DONEGAL MISSED out on a place in a fourth Ulster Under-21 final in a row last night when they lost to Tyrone.Ryan Coleman’s goal for Tyrone turned the tide while the Red Hands reeled off a succession of scores in the second half and Donegal finished with 13 men after the sendings off of Stephen McMenamin and Bruce Waldron.
- Donegal pay for squandered opportunities
“THERE’S no point us going to Derry, giving an Ulster semi a rattle and being happy with that.”
The words of Declan Bonner before the Ulster Under-21 semi-final meeting with Tyrone rang in the ears as his side left Celtic Park, rolling up their dockets and chucking them in the wastepaper basket.
They gave it a rattle, but came out on the wrong end of a 1-15 to 2-8 scoreline and will wonder for an age how they contrived to lose it.
Bonner targeted a good start and his side certainly set a tone early on. The problem was they didn’t lay the marker down.
Donegal kicked three wides inside the opening two minutes and had six wides posted by the end of a first half that saw Tyrone, remarkably, trail by only two points.
They had a save from Sean Fox, their goalkeeper, to thank, as he thwarted Stephen McBrearty, but Tyrone will have been energised to be within striking distance at the interval.
When Fox saved again, just ten seconds into the second half, from Jamie Brennan, it was the spur for Tyrone and it felt inevitable when the Red Hands clicked the gears thereafter.
- Discipline every bit as costly
WHILE Donegal were unhappy with the officiating of Barry Cassidy, the Derry referee and some of his decisions were of the questionable variety, Donegal’s ill discipline proved every bit as costly as their wastefulness in front of goal.
That they had to play out the final 11 minutes with just 13 men.
They were already down the services of Caolan McGonagle, who was having a big influence on proceedings until he was black carded in the 42nd minute.
The already-cautioned Stephen McMenamin, another of Donegal’s key cogs, was dismissed when Cassidy booked him a second time after he fouled Cathal McShane.
Bruce Waldron had replaced McGonagle but his game lasted only seven minutes and he left having been given one of yellow, black and red cards.
That game during a period where Tyrone were turning the screw and with Lee Brennan and Cathal McShane really on fire. With the numerical advantage to go with the mathematical gains on the scoreboard, it was always Tyrone’s to lose from there.
- Stephen McBrearty ready for the next step
OF all of Donegal’s promising youngsters of the last few years, Stephen McBrearty’s start is one of the brightest – and he showed just why here.
Former Donegal star and now Kilcar manager Martin McHugh speaks highly of McBrearty, younger brother of Donegal senior player Patrick.
There are shades of McHugh about the young McBrearty’s play at times, although the comparisons should probably end at that. But there is no doubt that a bright future awaits him.
He scored 1-5 against Tyrone and it all seems so effortless to a player whose advancement was stunted by two serious knee injuries.
The way he worked his way from the endline into a position from which he could have netted a goal in the first half was just one example of a player in real confidence and it would be no surprise to see him feature a little more with the Donegal seniors now.
- Donegal v Tyrone: A rivalry getting toxic
LAST summer, Donegal and Tyrone had their fair share of headlines for the wrong reasons.
Their meetings at minor and senior level in Ballybofey turned sour. The minor fixture was marred by claims and subsequent counter-claims with allegations of sledging of the darkest kind.
The whole matter ran on until November.
Donegal minor manager Declan Bonner claimed in the wake of the clash in Ballybofey on Sunday, May 17, that his captain Michael Carroll was taunted over the death of his father Francie, who died of cancer in 2014.
Tyrone officials contested the accusation and an investigation was undertaken, from which no findings were ever publicised, with the Ulster Council confirming in November that they would not make those findings public knowledge, despite several sources making all sorts of noises.
During the senior fixture last May, as the players went down the tunnel at half-time, a brawl ensued and it’s fair to assume that a few crosses were put through Christmas card lists in the aftermath.
Last night at the final whistle, a skirmish broke out involving players and management. It was an ugly end to a game between two counties for whom the feelings towards the other are quite clear.
It’s all gone from sour to toxic rather swiftly.
- Tyrone survive – and will garner belief
WHEN Daniel McNulty converted an injury time free last April at Celtic Park to defeat Donegal and win Tyrone a first Ulster Under-21 title since 2006, it was a kick that sparked a memorable surge.
Not only did it take the Ulster U-21 title back to the O’Neill County for the first time in nine years, but it was a swing of the boot that catapulted Tyrone to greater things.
Tyrone went on to win the All-Ireland Under-21 title, defeating Tipperary in the final.
The likes of Sean Fox, Cathal McShane, Lee Brennan, Mark Kavanagh and Frank Burns are all surviving members from last year – and all played huge roles in the win over Donegal last night.
There could be no doubt that Tyrone were a tad fortunate to have stayed in the game long enough to strike for the win in the second half, but getting that
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