Donegal Tame Tribesmen as Familiar Foe Awaits

A familiar foe awaits Donegal in Croke Park next Saturday and the team go into that game feeling good about themselves and knowing they have the wherewithal to beat Mayo.

The only issue is whether Donegal have enough left in the tank after five tough matches; because there is no doubting the ability is there with the second half blitz on Galway providing ample evidence.

As now seems the norm, the team stormed out of the blocks but then faded just as quickly. The second quarter appears to be a form of downtime, it happens so often that it is no longer a surprise. On the big days when the team has managed to put together a consistent display across most or all of a match, including a big second quarter, the performance has been amongst their best – think of the semi final victories over Cork and Dublin.

Donegal certainly reached a different level after the break with a devastating counter attacking salvo that floored Galway. A central figure, particularly to the fore when the game was still close, was Odhran MacNiallais.

The stylish midfield operator was outstanding in everything he did. He caught some superb ball in the engine room and scored three glorious points from play; there aren’t many players in the country who could convert the chances the young sharp shooter was knocking over.

His fielding was wonderful to watch and it is especially impressive considering he rarely gives away frees when contesting for kick outs. So often you see referees penalising players for a slight nudge in the back or an arm over the shoulder of an opponent but Odhran’s spring off the ground means he can out jump most without resorting to fouling.

The long range efforts along with those of Colm McFadden and others were in stark contrast to the shooting against Monaghan last time out – those that were shanked wide in the Ulster Final were finding their target this time around.

McFadden ran MacNiallais close for the man of the match gong after he produced a brilliant display around the middle. Whether he’s spraying passes, making tackles or kicking over booming points, the Creeslough marksman is revelling as a deep lying link man and it was important he got back on track following an abject display in Clones.

Colm has always been a talented finisher but he has added a significant string to his bow by committing to taking on his marker much more and ruthlessly driving at goal. His first instinct nowadays when close to goal is to beat his man and he displayed this with his assist for Patrick McBrearty’s early goal. In years gone by his first option would be to find a yard of space in which to swing that trusty left peg but now he is direct and sniffing for goals – a feature of his and Donegal’s game that will be crucial next week. Mayo’s Achilles heel over the past few years has been the number of goals they concede in big matches, as Donegal know all too well from 2012.

Another man who will be central to the assault on Mayo’s rearguard will be Michael Murphy. He spent much of his Saturday evening inside at full forward and produced some majestic moments like only he can.

His outrageous catch and subsequent point was a stunning piece of action; it was Aussie Rules-esque and even had a hint of a basketball slam dunk with Michael managing to hang in the air for that split second before he got his paws on the O’Neills. It was an important moment in the overall context of the match too as it lifted the crowd and Ryan McHugh’s goal followed soon after. The Maestro was again central to that score, the deftness of his touch vital in ensuring McHugh didn’t have to break stride before finishing beautifully to the corner of the net.

Of course after any full-forward magic from Murphy, the usual cries of ‘why doesn't he play there all the time?’ grow ever louder. Galway were very accommodating in their defensive setup and effectively laid out a welcome mat for Murphy unlike Monaghan or indeed any Ulster team who suffocate him with anything up to four markers at times. The good news is that Mayo may well be just as obliging – if so, expect to see quite a bit of Michael on the edge of the square again.

While Donegal had a few standout performers, there were plenty others who went about their business quietly and efficiently. Neil Gallagher got through his usual mountain of work while surprise starter Hugh McFadden handled his first championship outing at Headquarters admirably. The Killybegs man put in a great shift and notably made some big hits when the ball was being scrapped for in the middle third.

Half time substitute Anthony Thompson also went about his task with the minimum of fuss and with doubts over Karl Lacey’s availability next weekend Thompson will surely be needed again. Eamonn Doherty is another option at half back and he will be pleased with his calm and assured time on the field, a couple of potentially costly slips apart.

Overall though the defence looked a little bit loose and open in the first half and while Donegal will be intent on plundering Mayo for goals, it is just as imperative that Paul Durcan’s goal is kept under lock and key.

