Donegal 0-16
Derry 0-15
IN A CHAMPIONSHIP that has been proving to be as predictable as night following day, Donegal and Derry produced the first contest to set the pulses racing in any way.
There might’ve been two divisions between the counties where towns and villages can spill from one into the other but today the margins were miniscule. Donegal only led for the first time in injury time when Patrick McBrearty popped over a free.
Shane McGuigan, with his fourth score levelled and Derry were well worth being on parity, only for McBrearty to kick the winner with 20 seconds on injury time left. Donegal now play Tyrone in the semi-final next Sunday in Enniskillen, knowing they just dodged a bullet.
Big players come up with big moments.
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 11, 2021
Paddy McBrearty kicks a fantastic score at the very end of the game to win it for Donegal and break Derry hearts
Watch highlights on @rteone from 9.30pm #sundaygame pic.twitter.com/cee4wdx7TB
McBrearty was very well-handled by Chrissy McKaigue and Rory Gallagher’s team came within a goal that would’ve put them four points up early in the second half. Benny Heron’s effort cannoned down and only stayed out by inches, with the ball coming back off the line with chalk on it.
Donegal manager Declan Bonner made the decision not to start Michael Murphy, who had to be content with a seat on the bench. It was the first time he didn’t start a championship match since the opening round win over Cavan in 2012 – a run of 51 successive outings.
By the first water-break, Derry were 0-4 to 0-2 in front with Padraig Cassidy supporting on the shoulder from deep before scoring a fisted point, a typical example of how they could spring. Murphy was already lightly warming up.
In quarter two, Derry pushed their lead out to four, 0-7 to 0-3, with Conor Glass curling over a lovely score and McGuigan pointing for the third time in the half on 24. Donegal were looking a little cruxed, although did manage to get some sort of a gallop, with Michael Langan in particular with two points, cutting their deficit down to one at half-time, 0-7 to 0-6.
Three minutes into the second half came the one most likely to be discussed into the evening, as Cassidy got in at the end line and centred for Heron, whose punch beat Shaun Patton and crashed off the underside of the crossbar but not wholly over the line. Inches.
The contest was opening up and Derry were comfortable with that. When Ciaran McFaul put them 0-11 to 0-8 in front on 54 minutes, Murphy was readied and on, only a prelude to a point from Emmet Bradley that he might’ve taken on for goal.
Murphy immediately pointed from a free and another substitute, Paul Brennan, scored to lift the atmosphere among the 500 attendees and take Donegal back to 0-12 to 0-10 down when the water bottles were thrown out.
Niall O’Donnell helped Donegal back within range, although McFaul kept Derry ticking over. Over the course of the 70 minutes, Donegal never led once. McBrearty’s two points in injury time meant they still won the race. Only just.
Scorers for Donegal: Paddy McBrearty (0-2f), Michael Langan and Niall O’Donnell 0-3 each, Caolan McGonagle, Jamie Brennan and Michael Murphy (0-2f) 0-2 each, Paul Brennan 0-1.
Scorers for Derry: Shane McGuigan 0-4 (0-2f), Ciaran McFaul 0-3, Benny Heron 0-2, Padraig Cassidy, Gareth McKinless, Conor Doherty, Conor Glass, Emmett Bradley and Niall Loughlin 0-1 each.
Donegal
Shaun Patton
Eoin McHugh, Neil McGee, Stephen McMenamin
Ryan McHugh, Odhran McFadden-Ferry, Eoghan Ban Gallagher
Hugh McFadden, Caolan McGonagle
Ciaran Thompson, Michael Langan, Ethan O’Donnell
Jamie Brennan, Patrick McBrearty, Niall O’Donnell
Subs:
Brendan McCole for McMenamin (40)
Paul Brennan for McFadden-Ferry (44)
Michael Murphy for J Brennan (46)
Odhran MacNiallais for E O’Donnell (49)
Oisin Gallen for Thompson (70)
Derry
Oran Lynch
Chrissy McKaigue, Bredan Rogers, Padraig McGrogan
Padraig Cassidy, Gareth McKinless, Conor Doherty
Conor Glass, Emmett Bradley
Ethan Doherty, Niall Loughlin, Ciaran McFaul
Benny Heron, Shane McGuigan, Paul Cassidy
Subs:
Oisin McWilliams for Heron (58)
Niall Toner for P Cassidy (61)
Conor McCloskey for E Doherty (62)
Paul McNeill for Loughlin (70+3)
Referee: David Coldrick (Meath).
Class score to win the game, Derry ran em to the end.
Great match. What a point by McBrearty to win it. Devastated for Derry though, they played so well
Wow Paddy McBrearty. What a kick!! I felt the referee should have let Derry get a shot off the end. Hard on them.
@Eoin Fitzgerald: he did, he played a minute over the added time with Derry in possession inside the Donegal 45. Derry lads didn’t have a go. Derry unlucky on the day though, great game.
@Shimmy Shammy: in 2015 in the munster final between Cork and Kerry, Cork were beating kerry by a point. Well over the allocated injury time, Fionn Fitzgerald kicked the equalising point. The ref didn’t blow it up till the shot was taken. The ref should have let derry get a shot off.
@Eoin Fitzgerald: Fionn Fitzgerald took that on from 45 yards because the ref was about to blow up. A Derry player should have done the same
@Eoin Fitzgerald: That game has no relevance on today, how long do you give them? They had at least 3/4 opportunities to shoot but opted to recycle the ball. Derry played well today but will regret that passage of play.
@Eoin Fitzgerald: Two wrongs don’t make a right. None of the Derry players wanted to take on the responsibility of shooting. The ref can’t kick it for them.
@Eoin Fitzgerald: Maybe a great bit of trivia there Eoin but thems not the rules lad. The “we were hard done by so everyone else needs to suffer too” mentality is a little weak..
@Eoin Fitzgerald: Ref played a minute over and gave Derry ample time to get the shot off. Even when he blew for full time he motioned to the players that ye were just passing back and forth. Nobody wanted the responsibility of taking a shot. Better to take a shot and try rather than not at all.
@Alan Kenny: I think fair play to mcgoldrick for blowing it. 53 seconds inside the opposition half and no shot. If he let it go another 30 seconds w d be up in arms over it
@Eoin Fitzgerald: the ref gave them more than enough time to have a shot.
@Alan Kenny: he did indicate that allright
When losing team is down by one score they should be allowed to continue playing only in opponents half and it’s up to winning team to dispossess them or put ball out of play