By 
Tyrone1-8
Donegal3-9
WHEN Donegal’s Ciara Mc Garvey crashed home a first-half goal from a solo and go today, there was an air of inevitability about the outcome of this top-of-the-table clash at Aghyaran.
A tenacious Donegal side at times swamped the Red Hands, who had an off day. Donegal moved the ball quickly and forced numerous turnovers, which proved critical in their win.
The game, however, never quite lived up to expectations. At times laboured in attack, Tyrone struggled to get the final pass away.
Their key forwards found the going tough, although there was excellent play from Blathnaid McLaughlin, Katie Dowds, Roisin Rodgers, and Evelyn McGinley. Meabh Mallon was bright for Tyrone, while Claire Canavan and Eimear Quinn worked hard on Susanne White, but overall it wasn’t a good day at the office for the hosts despite ideal conditions.
Tyrone opened brightly, holding the ball for long periods but failing to get a shot away until Niamh O’Neill slotted over after six minutes.
Quick movement produced an equaliser through White, and when White was fouled, McGarvey tapped and went for goal, beating Amelia Coyle from close range.
That goal laid the foundation for Donegal’s dominance.
Mallon and Caitlin Campbell exchanged points with White and Eva Gallagher, and the lively Emma Conroy narrowed the gap to two after a well-worked Tyrone score. But Donegal turned the screw in the final minutes of the first half.
They repeatedly broke down potential Tyrone attacks, with White, Katie Dowds, and Gallagher all pointing to leave Donegal five ahead at the break.
O’Neill tapped over an early second-half free, but Donegal pulled away again when Dowds scored her second goal within six minutes. Substitute Nicole Gordon collected from a White turnover, worked the ball out to the right, and delivered a perfect cross for Dowds at the back post.Tyrone kept trying, sending a few balls into goalkeeper Friel, but struggled to finish as Donegal pressed efficiently.
White fired over a free before Hegarty won a turnover in her own half, quickly transitioning the ball upfield to put Dowds in again, and she finished clinically.
With eleven points between them entering the final quarter, Tyrone continued to work hard.
Sorcha Gormley made her first appearance of the year, and Aoife Horisk landed a neat point. There was brief hope when Gormley’s angled ball from the right was volleyed to Friel’s net by O’Neill with eight minutes remaining, but it was too little, too late.
Donegal’s defence held firm in the closing stages as Jodie Mc Fadden and Feena Mc Manamon added points. O’Neill was yellow-carded, while Emer Mc Canny and Horisk wrapped up Tyrone’s scoring with late points.
Scorers
Tyrone: Niamh O’Neill 1-2, Aoife Horisk 0-2, Emer Mc Canny, Emma Conroy, Meabh Mallon and Caitlin Campbell 0-1 each
Donegal: Katie Dowds 2-1, Susanne White 04, Ciara Mcc Garvey 1-0, Eva Gallaghe 0-2, Feena Mc Manamon and Jodie Mc Fadden 0-1 each
Teams
Tyrone: Amelia Coyle, Jayne Lyons, Caitlin Mc Callion, Eimear Quinn, Claire Canavan, Meabh Corrigan, Caitlin Campbell, Meabh Mallon, Aoibhinn Mc Hugh, Emma Conroy, Aoife Horisk, Emma Jane Gervin, Niamh O’Neill, Meave Maxwell, Cara Mc Namee Subs: Emer Mc Canny For Campbell, Sorcha Gormley For Maxwell, Katie Rose Muldoon For Gervin, Aine Grimes For Conroy
Donegal: Claire Friel, Niamh Carr, Evelyn Mc Ginely, Sophie Mc Feely, Tara Hegarty, Feena Mc Manamon, Ava Caulfield, Clodagh Brennan, Roisin Rodgers, Blathnaid Mc Laughlin, Katie Dowds, Niamh Boyle, Susanne White, Eva Gallagher, Ciara Mc Garvey. Subs: Nicole Gordon For Gallagher, Cait Gillespie For Brennan, Ulitah Boyle For Caulfield, Jodie Mc Fadden For White, Abigail Temple Asokuh For Mc Feely.