As well as the injury concern over Lacey, Eamon McGee and McBrearty are unlikely to be fully fit but in the case of the latter he will certainly be expected to start even though that knock to the knee suffered against Derry continues to be a problem.

The health and wellbeing of the team is Rory Gallagher’s biggest concern this week but in mixing things up a bit against the Tribesmen, the boss will hope that Martin McElhinney and Christy Toye amongst others are fresh and ready for big impacts. Toye only made a brief cameo but still managed to add another goal to his Croke Park tally; his wonderfully struck shot the latest in a long line of HQ goals that started way back in 2002 with a major against Meath.

One week doesn’t allow much time to prepare for such a huge game but the team appear in much better shape than at the same stage two years ago. After the 2013 Ulster Final defeat to Monaghan, Donegal made seriously hard work of their qualifier against Laois. It was sheer will that got them that victory, even though it was clear there was very little left in the legs that night in Carrick on Shannon. Now though there seems to be confidence within the players that they can still achieve the ultimate goal this year and they know that one defeat doesn’t suddenly make them a bad team.

There are plenty arguments that can be made for a win for either side next week so whether Donegal or Mayo win, neither outcome would be a surprise. The margins are so very fine.

At half time of the earlier game on Saturday between Tyrone and Sligo, the Artane Band provided the musical entertainment. One particular tune that got an airing will strike a chord with Donegal supporters as they converge onto Jones Road next week in their droves – Don’t Stop Believin’. Bring it on.

Laois no Match for Ruthless Donegal

An emphatic Donegal put Laois to the sword this afternoon and in the process made it very clear that they intend to keep their stay in Division Two to one season. Despite the hosts looking clueless at times and unwilling to work as hard as their opponents, this was still a mightily impressive display from Jim McGuinness’ charges.

Particular pleasing was how they kept their foot on the throttle long after the result and the two league points had been secured. The game was effectively over just after the restart, thanks to Colm McFadden’s goal, but he and his team mates posted 0-13 in the remainder of the match.

The hosts started reasonably well and indeed may have come into this encounter thinking that there was a chance of an upset given that they frustrated Donegal for long periods the last time the sides met, in Carrick-on-Shannon last July. That was under previous manager Justin McNulty and while his spell wouldn’t be termed a success amongst the Laois faithful, he did make his team hard to beat. 

Now Tomas O’Flaharta has taken the reins with a stated mandate to bring positive football back to the O’Moore County - he has his work cut out going on today’s evidence. His team disappointed both from attacking and defensive perspectives; on numerous occasions in the opening period, Donegal created overlaps and were presented with four-on-three and five-on-three situations as the home defence looked a mess.

Odhran MacNiallais’ goal came from one such opportunity with Anthony Thompson making the incisive run from defence and after neat passing the Gaoth Dobhair man was on hand to palm the ball to the net. Even at that stage, the writing was on the wall for Laois.

Thompson was joined in many a raid forward by Neil McGee and Karl Lacey - both were operating in the full back line but bombed forward at will. Laois’ inability to cover the piercing runs from deep proved to be their downfall. It may be an unglamorous brief for a forward to track attacking forays from their markers but in the modern game it’s a must. With the runs not covered it led to some easy scoring chances for Donegal - almost all of their first half scores were from simple chances inside the 21-yard line.

The exceptions came from the right boot of Michael Murphy; firstly he nailed a 45' into the teeth of the wind and moments later he stroked over an absolutely majestic point. With Murphy having to stoop to collect an ever so slightly under hit pass, Frank McGlynn made a run off the shoulder for his captain - it seemed easier to offload to the marauding wing-back but instead Michael dummied to handpass and with his marker, along with everyone else in O’Moore Park, buying the dummy he split the posts from forty yards. He repeated the dummy trick late in the game to nonchalantly register his second score from play (and sixth in total), this time off his left peg.

Christy Toye came into the starting line-up before the throw-in in place of the hamstrung Darach O’Connor and he had a fine game operating at centre forward. He’s still as good as any at picking a pass and he distributed wonderfully throughout his time on the field, which was cut short after suffering a nasty gash to his face.

