Derry secure league final spot as superb second half defeats Donegal

Donegal 0-15, Derry 0-23

Derry booked their place in the Allianz Hurling Leagues Division 2B final after a superb second half display saw the Oak Leafers come from behind to defeat closest rivals Donegal at O'Donnell Park, Letterkenny on Sunday.

A disjointed opening period saw the league leaders trail Donegal by three at the break before some words of half-time wisdom by Dominic McKinley and Cormac Donnelly worked their magic as the Oak Leafers outscored the hosts by 0-16 to 0-05 in a wind assisted second period.

Central to that, as always, was the free taking of captain Cormac Doherty who contributed nine frees over the 70 minutes but across the pitch Derry looked a different side after the interval. Meehaul McGrath was superb at the back while Brian Og McGilligan dominated the middle third with the impressive Darragh McGilligan not far behind.

Na Magha's Deaghlan Foley looked sharp throughout, scoring three lovely second half points while the introduction of a not yet fully fit Gerard Bradley provided the extra bit of quality Derry needed to ease away from a dogged Donegal team Derry could meet again in the final.

Both counties went into Sunday's top of the table clashing missing key personnel; Derry without hamstring victims Richie Mullan and Tiarnan McHugh while Eamon McGill, who was injured at training on Thursday night, was also absent.

For their part Donegal were missing Limerick native Richie Ryan and Jack O'Loughlin though Sean McVeigh had shaken off a hand injury picked up last week in the victory over Wicklow.

With the potential safety net of that semi-final for the counties finishing second and third in the table, there was the potential for a bit of 'cat and mouse' but those fears proved unfounded as both teams went after the win that would send them down the direct route to the promotion decided.

The opening half saw a clash of styles, Derry favouring short puck-outs against the breeze and content to work the ball up the field before seeking inside duo Fintan Bradley and Odhran McKeever. By contrast, the home side went long at every opportunity, backed by wind on an excellent day for hurling at the Letterkenny venue. Of the two approaches, it was Donegal's which enjoyed the most success early on as Derry's front two got precious little change from the Donegal full back line.

The visitors cause wasn't helped by seven first half wides and three shots dropped short as Mickey McCann's side eventually turned around with a 0-10 to 0-7 half-time lead.

Derry employed Ciaran Hendry as a sweeper but a first half spread of six Donegal scorers against Derry's three told it's own tale as the Oak Leafers struggled to find their range. Even the ever reliable O'Doherty dropped two shots short before eventually settling into his usual routine that brought five first half frees and highlighted his team's over reliance on their captain in the half.

Ronan McDemott got the game's opening score for Donegal on three minutes before O'Dohety's first free of the half cancelled it out. Daire O'Maoleidigh then edged Donegal back in front, also from a placed ball but a huge O'Doherty free levelled once more before an even bigger point, this time from Donegal's Declan Coulter, made it 0-3 to 0-2 13 minutes in.

The die was cast was a tight first half in which Derry's shot selection and decision making would let the down in promising positions against a more efficient Donegal side. Aside from O'Doherty, only Darragh McGilligan and John Mullan registered points for Derry in the first half, McGilligan's the Oak Leafers' first from play in the 18th minute.

Indeed the Derry first half highlight was an outrageous piece of skill by corner back Hendry who brilliantly blocked Gerry Gilmore's shot before, having lost his hurl, then dispossessing the Donegal man, chasing the loose sliothar and flicking it up by foot into his hand and passing clear to a team-mate. Watch for that one on social media!

Tipperary native Davin Flynn was the Donegal dangerman alongside Coulter but for all their energy and endeavour in the opening half, the hosts would have known a three point lead was well within range for a Derry team yet to find top gear.

Within 20 seconds of the restart we saw a new Derry as the visitors won the throw in and Brian Og McGilligan pointed. It wasn't top gear but it was getting there.

While Flynn grabbed a free one minute later, a Derry team that had appeared lethargic was now matching Donegal for intensity as two more O'Doherty frees brought it back to a one point game at 0-11 to 0-10.

A superb Flynn pointed highlighted Donegal's threat but Derry's response was to take the lead for the first time in the game as Odhran McKeever, Darragh McGilligan and O'Doherty (free) gave the Oak Leafers a 0-13 to 0-12 lead on by the 45th minute.

Again Donegal dug deep to equalise through the excellent Coulter but Donegal were clinging to coat tails now. Within two minutes Na Magha's Foley had taken a superb catch, tuned and split the posts and this time Derry wouldn't be pegged back.

Gerard Bradley's introduction off the bench was followed by his first point of the day which was quickly followed by his second. A Flynn point barely registered as Foley again, McKeever, Mullan and Brian Og McGilligan took Derry's lead out to 0-20 to 0-14 with seven minutes left.

A Coulter '65 was Donegal's last score as O'Doherty, Foley and Mullan tagged on insurance points to secure the unlikeliest of comfortable victories. It may not be the 'final' say between these two but it is enough to take Derry to the league decider with one game to spare.

Derry scorers: Cormac O'Doherty (0-9, 9f), Darragh McGilligan (0-2), John Mullan (0-3), Brian Og McGilligan (0-2), Odhran McKeever (0-2), Deaghlan Foley (0-2), Gerald Bradley (0-2),

Donegal scorers: Davin Flynn (0-6, 3f), Declan Coulter (0-5, 2f, 1 '65'), Ronan McDermott (0-1), Daire O'Maoleidigh (0-1), Brian McIntyre (0-1), Gerry Gilmore (0-1),

Derry: Oisin O'Doherty, Ciaran Hendry, Mark Craig, Darragh McCloskey, Meehaul McGrath, Conor Kelly, Niall Farren, Cormac O'Doherty, Darragh McGilligan, Sean Kelly, John Mullan, Brian McGilligan, Deaghlan Foley, Odhran McKeever, Fintan Bradley. (Subs) Gerald Bradley for S Kelly, 52mins; Padraig Nelis for F Bradley, 59mins; Gabriel Farren for C Hendry, 69mins

Yellow Cards: F Bradley, 34mins; D Foley, 41mins; O O'Doherty, 69mins,

Donegal: Luke White, Gavin Browne, Stephen Gillespie, Padraig Doherty, Danny Cullen, Sean McVeigh, Conor O'Grady, Conor Gartland, Brian McIntyre, Ronan McDermott, Bernard Lafferty, Gerry Gilmore, Davinn Flynn, Daire O Maoleidigh, Declan Coulter. (Subs) Josh Cronolly McGee for D O'Maoleidigh, 60mins; Mark Callaghan for C O'Grady, 61mins; Christopher McDermott for R McDermott, 65mins;

Referee: James Judge (Mayo)