By Matthew Wilson
Donegal 0-10
Tyrone 0-8
The Donegal Masters maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign courtesy of a two-point win over Tyrone at Pairc Aodh Rua on Saturday afternoon.
Eddie Crawford’s outfit were the better of the two sides in Act One and led by four points at short whistle.
The Red Hand County battled hard after the restart to get back into the contest but the hosts kept them at bay to record a fine victory.
The opening five minutes of this encounter was finely poised between the sides but it was Donegal who got the first score, with Shaun Maguire finding the target.
Tyrone responded immediately though as Gary Coney got his team off the mark but a fine effort from Damien Browne put the home side back in front.
Brian Doherty soon extended Donegal’s advantage before Gerard McBreary finished off a good team move with a tidy point, leaving them three to the good on the quarter hour mark.
The visitors had a number of opportunities to reduce the arrears but they saw their efforts go astray before.
The next four scores of this contest were shared two-apiece between the sides, with Cathal O’Neill (free) and Shane McCann pointing for Tyrone while Browne (free) and Maguire found the target for the home team.
On 26 minutes, Tyrone’s Connor O’Hare got his name on the scoresheet to close the deficit to two points.
However, Eddie Crawford’s men hit back-to-back scores at the end of the opening stanza through a brace of Damien Browne frees to lead by four at the interval.
The first two points of Act Two were traded between the sides, with Barry Daly and Damien Browne (free) both finding the target.
On 42 minutes, Barry Daly pointed again for the away outfit, this time from a free, before Shane McCann fired over a fine score to leave two between the teams entering the final quarter.
Both outfits battled hard in search of scores in the next period of the contest but they were unable to add to the scoreboard.
The next point of the afternoon came on the 56 minute mark, with Donegal’s Brian Doherty seeing the white flag raised for his attempt from a narrow angle.
However, the Red Hand County quickly cancelled this out at the other end as Barry Daly (free) kicked his third point of the half.
The visitors tried to find the scores required to overturn the two-point deficit in the final stages but Eddie Crawford’s men defended well to record a great victory on home soil.
Teams
Donegal: Kieran Doherty; Aaron Thompson, Eamon Ward, Enda Bonner; Martin Donaghey, Gerard Melaugh, Gary Dunnion; Brian Doherty (0-2), Aiden Duddy; Stephen Coyle, Ciaran Scanlon, Damien Browne (0-5,0-4f); Brendan Boyle, Shaun Maguire (0-2), Gerard McBrearty (0-1). Subs used: Eunan Keaveney, David McShane, Shane Bradley, Brian McLaughlin, Gavin Doherty, Kevin McBrearty, Eugene Maguire, Steven Nairn.
Tyrone: Marty Rea; Damien McDevitt, Colm McGurk, Liam Patterson; Oisin McAteer, Gary Coney (0-1), Adrian Harley; Connor O’Hare (0-1), Gary Reilly; Cathal O’Neill (0-1), Niall McFadden, Daniel Kelly; Martin Taggart, Kevin McSorley, Barry Daly (0-3,0-2f). Subs used: Shane McCann (0-2), Martin Doherty, Donal McAnallen, Kieran O’Kane, Plunkett Tuohey,
Referee: Alan Nash (Derry)