Another who has had his share of injury trouble is Mark McHugh but he looked back to his best today, covering the ground like only he can. He was in the thick of things at both ends of the field and got his name on the score sheet in the closing procession. He also shipped a ferocious hit after a frontal charge in the incident that led to Laois’ Denis Booth being shown a red card. Despite the lead being enjoyed by Donegal at the time, his team-mates were incensed at the challenge and weren’t slow in making their feelings known to Booth and his counterparts.

The younger McHugh, Ryan, played at corner back and acquitted himself well and it is an area that the team could do with some competition for places. Paddy McGrath is still a number of weeks away from seeing some action so its likely we'll see some more experimenting in the 2 and 4 jerseys in the next few games.

Debutant Hughie McFadden certainly put his hand up for some more game-time, scoring a brace of points after joining the action in the second half. McFadden was one of the stars of last year’s county championship, playing an integral role in Kilybegs’ march to the final. He can operate around midfield or on the edge of the square so it will be interesting to see how he develops in a senior jersey over the coming months.

Having two away fixtures to start with, Donegal knew a win or two from those would put them in pole position for promotion. They made a big statement today and the other teams won’t relish taking on the McGuinness juggernaut when its in this kind of form. Galway are next up in Salthill next weekend and after their defeat to Meath today they wont be looking forward to seeing another team in green and gold.

Dún na nGall Kings Defeat Students From Queens

Another win recorded for Donegal tonight in Ballybofey against Queens University and whatever about the epitaphs of this year’s McKenna Cup as regards qualification and the blooding of players, Jim McGuinness can look back on a tournament where he’s trebled his win rate. He again picked a strong side for this encounter with the Belfast students; the Neils, McGee and Gallagher, in from the start after seeing second half action in Armagh on Sunday.

Being stationed in Dublin and not being able to make the game tonight meant relying on Highland Radio and Twitter for updates – and they were coming thick and fast on a night where Donegal were on the front foot from the word go. The team knew a big score was essential if they were to have any chance of a semi-final spot and Michael Murphy and Colm McFadden didn’t waste time in getting scores on the board.

Donegal ran incessantly at the Queens defence and drew plenty of frees in the process. It can be taken for granted at times but it is such a huge advantage the team possesses in having two of the games deadliest free-takers; and better again having one on either side of the field.

The hosts registered 1-7 in the first half including another thunderbolt of a goal from Murphy, this time from even further out than his effort against Tyrone in O’Donnell Park. The students managed to net two goals in the opening period and that is something that won’t please McGuinness or indeed Damian Diver, who was brought on board this year for his expertise in defence. Moments into the second half Ryan Rafferty bagged his third goal of the night for the visitors.

The auld radio and twitter updates are particular useful on nights like this when scores in other games have a direct effect on your own team; it became fairly clear early on that Monaghan were going to have things much their own way against Fermanagh and in turn pip Donegal to the best runner-up spot - Tyrone, Derry and Cavan all qualified safely as group winners.

Jim again used his bench at half time with Rory Kavanagh, David Walsh and the returning Christy Toye entering the fray; Christy hadn’t pulled on a Donegal jersey since that wonderful day sixteen months ago in the All-Ireland Final. He also endured a long spell away from the action from 2009 to 2011 with an Achilles problem so unfortunately the St Michael’s man is no stranger to long injury lay-offs; hopefully he’ll get a good run at training over the next few months as he always does a job for his side and is a key member of the squad.

Murphy got things going again for his team after the resumption, this time a point off his ‘weaker’ left foot - that is if there is anything weak in his repertoire. This of course was Michael’s first McKenna Cup campaign for Donegal in a number of years having previously been tied to playing with his college, DCU. He looks as sharp as ever and if he can keep this form and fitness up it should be another big year for the maestro.

Stephen McLaughlin saw some more action tonight after making a brief cameo at the Atheltic Grounds at the weekend and he got his name on the score sheet with a point midway through the second period. That just leaves Kilybegs’ Hugh McFadden as the last of newcomers to the panel who has yet to see some action so expect him to be given a run at some stage in league.

The black card was much talked about prior to the McKenna Cup but it didn’t have as big an impact as many had anticipated; it did rear its head more conspicuously in tonight’s game though with three of the students receiving their marching orders and having to be replaced.

Donegal made a good fist of things in the second half as regards racking up a high score, finishing with 3-17; with Monaghan though posting 2-20 in Brewster Park and having a superior points difference coming into tonight, they were always in the driving seat and they go on to meet Cavan this weekend; Tyrone and Derry make up the semi-final quartet.

The one worry on the night was a knock picked up by Rory Kavanagh; we don’t have the strongest of panels but this is especially true around midfield – Kavanagh and Gallagher fully fit are a must for Donegal so that will certainly be a headache for the management team if it turns out to be anything more than just a knock.

So pre-season is done with and next up its National League and O’Moore Park in Portlaoise is the first port of call for green and gold supporters. In theory at least the players should hit the ground running in the league and be well in contention having got some game time into the legs in the last ten days. While undoubtedly Division One is a higher standard, once you go beneath the top three or four teams the rest are on a par with those in the second tier so there’s no such thing as easy games.

Winning the league is a realistic target for McGuinness but it will be anything but straight forward. It worked well in 2011, when we last played in Division Two, losing just one game out of eight and getting better and better as the Championship went on after that. There’ll be no such luxuries available this year – Derry in Celtic Park in our Ulster Championship opener will be a huge challenge and the team must be firing on all cylinders for that.

That tough fixture makes the league even more important; despite getting relegated with the draw against eventual All-Ireland winners Dublin in the last game last season, McGuinness’ men played well that day and it set them up for the battle against Tyrone a few weeks later; and no doubt Jim will be hoping that an appearance on league final day in Croke Park in April could set the boys up nicely for Derry. 

Dún na nGall back on track as Mayo lie in wait

Donegal are back in the last eight and while they didn’t go the route they wanted the main thing is they were in the pot for the draw last Saturday night; as Jim said afterwards “we’re back were we would have been minus the cup.” We’re still the holders of the other cup and its up to Mayo now to take it off us. It’ll be a titanic clash, without doubt the tie of the round and one game that everyone will want to see.

Saturday was a typically nervy encounter, a real do-or-die feel to it early on with both teams being ultra-cautious and players desperate not to make mistakes. The downpours that hit Carrick in the hours before throw-in made for a greasy surface and added to the conservative nature of the play in the opening exchanges. This mind set was transferred to the crowd with the tight surroundings making for a claustrophobic cauldron. Carrick was a far from ideal venue as regards traffic, ticketing or ease of access but for atmosphere, a packed house at a small venue makes for a great noise.

 

It wasn’t just on the field and in the stands where the tension was evident, on the sideline Jim and Rory were up for the battle as well as their set-to with Justin McNulty and Fergal Byron clearly demonstrated – this game meant a lot, this title that Donegal are defending means a lot and they were hurting from the nature of their no-show in the Ulster Final.

The match took quite a while to settle down and the first huge roar from the green and gold contingent was provided by a booming score from the right by Michael Murphy. A few moments earlier he had hit Laois newcomer O’Carroll with a shuddering shoulder as he and his team set the tone for what would be a dogfight for the most part.

Michael had spoken midweek of righting the wrongs from Clones and with so many players needing to atone for abject personal displays, there was a real desire to make a statement. Neil McGee was one such man, coming in for a bit of a roasting against Conor McManus the previous week he was in no mood for a repeat performance. Composed at the back, he also drove forward on numerous occasions capping an excellent display with a surging run and point near the end. Paddy McGrath alongside him in the full back line again was fantastic; the Ardara man just never seems to have a bad game.

McGee’s point came in a closing period where players were happy to take on the posts, with Colm McFadden and substitute Leo McLoone also registering white flags. This was a welcome development as at times the patience the team shows up front can lead to scoring opportunities being neglected. The team has been very economical this year, hitting very few wides but there may be point scoring chances being ignored also. A more progressive shooting policy in the early stages, as well the latter of the game, could serve us well next week as a good start could be crucial against Mayo.

