Three late Michael Murphy points gave Donegal a 1-13 to 1-10 victory over Tyrone in a niggly and petty preliminary-round clash at wet and windy Ballybofey.

The sides were level with 13 minutes left before Murphy, who had yet to score, stamped his name all over this match. Donegal's Neil Gallagher and Tyrone's Sean Cavanagh were sent off late on as the Anglo-Celt Cup holders booked a quarter-final meeting with Armagh in four weeks.

In poor conditions at MacCumhaill Park, an injury-time Martin McElhinney goal ensured the victors of a 1-8 to 1-6 advantage at the end of an evenly-contested opening period.

Before throw-in, All-Ireland U21 medalists Cathal McShane and Rory Brennan were parachuted into the Tyrone starting XV in place of Padraig McNulty and Tiernan McCann, while Donegal also effected a late change in personnel, with Colm McFadden replacing his namesake Hugh at top of the left.

There was certainly nothing defensive about Donegal's start to the game as wing back Frank McGlynn fired over the opening point inside the first minute and Patrick McBrearty's super solo point doubled the difference a couple of minutes later. Christy Toye made it 0-3 to no score with just five minutes gone.

Martin McElhinney notched the hosts' fourth successive point but the Red Hands grabbed a lifeline in the tenth minute when the Donegal defence was caught napping as Darren McCurry gathered a quick Peter Harte free to despatch the ball to the back of the net: 0-4 to 1-0. But Rory Gallagher's men responded with scores from McFadden and McElhinney before Tyrone centre back Justin McMahon fired over on 20 minutes after Paul Durcan had saved from Harte, whose solo run tore the Donegal defence apart.

A passage of Tyrone dominance followed but much of their good work was undone as McCurry dragged two left-footed frees to the right of the posts and wide with the wind at his back. With the holders retreating deeper and deeper into their own half -and Michael Murphy popping up at full back! - Sean Cavanagh won and converted a free to close within one. But Toye fisted his second point at the other end on 28 minutes: 0-7 to 1-2.

Cavanagh (free) and Mattie Donnelly pointed to tie the scores up for the first time by the 32nd minute and Cavanagh nonchalantly fired over a point from play to give the visitors the lead with three minutes left before the break. Full back Ronan McNamee joined the attack (following Murphy back?) and got on the end of a brisk Red Hands move to add another.

The visitors had landed four successive scores but in injury time at the end of the first half McElhinney drilled the ball first time to the bottom right corner of the net after deputy custodian Michael O'Neill had saved brilliantly from Odhran MacNiallais; McFadden followed up with a point to give the defending Ulster champions a two-point interval lead.

Members of both camps got involved in a bit of pushing, shoving and mouthing as the teams left the field at half time. This was in keeping with the bad spirit the game was played in, with men from both sides mouthing into opposition players' faces from start to finish.

The sides were level with 20 minutes remaining: 1-10 apiece: Cavanagh (free) and Connor McAliskey struck the first two scores after the restart and the Tir Chonail men came back with efforts from McBrearty and Karl Lacey before a fine McAliskey brace made it all-square once more.

In between, O'Neill came off his line to deny McBrearty a second Donegal goal; this time the rebounder was spooned inches wide of the posts…

In the 57th minute, the persistent Murphy finally swung over his first score of the match from a free off the deck on the left wing to make it a one-point match once more; the No.14 tapped over another free from the hands four minutes later after Tyrone were unlucky not to get a '45' when Cavanagh's effort seemed to take a deflection.

The home supporters jeered to a man as McCurry stepped up to strike a Tyrone free, which drifted wide, and Neil Gallagher picked up his second yellow card on 64 minutes after getting involved in a pulling and wrestling match with Cavanagh. The Tyrone full forward also saw yellow for his part in that waltz and he was duly also dismissed four minutes from time when he received black - and then red - for a high tackle. Moments earlier, Durcan had saved a fisted effort from Harte, who failed to gain any significant purchase on his effort with the net gaping.

Murphy arrowed over a stunning '45' from the wrong side, off the ground, in the 69th minute - who needs a left-footed free-taker when you have a man who can strike the ball like that?

In the second of three added minutes, the visitors came agonisingly close to grabbing an equalising goal when Colm Cavanagh fisted a dropping ball onto the crossbar. A Mattie Donnelly rocket then scorched inches past the right post as Donegal held on for victory.

Donegal - P Durcan; E McGee, N McGee, P McGrath; F McGlynn (0-1), K Lacey (0-1), R McHugh; N Gallagher, M McElhinney (1-2); C Toye (0-2), O MacNiallais, M O'Reilly; P McBrearty (0-2), M Murphy (0-3, 2f, 1'45), C McFadden (0-2). Subs: M McHugh for M O'Reilly, A Thompson for C Toye, D Walsh for M McElhinney, D McLaughlin for C McFadden.

Tyrone - M O'Neill; C McCarron, Justin McMahon (0-1), A McCrory; R McNamee (0-1), B Tierney, R McNabb; C Cavanagh, C McShane; R Brennan, M Donnelly (0-1), P Harte; D McCurry (1-0), S Cavanagh (0-4, 3f), C McAliskey (0-3). Subs: P McNulty for C McShane, T McCann for B Tierney, M Bradley for D McCurry, R O'Neill for C McAliskey.

Referee - J McQuillan.

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