Ulster MFC: holders off to a flier
May 17, 2015
Donegal's Gary McFadden tackles Cormac O'Hagan of Tyrone during the Ulster MFC first round clash in Ballybofey.
INPHO.
Donegal 1-11
Tyrone 0-8
Donegal held Tyrone scoreless in the second half as they began the defence of their Ulster MFC crown with an impressive victory at a rain-lashed Ballybofey.
Conor Doherty's second-minute goal gave Declan Bonner's charges a dream start, but Tyrone battled back to level the scoring at half-time, 0-8 to 1-5. However, there was only one team in it in the second half as unanswered scores from Daire O'Baoill, Kane Barrett (two), Ethan O'Donnell, Rory Carr and Niall O'Donnell drove the hosts to the win and a quarter-final date with Armagh in four weeks' time.
Indeed, when Carr and Barrett's points before half-time are taken into account, Donegal scored the last eight of the game.
Parading half a dozen of the side that contested last year's All-Ireland final against Kerry, Donegal flew out of the starting blocks with a goal and a point from Doherty inside the first three minutes. However, Tyrone settled well after that as four points from corner forward Conor McLernon and efforts from full forward Fintan McClure and Cormac O'Hagan gave them a 0-8 to 1-3 lead.
But Donegal regained parity at the break before taking the game by the scruff of the neck in the second period. Tyrone finished the game with 14 players after Michael McKernan was dismissed in stoppage-time.
Donegal - D Rodgers; G McFadden, S McMenamin, P Doherty; D O Baoill (0-1), N Gavigan, B McCole; M Carroll, M Langan; N O Baoill, N O'Donnell (0-2), R Carr (0-2'45); C Doherty (1-1), K Barrett (0-3f), E O'Donnell (0-2, 1f). Subs: J McGee for N Gavigan, P McNern for E O'Donnell, S McHugh for N O Baoill, M Coyle for R Carr, B Curran for D O Baoill.
Tyrone - B Gallen; C McGlinchey, C McGuigan, C Shields; E Murray, C Campbell, J Harkin (0-1); J Darcy (0-1), C O'Hagan; M Corless, D Mulgrew, R Coleman (0-1); C McLernon (0-4), F McClure (0-1), T Carney. Subs: J McGuigan for T Carney, E McNabb for C O'Hagan, B Kennedy for M Corless, C Kilpatrick for R Coleman, M McKernan for J Harkin (BC), R McGuigan for C McGlinchey.
Referee - P Faloon.
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