The green and red are still smarting from the early onslaught their Hill 16 goal took in last year’s All-Ireland Final and will be hell-bent on making a quick start this time around; .if they were to fall behind again their minds would inevitably drift back to September. Conversely, Mayo getting ahead early would see Donegal chasing the game and as we saw against Monaghan that’s not an easy task to be faced with, especially for a team who will be playing for the third weekend in succession.

If Murphy’s score was the first big cheer of the day then Anthony Thompson made the Donegal roar reverberate around Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada with his majestic piece of skill in the second half. Following good work from Eamon McGee to dispossess Laois as they attacked, Thompson broke onto the loose ball on the right wing. Aware that he was about to be tackled by a blue jersey, instead of bending his back to pick up the ball he delightfully chipped it into his arms without breaking stride. He kept going up the wing before driving the ball across to McFadden who popped it over the bar. That put Donegal five points up and despite a Laois rally to close to within two they were on their way back to Croke Park.

As the scoreboard ticked over in the closing stages Rory Gallagher turned to the Laois bench and let out a roar of his own, conveying just how much this meant. Donegal were down after the Ulster Final but not out. True it was Laois in Carrick-on-Shannon whereas Mayo at Headquarters will be an entirely different challenge but at least we’re back on track. Next week will require every ounce of character and every fibre of energy to repeat last autumn’s result.

Although it was tough to accept a defeat in the provincial showpiece, in some ways it was great to be back on the road for a qualifier. Before Jim came along this was a road very well-travelled by the Donegal faithful and it brought back some good memories. Of course our last sojourn through the back door ended on that fateful day in South Armagh three years ago. That was a seminal moment in the history of Donegal football – from the dying embers of that day came an All-Ireland winning team. Only time will tell whether or not Carrick can mirror Cross in being a catalyst for something special. If the team can come up with a mammoth performance and win on Sunday next, Carrick will also live long in the memory.

Dún na nGall Edge Past Dogged Down

Donegal’s drive for three Ulster titles in a row is still on and after a tense affair in Cavan yesterday they booked their place at the provincial finale in four weeks time.

Down set the tone for the game with their tactical strategy, James McCartan determined not to let history repeat itself. In last year’s Ulster Final, Down stayed with Donegal for the first half before being blown out of the water - yesterday they were going to stay with them right until the end.

The Mourne Men set themselves up the same way Tyrone did in last year’s semi final and made life very difficult for the Champions. It was just what this Donegal team needed though; a tight, tough, tense encounter and while not playing at their best - indeed not being allowed to play at their best - they still came through and that’s the mark of a team who know how to win matches.

Most games are decided in the closing stages but in truth the first fourteen minutes settled this contest. With Down’s red and black bus parked at the town end of Breffni Park they were setup to defend a lead and look for scraps on the break, going 0-4 behind at this stage of the game though signalled trouble. They fought brilliantly throughout and McCartan and his players deserve huge credit but they never looked like finding enough scores to get over the line.

In the first half Down tried to attack through the middle when they may have been better off using the wings where there was more space. They did get back to within two points by the half time break but that was as close as they got. After the break, they used the wide areas more before bursting inside at angles and got some joy with Donegal forced to give away a number of frees. Every time though they got within striking distance, the men in green and gold mustered a point from somewhere. One key moment in the last quarter could have turned things but once Eamon McGee collected a Down free off the upright the Ulster Final was in sight – if that had been converted it was a one point game.

McGee alongside his brother Neil and Ardara’s Paddy McGrath were outstanding in the full back line. In today’s game positions around the middle don’t really mean a lot – half forwards, midfielders and half backs all do a similar job and have to work in a scrum of bodies everyday they take to the field. The other lines though have more individuality about them and that trio in the last line of defence were immense.

So too the inside line. Right now our full forward line is the best in the business and they proved their worth in spades yesterday. Patrick McBrearty worked tirelessly throughout and despite being under the weather, which resulted in a visit to a local dentist on Saturday night, he played his part in the victory, the highlight for him a beautiful point from play in the first half.

