhuí for Gallagher (66), D Mac Giolla Bhríde for Gallen (69)

Tyrone: N Morgan; N Devlin, P Hampsey, M McKernan; B Cullen, M Donnelly, K McGeary; Brian Kennedy, C Kilpatrick; C Daly, M O'Neill, S O'Donnell; D McCurry, D Canavan, R Canavan. Subs: J Oguz and C Quinn for R Canavan and Cullen (half-time), C McShane for McCurry (51), P Harte for Kilpatrick (58), A Doherty for N O’Donnell (62); L McGarrity for O’Neill (66)

Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan).