DONEGAL’S UNDER-17 DEVELOPMENT SQUAD got their Ulster Under-17 League campaign back on track with a comfortable win over Derry at Greysteel.
Derry 3-8 Donegal 2-18
Brian McGeehin’s team lost out to Tyrone 1-7 to 0-8 having overcome Fermanagh 0-13 to 0-4 in Ballyshannon in their first outing.
Tonight, by the banks of the Foyle, they laid their marker down early with an impressive first half – at one point in which the visitors were eight points in front.
Thomas McGowan would score eight points in all over the course of the evening as Donegal secured the runners-up spot in Group B and will take on Antrim safe in the knowledge they’ve sealed a semi-final place at Monaghan.
Paddy Gallagher, the Donegal goalkeeper, can take credit for that good start with a decent save to deny Ruairí Rafferty tonight.
Donegal soon hit the groove and on nine minutes, following a poor kick-out by the Derry netminder, Oisin Burke, Johnny Sweeney smashed an excellent goal into the roof of the net.
That made the advantage 1-2 to 0-1 for Donegal, with Sweeney and McGowan having scored their first two points. McGowan would soon add a third.
Odhran Quinn was the first Derry player to score and when the hosts added another point from Thomas Donnelly it was merely the prelude to four points on the spin for Donegal.
Those came from Paul Murphy, Michael Gallagher, Ryan McMahon and Sweeney for a 1-7 to 0-2 advantage.
Derry got a goal on 28 minutes to get themselves back into the contest and a fine individual goal it was from Rafferty. McGowan’s free left Donegal 1-8 to 1-2 in front at the break.
Points were traded at either end in the second half with McGowan, Sweeney and Gallagher showing well for Donegal.
Thomas Donnelly kicked three for Derry, as well as goal on 45 minutes to make the score 2-7 for Derry, 1-14 for Donegal.
Derry then grabbed another goal, this time from Coille McAlinden on 52 minutes and it was 3-7 to 1-15. However, Michael McGroary scored a fine goal for Donegal five minutes from time before Gallagher put the seal on the win.
Derry: Oisin Burke; Sean McKeever, Cathal McElrean, Antoin Neeson; Coille McAlinden (1-0), Nathan Scullion, Aidan Conway; Odhrán Quinn (0-1), Martin Bradley (0-1); Caolan O’Connell, Odhran Lynch (0-1), Thomas Donnelly (1-4); Ruairí Rafferty (1-0), Shane McIntyre (0-1), Cathal Donnelly. Subs: Cathal Roarty for McElrean (38), Ronan Johnston for Scullion (54).
Donegal: Paddy Gallagher; Aaron Deeney, Daragh Byrne, Danny Walsh; Michael McGroary, Ryan McMahon (0-1), Paul Murphy (0-1); Ryan Doherty, Luke Devlin; Shaun Gorrell, Michael Gallagher (0-4), Shay Doherty; Shaun McGee, Thomas McGowan (0-8, 5f), Johnny Sweeney (1-3). Subs: Shane Gallagher for Devlin (half-time), Niall Hannigan (0-1) for Gorrell (39), Barry Gallagher for McGee (60)
Referee: Marty Conroy (Tyrone)
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