Colm McFadden was the star of the show and the win rounded off a very special week for him following the birth of his son Matthew (Jimmy’s nephew) on Wednesday night. When the game was growing tenser by the second it was the Creeslough man who stood up and boomed over two towering long range points to keep Down at bay.

Captain Michael Murphy came to the fore as well finishing the day with 0-5, four of those coming from frees. His last free, which sealed the win, was a massive 60 yard effort and it had plenty to spare as it sailed over the same crossbar which caused him so much grief three years ago in the U21 Final. Murphy gets a bit of stick for not contributing more from play on the scoreboard but there aren’t many players in the country who could nail such a mammoth kick.

Ryan McHugh made his Championship debut yesterday and despite reservations about the strength of McGuinness’ squad the substitutes again played their part with Marty Reilly and Martin McElhinney showing well once more.

McHugh was assigned a man-marking brief on Conor Laverty, just as he had been in the league match earlier this year in Ballybofey. Laverty had caused a lot of problems in the first half; his low centre of gravity allied to his balance and sharpness make him a difficult opponent and indeed an early challenge on him resulted in a yellow card for the elder McGee. His threat certainly waned though once McHugh got to grips with him.

Despite the good performance of McElhinney after his introduction, midfield was again a worry. Tyrone were on top in the middle third for long periods of the quarter final and with strong displays from Kalum King, Ambrose Rogers and Kevin McKernan yesterday Donegal were under the cosh again. It was clear after half-time that Paul Durcan used the short kick out a lot more in order to provide primary possession for his team-mates. Its obviously something the management are working on - Maxi Curran could be seen recording all of yesterday’s kick outs and these will no doubt be analysed forensically in the coming weeks.

Ryan’s brother Mark as usual treaded every blade of grass on the field of play and after an injury ravaged league he seems to be getting back to his best. Injuries, or hopefully the lack of them, as we go through the year are going to have a major impact on Donegal’s season. Without two starters yesterday, Karl Lacey and Neil Gallagher, the team lost two more by half time with Ryan Bradley and Frank McGlynn succumbing to concussion. Club Championship action this weekend has the potential to add more bodies to the treatment table so it will be a huge positive if Jim and Rory can get everyone to Clones on the 21^st fit and well.

Down will feel they let the game slip due to the fact they had Donegal within striking distance but couldn’t provide a killer blow. They didn’t actually have that many chances though and often seemed reluctant to shoot. A hallmark of the McGuinness tenure is the economy that his side shows in front of the posts – it’s very unusual to see a Donegal player take on a low percentage chance - they remain patient and wait for the right opportunity. Down on the other hand rushed a lot of their shots and played quite a number into the grateful hands of Durcan.

The absence of both Lacey and McGlynn left a distinct lack of pace in the half back line and against such a packed defence this can lead to slow ball and therefore more time for the defensive wall to regroup and get set. Donegal suffered from this in the now infamous semi-final defeat to Dublin in 2011 and it was shown up again yesterday.

Early on, Donegal counteracted Down’s deep lying blanket by pushing up on them and employing a high line pressing game that Mayo have used to good effect in their last two games. If anything though they committed too many men forward and cluttered things up even more for themselves. This led to poor, impatient passing and Down forced numerous turnovers. As the half went on, Donegal retreated to cope with the attacking threat which belatedly came from their opponents. After having too many bodies forward they then left the ball carrier isolated on a few occasions; Leo McLoone in particular found himself high and dry as he moved into a full forward role at the end of the first half. This is out of character for this team and unfortunately we also saw glimpses of it the league defeats to Cork and Mayo.

As for the game itself as a whole, some have described it as a tense, engrossing affair while others are lamenting the lack of flair and space. So far Championship 2013 analysis has been dominated by the lack of competitiveness and the gap between the haves and the have nots. You cant have it both ways and surely a gripping contest with a grandstand finish beats a one-sided stroll any day.

