UNDER-21 FOOTBALL ULSTER SEMI-FINALS:DONEGAL AND Cavan will meet in the provincial decider next Wednesday evening at Brewster Park in Enniskillen.
Donegal were by far the better team on Saturday at Brewster Park, beating favourites Derry, 1-10 to 0-9, in the semi-final.
Indeed, their four-point win was not a true reflection of their domination.
Senior star Michael Murphy scored the goal in the first half and, with Leo McCloone also in great form at centre forward, Donegal coped despite the sending off of their midfielder Peter McGee in the first half.
Derry were over-reliant on James Kielt’s frees (0-7) for scores. Cavan pipped Monaghan 1-10 to 1-9 in the other semi. Conor McClarey’s goal after just two minutes helped Cavan storm into a 1-5 to 0-0 lead.
Monaghan rallied to score five points without reply to trail by three points at the interval.
Monaghan reduced their deficit to just a point and David Millar scored a goal after 18 minutes of the second half, but three late Cavan points secured a final place.
SCORERS
Donegal: M Murphy 1-3 (points from frees); D Molloy (frees), D McLaughlin (frees), L McLoone 0-2 each; J Carroll, D Walsh 0-1 each. Derry: J Kielt 0-7 (six frees, one 45); L Moore 0-2 (one free); A Kerrigan 0-1.
Cavan: C McClarey 1-0; D McKiernan 0-3 (two frees); N McDermott (one free), B Fitzpatrick 0-2 each; B Reilly, R Maloney-Derham, D Gibney 0-1 each. Monaghan: D Miller 1-0; D Hahessy 0-3 (two frees); C McGuinness 0-2; (free), D Malone, K Hughes, P O’Hara, McNally 0-1 each.
