The Donegal Minors have won the Jim McGuigan Minor Football Cup Final against Derry at An Gleann, Maghera.
Derry 0-09 v 1-09 Donegal
Derry had dominated Section B of the group stages, winning all four games while Donegal’s only defeat in Section A had been in their final game against Sligo, conceding an injury-time goal.
It was a very competitive opening half with both teams pressing the player in possession with two or three tacklers in attendance at every opportunity, at the break Donegal led by a single point, 0-05 to 0-04.
Dylan Mulholland opened the scoring from play for Donegal in the fifth minute from play but Derry replied quickly with points from John Boyle’s free and Seamus Sairgeant from play in the tenth minute.
The game then went without a score for twelve minutes as both teams found it difficult to break through hard working opponents.
Donegal then had their best period of the game with four points in a row, two each from Shane Callaghan and Dylan Mulholland, one each from play and a free from both players to lead by 0-05 to 0-02.
However Derry hit back late in the half with points from John Boyle and a Conall Higgins free to leave just one point in it at half-time, 0-05 to 0-04 in favour of Donegal.
That lead didn’t last too long in the second- half as Derry hit three quick points from John Boyle, Seamus Sairgeant’s 45 and Eamon Young from play to lead 0-07 to 0-05.
They got a great chance to extend that further when Darach McGonigle was fouled close to goal and Referee Conor Curran awarded a penalty but Donegal goalkeeper Padraig McBride produced a Brillant save diving to his right to deny the corner-forward from the spot.
However Derry’s response to this setback was positive same two points from sub Oisín Doherty half them five in front, seemingly in control at 0-09 to 0-05 ahead and Donegal without a second-half score.
But that’s all changed in a dramatic final ten minutes as Luke Barrett’s young charges gave it one last huge effort to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
The impressive Shane Callaghan from Naomh Columba added three points to leave just one in it.
Then when Derry attempted a short kick-out keeper Karl Campbell found himself a bit isolated in possession, Donegal corner forward Eoghan Scott pounced as the keeper fumbled and slotted the ball to the bottom corner of the net from a narrow angle and Donegal led for the first time since half-time as time ran out.
Team captain Finbarr Roarty put the icing on the cake as he burst forward in injury -time to added on other point to make it 1-09 to 0-09 and the final whistle sounded shortly afterwards with the Jim McGuigan Cup on its way back through Glenshane Pass.
The Ulster Championship gets underway in two weeks time and both these teams will be contenders on the evidence of what we saw in Maghera today.
Donegal : Cian McConnell, Donal Gallagher, Jordi Gribben, Callum McCrea, Finbarr Roarty (0-01), Darragh Bennigan, Luke Clerkin, Oisin Scanlan, Lorcan McGee, Jack Hegarty, Shane Callaghan (0-05), John James Sweeney, Dylan Mulholland ( 0-03 ), Conor McCahill, Eoghan Scott ( 1-00).
Subs used ; Ronan Maher, Gavin Doherty, Micky Toner, Shane Ellison and Donnacha Boyle
Derry ; Karl Campbell, Finbar Murray, Cahal McKaigue, FionnMcEldowney, Kevin B Mullan, Seamus Sairgeant (0-02), Odhran Mac Cathmhaoil, Conall Higgins (0-01), Tommy Rogers, Cahir Speir, Eamon Young (0-01), Johnny McGuckin, Ger Dillon, John Boyle (0-03), Darach McGonigle.
Subs used ; Oisín Doherty ( 0-02 ), Ronan Donelan, Deaglan McNamee for Dillon
Referee ; Conor Curran ( Down ).