Either way Donegal or indeed Down won't care too much about the quality of the game - they both know the result. The latter head to the qualifiers in good fettle and with a good chance of making Croke Park in August - for the double Ulster Champions it's all about Clones in a month’s time and making it a treble.

Defiant Donegal Dismiss Tyrone

“Everything that happens to you in your life helps make you what you are today. Your past is your future.”

They were words uttered by Jim McGuinness last August – not that long ago but the thought process behind it seemed to have been lost in many people’s eyes in the build up to yesterdays totemic clash. Tyrone were the new kids on the block, the heir apparent to Donegal’s Ulster throne, primed for a raid on Ballybofey after an impressive league campaign and armed with an exciting array of new talent in their squad. One problem though – the recent past shows that Donegal are the best team in the country and after this display the future looks like mirroring that.

The Ulster Council’s decision to stage the game at MacCumhaill Park was rewarded with a feverish atmosphere and there’s a lot to be said in general for GAA matches being played in smaller venues with packed crowds. The old venue hadn’t seen a day like this in quite a while, probably going back to the Armagh game in 2007. The length of the traffic tailback approaching Stranorlar from the Letterkenny side has always been a good barometer over the years of the importance attached to a game. You’d always get a clear run in for McKenna cup games in January and even a league game wouldn’t be too bad as you were entranced by the sight of the giant floodlights in the distance. Yesterday though was blockbuster time, even before the minor game had thrown in there was a half a mile tailback approaching the T-junction before the twin towns and cars lining the road well before MacCumhaill Park came into view. It wasn’t quite knockout football but neither team could contemplate defeat.

Last year Mickey Harte felt his team weren’t good enough to take Donegal on and win, that was evident before throw in when Ryan McMenamin went straight to the edge of the square to take station as a sweeper (in his newspaper column last week he described his role that day as a defensive sweeper and at no time was he to push forward). This time around neither team played with an out and out sweeper to begin with, instead taking each other on in a deep lying counter attacking game of strategy.

As expected it was blood and thunder stuff from the outset, the ferocity of the shouldering on view was fantastic to see, none more so than the shuddering impact Stephen O'Neill felt when trying to level Neil McGee. The Tyrone sharp-shooter got a good run at McGee as he was about to lay off a hand pass and hit him with all he could muster but he just bounced off Donegal's full-back, who barely flinched.

Paddy McGrath was another who was flying into tackles and put his body on the line time and again. Paddy is a bit of an unsung hero on this team, going about his work in an unfussy manner; he was again magnificent yesterday, both in his defensive duties and in carrying the ball forward.

Tyrone took a while to find their feet but when they did they bossed the middle third and the hosts found primary possession hard to come by. In the last ten minutes or so of the opening half, Michael Murphy came out from his full forward position to try to stop the Red Hand momentum and it immediately paid dividends. With his team struggling to win possession, the captain steadied the ship and his positioning out the field proved even more advantageous as his long free into Paddy McBrearty led to Colm McFadden finding the net.

It wasn’t until the final league game that we saw signs of last year’s form coming back to McFadden but he led the line well yesterday in a composed display. He was outshone though by Kilcar’s McBrearty who brought real form into this game on the back of his U21 and club exploits and he had a huge bearing on the outcome. His neat touch down to McFadden was the mark of a class player and he showed his speed and skill to set up Ross Wherity for the second major later in the game.

The Donegal side-line was a busy place all afternoon; Rory Gallagher seems to put in as much running as the players on days like this with constant instructions being relayed to the troops. After everyone’s pre-match suspicions over the non-availability of Mark McHugh and Karl Lacey from the start were confirmed, Frank McGlynn was next to go and the strength of the panel was going to have its severest test. Many have questioned the quality in reserve but yesterday was hugely encouraging in that regard with Wherity, Martin McElhinney and Marty Reilly all making their mark when introduced while Lacey’s replacement Declan Walsh had a super game.

As always with McGuinness’ Donegal, the psychology of the game was vital. While it was widely anticipated that neither Lacey nor McHugh would start, the challenge was knowing when to introduce them. Lacey was warming up pretty much once the ball was thrown in and when he finally took off his jumper to reveal his No 6 jersey, Niall Morgan was just about to address the ball before another free. The stand in MacCumhaill Park erupted on seeing the Footballer of the Year and Morgan again fluffed his lines.

