The 42 Reports from Ballybofey

Donegal 1-25

Derry 1-15

DONEGAL BREEZED THROUGH their Ulster championship preliminary round meeting in Ballybofey with a commanding ten-point win over Derry.

Shorn of four All-Stars from last year’s team and with a goalkeeping crisis, Derry were second best from the start of the second quarter, when Dáire Ó Baoill hit a brace of two point scores and a goal in an eight minute spell.

This followed a decent opening quarter for Derry when they were level on 0-5 each, and also had a Shane McGuigan penalty superbly saved by Donegal goalkeeper Shaun Patton.

After half-time they dragged the margin back to two points following two Brendan Rogers two-point scores, but would not score for another fourteen minutes, during which time Donegal racked up seven points. 

By the end it was a stroll for the Ulster champions, who now face Monaghan in Clones in the quarter-final, on Easter Sunday. 

Donegal

1. Shaun Patton (St Eunan’s)

2. Finbarr Roarty (Naomh Conaill) 3. Brendan McCole (St Naul’s) 4. Ciaran Moore (St Eunan’s)

5. Ryan McHugh (Kilcar) 6. Caolan McGonagle (Buncrana) 7. Peader Mogan (St Naul’s)

8. Hugh McFadden (Killybegs) 22. Michael Murphy (Glenswilly)

10. Dáire ÓBaoill (Gaoth Dobhair) 11. Ciaran Thompson (Naomh Conaill) 12. Shane O’Donnell (St Eunan’s)

23. Odhran McFadden-Ferry (Gaoth Dobhair) 14. Conor O’Donnell (Carndonough) 25. Patrick McBrearty (Kilcar)

Subs:

17. Mark Curran (Dungloe) for McFadden-Ferry (HT)

24. Oisin Gallen (Ballybofey) for C O’Donnell (50m)

20. Jamie Brennan (Bundoran) for McBrearty (57m)

26. Jason McGee (Corduff) for McFadden (60m)

13. Niall O’Donnell (St Eunan’s) for Roarty (66m)

Derry

1. Neil McNicholl (Glenullin)

2. Diarmuid Baker (Steelstown) 3. Brendan Rogers (Slaughtneil) 4. Martin Bradley (Ballinascreen)

5. Conor Doherty (Newbridge) 6. Padraig McGrogan (Newbridge) 7. Eoin McEvoy (Magherafelt)

8. Conor Glass (Glen) 9. Dan Higgins (Magherafelt)

10. Ethan Doherty (Glen) 11. Paul Cassidy (Bellaghy) 12. Ciaran McFaul (Glen)

13. Niall Toner (Lavey) 14. Shane McGuigan (Slaughtneil) 15. Lachlan Murray (Desertmartin)

Subs:

17. Niall Loughlin (Greenlough) for Higgins (36m)

23. Cahir McMonagle (Steelstown) for Toner (50m)

18. Patrick McGurk (Lavey) for Doherty (57m)

19. Declan Cassidy (Bellaghy) for McGrogan (66m)

Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare)

Written by Declan Bogue and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.