Donegal 2-10

Derry 1-11

A goal in each half helped Donegal past Derry this afternoon and towards their second Ulster minor football championship title in three years.

JD Boyle and Nathan Boyle hit the decisive majors for the young Tir Chonaill men at a sun-kissed St Tiernach's Park in Clones, where Caolan Devlin's inspired performance for the Oak Leafers would end up being in vain.

Two early points from the Derry sharpshooter had helped them into a 0-4 to nothing lead after the opening quarter, before their opponents drew level in rapid fashion via their opening point from 'Man of the Match' Niall O'Donnell and a well-taken goal by JD Boyle.

Peadar Mogan raised a second white flag in the 27th minute to put the would-be winners into their first lead and they wouldn't trail again, as Devlin and Eoghan McGettigan traded points to leave it at 1-3 to 0-5 for the interval.

A Fergal Higgins point got Derry off the to a decent start in the second-half but Shaun Paul Barrett's fired-up side responded in superb fashion, backing up a brace of points with a Nathan Boyle goal on 42 minutes to leave their neighbours four adrift. 

Devlin contributed 1-3 in the closing quarter, which included an injury-time goal, but it wasn't enough as Donegal were able to hold out with a salient break away point from O'Donnell giving them a cushion as they collected their seventh Fr Murray Cup amid jubilant scenes after the final whistle.

Donegal - G Mulreany; S Ferry, A McCrea, M Curran; O Shiels, JD Boyle (1-0), A McLaughlin; J McGee (0-1), K Gallagher (0-1); N Boyle (1-0), N O'Donnell (0-4, 2f), O McFadden Ferry (0-1); P Mogan (0-1), E McGettigan (0-2), E McCormick. Subs: S McGrath for E McCormick, B O'Donnell for S Ferry, S Carr for N Boyle, A Deeney for JD Boyle.

Derry - B McKinless; C McCluskey, G McLaughlin, A Bradley; P McGrogan, E Concannon, S McErlain; P Coney (0-1), O McWilliams (0-1); C Doherty, C Devlin (1-7, 0-6f), P Quigg; S Downey, F Higgins (0-1), E Bradley. Subs: S Higgins (0-1) for E Bradley, J P Devlin for O McWilliams, R Young for F Higgins, L Kielt for G McLaughlin, O McKeever for E Concannon (BC).

Referee - N McKenna.

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