The Edendork youngster had a torrid afternoon. Hailed as the key difference as to why Tyrone had made up sufficient ground on Donegal after suffering two straight Ulster Championship defeats, he converted only one placed ball from six attempts and with every wide more confidence was drained out of the entire Red Hand team. Morgan didn’t help himself with his antics to the crowd after his sole score; no doubt he’s a confident young lad but he rubbed many of the home support up the wrong way and by the end of the game jubilant Donegal supporters took delight in ushering him forward to take the kicks; by the end he just stayed put.

Donegal felt they could put him under pressure and as with Enda Varley in last year’s decider there were blockers in front of the place kicker with Murphy running off to the side in his eye-line on one occasion just as the kick was to be struck.

The key moment of proceedings was the second goal and it made it a magical day for Ross Wherity. The Eunans man got quite a bit of game time in the national league and looked a good prospect for nailing a place as a key panel member. He missed a hatful of goal chances during that Division One campaign but he certainly picked his moment yesterday, finding the net with a deft touch from McBrearty’s cross.

The stats show Tyrone had plenty of chances, a lot of them ending in wides, but as with both the previous games in 2011 and 2012 many of these were kicked under pressure and weren’t gimmies by any manner of means. Donegal’s pressure cooker defence got to boiling point in the second half, keeping their opponents scoreless for thirty-two minutes.

While the visitors had bossed the midfield battle for a large part of the first half, they struggled there in the second and despite often having a free man on his own kick-outs Morgan continued to go long.

Morgan and many of his team-mates wilted under the strain placed on them in the second half; the Donnellys, Mark and Matthew, had impressive league campaigns but neither were able to stamp their authority on the game aside from that middle period in the opening half.

Even seasoned campaigners like Sean Cavanagh found the going tough and Tyrone lost all discipline and focus in the last quarter. Cavanagh was superbly marshalled by Eamon McGee for the seventy minutes as the Gaoth Dobhair man kept up his excellent form from the autumn. He was constantly in the Moy man’s ear as the verbals from both sets of players continued throughout the game.

Every free that was won, every kick missed, every score was re-inforced by letting the other side know what had just happened – it’s a side of the game these days that many don’t like but it just conveyed the ferocious intensity between both sets of players. It might not look like it at times but there does seem to be a genuine respect between the teams; Tyrone are the benchmark for Donegal, they won three All-Irelands and are quite rightly regarded as one of the great teams. That is the target for Donegal under McGuinness – greatness.

It was a procession for the home side late on with ‘Championes’ and ‘Jimmy's Winning Matches’ both getting renditions from the boisterous crowd by the banks of the Finn. It was a performance of character by Donegal yesterday, a real statement of intent.

Tyrone received most pundits’ nod for this game in what appeared a changing of the guard type prediction; this Donegal side though are relatively fresh, only entering their third campaign under McGuinness. He obviously feels there’s more to come from them and that he can find more in his players. Rory Kavanagh, another who had a fine game yesterday, spoke recently of not having played much football in his career to date. Even at 30, one of the elder statesmen of the panel, he believes there’s plenty more in him.

These are a hungry bunch of lads with a manager who can extract every last ounce of desire and ability in them; he can get the best out of them and he can get something out of them that they might not even know is there within themselves.

Analysts are using conventional wisdom to view this Donegal side but the last two years have shown us that Jim is anything but conventional – he’s a unique and special talent on the side-line.

A team with poor league form like Donegal’s against a team with hugely impressive form shouldn’t win so comprehensively – but they did. A team coming off a humiliating qualifier defeat in Crossmaglen shouldn’t win the All-Ireland two years later – but they did. Back to back All-Irelands are virtually impossible in the modern era so it shouldn’t happen – but it might.

Can Donegal break the mould? We’ll have to wait and see. If a team does beat us this year they will certainly have earned it and right now we remain the team to beat. Derry or Down will be next to try in four weeks time.