Donegal 1-16

Tyrone 0-15

Declan Bogue reports from Breffni Park, Cavan

DONEGAL MANAGER DECLAN Bonner delivered a tactical masterclass to keep their Anglo-Celt defence on track and become the first side through to the Ulster final, mixing an intoxicating blend of rapid fire offensive kickpassing with superb drift defence.

It once again sends Tyrone into the backdoor, from where they launched an impressive recovery last year to eventually reach the All-Ireland final, but they surely have their woes as they go about picking up the pieces.

Head of that list is wing-back Tiernan McCann. He may be injured anyway as he had to go off with what looked like a hamstring injury. However, he could be suspended when the powers that be review an incident caught on camera when his hand made contact with Donegal defender Stephen McMenamin, before his boot also landed on the St Eunan’s man’s head on the 43rd minute.

Asked about it afterwards, Tyrone manager Mickey Harte replied, “I wasn’t looking through the lens of a TV, as you might well imagine. I was standing on the sideline as I always do.

“If something happens a distance away from me, I cannot see every detail that goes on.

“The early goal for Donegal, those two things together it left us in a very bad place pretty early in the game.”

Donegal have beaten Tyrone. Watch the Full-Time highlights here on GAANOW pic.twitter.com/1UYrp7AuEl

— The GAA (@officialgaa) June 8, 2019

A Jamie Brennan goal on four minutes opened things up for Donegal, who were 1-9 to 0-5 up at the break. All they needed to do after that was sail home and keep a tame Tyrone side at arm’s length.

Donegal are off to the Ulster final for the eighth time in nine years. Tyrone are for the back door.

Scorers for Donegal: J Brennan 1-3, M Murphy 0-5 (2f, 1 45), P McBrearty 0-3, R McHugh, M Langan, E McHugh, H McFadden, S McMenamin 0-1 each.

Scorers for Tyrone: C McShane 0-4 (3f), D McCurry 0-3 (1f), R Donnell, K McGeary, N Morgan (1f, 1 45) 0-2 each, M Cassidy, M Donnelly 0-1 each.

Donegal

1. Shaun Patton (St Eunan’s)

2. Paddy McGrath (Ardara)
3. Neil McGee (Gweedore)
4. Stephen McMenamin

5. Ryan McHugh (Kilcar)
19. Eoin McHugh (Kilcar)
7. Eoghan Bán Gallagher (Killybegs)

8. Hugh McFadden (Killybegs)
9. Jason McGee (Cloughaneely)

18. Niall O’Donnell (St Eunan’s)
11. Leo McLoone (Naomh Conaill)
12. Jamie Brennan (Bundoran)

13. Patrick McBrearty (Kilcar)
14. Michael Murphy (Glenswilly)
15. Michael Langan (St Michael’s)

Subs: C Thompson for McGee (16), D ÓBaoill for E McHugh (40), F McGlynn for McLoone (48), O Gallen for O’Donnell (54), P Brennan for J Brennan (65). 

Tyrone

1. Niall Morgan (Edendork)

2. Padraig Hampsey (Coalisland)
3. Ronan McNamee (Aghyaran)
4. Michael McKernan (Coalisland)

5. Tiernan McCann (Killyclogher)
6. Ben McDonnell (Errigal Ciaran)
20. Brian Kennedy (Derrylaughan)

8. Colm Cavanagh (Moy)
9. Richard Donnelly (Trillick)

10. Matthew Donnelly (Trillick)
25. Kieran McGeary (Pomeroy)
12. Frank Burns (Pomeroy)

13. Cathal McShane (Owen Roe’s)
14. Peter Harte (Errigal Ciaran)
26. Liam Rafferty (Galbally)

Subs: C McAliskey for Harte (BC, 12), R Brennan for Rafferty, N Sludden for Cavanagh (both HT), D McCurry for McDonnell (41), M Cassidy for Burns (52), A McCrory for McCann (56).

Referee: David Gough (Meath)

Attendance: 13,579

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