Tyrone face must win Mayo clash after Donegal defeat in Ballybofey

Donegal 2-17 Tyrone 2-13

Tyrone face a must win game in Mayo next weekend after losing by four points to Donegal in Ballybofey on Sunday afternoon as the National Football league resumed.

Both sides made late changes to the sides that were announced with Niall Sludden replacing Peter Harte in the Tyrone team.

Donegal were out of the traps quickly with Jamie Brennan opening the score in the second minute following a patient build up before the same player doubled the hosts’ advantage 60 seconds later. Tyrone opened their account in the fifth minute with a well taken score from defender Liam Rafferty after he had cut in from the left wing. Donegal though came straight down the field and a long delivery in from midfield was well caught by Michael Murphy who declined the mark to take a fine score with his left boot.

The visitors wasted no time in hitting back with Conor McKenna marking his return to county football with an outstanding long ball to Conall McCann who took a mark before taking his point.

In the eighth minute though Donegal took control of things when Peadar Mogan was allowed to brush past a couple of half challenges before giving keeper Niall Morgan no chance with thumping shot to the roof of the net.

Tyrone were level by the end of the opening quarter though when, first, Frank Burns converted a mark before Darren McCurry expertly tucked away a penalty after McKenna had been fouled.

Niall O’Donnell and Mattie Donnelly exchanged points before Donegal enjoyed a good spell. Ciaran Thompson knocked over a free and Ryan McHugh pointed after Morgan had saved well from Brennan. O’Donnell and McHugh then both split the posts as Donegal established a 1-8 to 1-4 lead by the 28th minute.

Rafferty took a quality score for the Red Hands and that was followed by a superb mark from fellow defender, Michael McKernan, from out on the left wing after Morgan had done well to cut out a dangerous Donegal attack. It was the home side though who had the final say of the first half from a Murphy free to leave it 1-9 to 1-6 at the break.

Tyrone made a promising start to the second half with Kieran McGeary splitting the posts inside 30 seconds before a Darren McCurry free closed the gap further with less than two minutes played. In the fifth minute of the half though Tyrone were overturned and Donegal countered for Brennan to fire low to the bottom right hand corner of the net for the score that ultimately won Donegal the game.

Murphy converted two frees either side of a Morgan '45' before McKenna took a neat point from play. Donegal always looked dangerous when pushing forward with McHugh landing a brilliant score with the outside of his boot from out on the right wing. McCurry scored from play as well as from a free but Donegal kept their opponents at arms length with successful frees from Murphy and Ciaran Thompson.

McKenna and substitute David Mulgrew had points with Caolan McGonigle responding for Donegal. Tyrone lost Kieran McGeary to a black card and after Murphy had knocked over another free McKenna capped an impressive performance with a well struck shot to the roof of the net that keeper Shaun Patton couldn’t stop.

Tyrone finished with 13 men after Rory Brennan was sent off before Donegal substitute Andrew McClean had the final say of the contest with a point.

Donegal: Shaun Patton, Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Neil McGee, Stephen McMenamin, Ryan McHugh (0-3), Paul Brennan, Jack McKelvey, Hugh McFadden, Caolan McGonigle (0-1), Peadar Mogan (1-0), Niall O’Donnell (0-2), Ciaran Thompson (0-2, 2f), Jamie Brennan (1-2), Michael Murphy (0-6, 5f), Oisin Gallen. Subs: Andrew McClean (0-1) for Gallen, Jason McGee for McFadden, Paddy McGrath for Paul Brennan, Daire O’Baoill for McKelvey

Tyrone: Niall Morgan [0-1, 45], Liam Rafferty [0-2], Ronan McNamee, Rory Brennan, Tiarnan McCann, Kieran McGeary [0-1], Michael McKernan [0-1], Paudie Hampsey, Frank Burns (0-1, 1m), Mattie Donnelly (0-1), Conor McKenna (1-2), Darren McCurry (1-2, 1-0 pen, 1f), Niall Sludden, Conall McCann (0-1, 1m), Conor Meyler. Subs: David Mulgrew (0-1) for Sludden, Michael O’Neill for Burns, Ronan O’Neill for Conall McCann, Ben McDonnell for Hampsey

Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo)