Ciaran Meenagh believes Derry can ‘put it up to anyone’.
The Oak Leaf scored 3-5, all from play, in the second half to outmuscle a gutsy Donegal.
Conor Doherty, Lachlan Murray and Padraig McGrogan bagged goals as Derry’s superior conditioning told in a sun-drenched Ballybofey.
Read more: Recap as Derry get the better of Donegal in blistering heat in Ballybofey
“If we had everyone firing on the same day, we’d take quite a bit of beating,” Meenagh said.
“We’re worried about fulfilling our potential and trying to perform at the right time. If our performance is right, we have a good chance of putting it up to anyone.”
Derry twisted the knife, just when Donegal were, perhaps, eyeing up a grandstand finale of their own.
Oisín Gallen, who posted nine points in an excellent outing, scored three times in as many minutes to bring Donegal back from the brink after Doherty netted in the 46th minute.
As Gallen’s 56th-minute point, from a forward mark, was splitting the Town End uprights, Donegal captain Patrick McBrearty was making his introduction for a first appearance in four months following a hamstring injury that needed surgery.
Yet, within a minute Murray, with his first touch of the game, palmed home from Gareth McKinless’s pass, and that was that.
Although McBrearty and Gallen narrowed the margins, the goose was well and truly cooked when McGrogan blasted to the bottom corner after Conor McCluskey stole possession back for Derry.
McCluskey was also central to Derry’s opening goal, giving the final pass to Doherty, who almost took the net from its hooks as he riffled past Shaun Patton.
Meenagh, whose side drew with Monaghan last time out, said: “We had a feeling with the conditioning and athleticism that we could open up, and so it was. We just have to be a bit more clinical in terms of the execution of the final shot.
“To bounce back in that heat with a Donegal team that was desperate to get a result, and with their record in MacCumhaill Park, I’m really proud of them.”
On a baking day in Ballybofey, the sparse 8,253 who came out was, perhaps, an indicator of rocky periods in both counties.
Neither Meenagh or Aidan O’Rourke expected to be in charge by the time this championship rolled around, but the departures of Rory Gallagher and Paddy Carr threw them toward the limelight.
O’Rourke took heart from his side’s improved showing. He said: “The goals were the difference, really. It’s a disappointed dressing room in there.
“We felt we had built a platform to go on and win the game, controlled the kick-outs at both ends, and we had a lot of possession. We just weren’t clinical and ruthless enough up front.
“All three of their goals came from us turning over the ball in the forward line. It’s a cruel lesson for the boys.”
Donegal were game, yet wasteful, in the first half. The hosts were 0-9 to 0-6 behind at half-time, and their five wides felt telling even at the midway point.
Four of those arrived even before Conor O’Donnell opened their scoring in the 13th minute.
By that stage, Paul Cassidy and Benny Heron — with a beauty from the left-hand side — had Derry two in front.
Donegal keeper Patton — whose pin-point kick-outs were a real feature at times — made two telling interventions in the opening half.
In the seventh minute, with his legs, Patton repelled a shot from Heron. Eleven minutes later, Patton saved again, this time one-handed from Cassidy.
It was far from one-way traffic, though, and Jason McGee might have put Donegal in front in the 26th minute. McGee, though, was denied first by keeper Odhran Lynch, then by Brendan Rogers on the line, but Derry settled and when Rogers drove over in the 32nd minute, they were 0-8 to 0-4 in front.
Shane McGuigan’s point, with the last kick of the first half, felt huge, but Doherty’s goal after the resumption was seismic.
After shipping three goals, Donegal plugged again, and sub Rory O’Donnell bagged a late goal for the hosts.
Meenagh was disappointed with the late concession. He said: “The fact that we were further ahead with time nearly up, we are a bit disappointed that we didn’t see it out with a few more scores on the board, just for a bit more leeway going into the last game.”
Across the corridor, O’Rourke was attempting to keep the Donegal chins up.
He said: “I think they are only realising now that they are as good as the people who are around them and went before them, and as good as the teams they are playing. It’s a really disappointed dressing room.”
READ NEXT:
- Recap as Antrim hit late brace against Fermanagh to clinch home Tailteann Cup quarter-final
- Armagh to review Rian O’Neill red card incident before considering appeal as Kieran McGeeney rues missed chances
- Recap as Tyrone withstand comeback to edge 14-man Armagh in Championship epic
- Recap as Meath edge out Down to gain a home Tailteann Cup quarter-final slot
- Benny Tierney reflects on how Armagh earned the respect of country in glorious era
Sign up to our free sports newsletter to get the latest headlines to your inbox
