MICHAEL LANGAN’S SEVEN points helped Donegal to victory over Tyrone in the Eirgrid Ulster U-21 championship tonight.
Donegal 0-18 Tyrone 1-9
In miserable conditions at MacCumhaill Park, it was once again Langan’s shooting abilities that stood out for the team managed by Declan Bonner in the replayed quarter-final. The St Michael’s forward scored six times in the initial fixture.
The sides couldn’t be separated seven nights’ beforehand at Healy Park in Omagh following a 0-14 to 0-14 draw after extra-time.
Tonight, it was Tyrone who grabbed to first goal of the two fixtures, when Ryan Coleman slammed high into the Donegal net when the hosts’ goalkeeper Danny Rodgers and two defenders didn’t deal with a free-kick from Lee Brennan that just didn’t have the legs to go over. That put the team managed by Feargal Logan 1-3 to 0-5 up.
Tyrone seemed to be in the ascendency with wing-back Liam Rafferty popping over two scores.
However, a decent start and finish to the half meant Donegal went in on terms – 0-8 to 1-5 – with Langan scoring three first half points and Jamie Brennan tying it up just before the interval.
Langan was pivotal to most of Donegal’s success on the scoreboard, although missed the chance to put four between the teams in the 37th minute. Martin McNally awarded the hosts a penalty after Michael Carroll was fouled but Benny Gallon in the Tyrone goal saved Langan’s spot kick.
However, Donegal didn’t let that miss deter them and Jame Brennan, who would score three points from play in all, grew into the game more and more.
A measure of how tight things were and have been between the sides is the fact that when Langan put Donegal 0-12 to 1-6 in front on 42 minutes, it was the first time over the two meetings there had been a margin of more than two points.
But from there Donegal didn’t look back and the winning margin of six points wasn’t one you might’ve picked in the betting in running.
Michael McKernan, the Tyrone captain, was sent off in the latter stages for adding a black to his earlier yellow, having fouled Eoghan Ban Gallagher.
Cian Mulligan and Michael Carroll, the Gaoth Dobhair connection, scored twice apiece, while their club mate Daire O Baoill popped over a late point as well.
Donegal play Cavan in the semi-final this night week in Enniskillen.
Donegal: Danny Rodgers; Stephen McMenamin, Brendan McCole, Conor Morrison; Eoghan ‘Ban’ Gallagher, Dáire Ó Baoill (0-1), Cian Mulligan (0-1); Michael Carroll (0-2), Tony McClenaghan; Christy McLaughlin, Adam Neely (0-1, 1f), Niall Friel; Stephen McBrearty (0-1), Michael Langan (0-7, 6f), Jamie Brennan (0-3). Subs: Caolan McGonigle (0-1) for Neely (21), Kieran Gillespie and Ethan O’Donnell for Friel and McLaughlin (half-time), Christian Bonner for McCleneghan (56), Rory Carr for Carroll (60+2), Danny Monagle for Mulligan (60+3).
Tyrone: Benny Gallon; Niall Kelly, Peter Teague, Conor Shields; Liam Rafferty (0-2), Michael McKernan (0-1), Feargal Meenagh; Ben O’Donnell (0-1), Con Kilpatrick; Michael O’Neill, David Mulgrew (0-1), Nathan Donnelly; Lee Brennan (0-1), Ryan Coleman (1-1), Paul Donaghy. Subs: Conor McLernon and Emmet McNabb (0-1) for Coleman and O’Neill (42), Johnny Harkin and Patrick McGirr for Rafferty and Kilpatrick (50), Ciaran McGlinchey for Teague (53, black card), Brian Kennedy for Donaghy (56)
Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan)
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