Derry 3-7
Donegal 1-10
By Deniese O’Flaherty
THE old adage goals win games rang through in Emyvale as Derry were crowned All-Ireland U14 Silver championship winners with victory over a spirited Donegal side.
Derry were behind by six points in the early exchanges of the second half but two goals from Aoife Mitchell saw the Oak Leaf County make a stunning comeback.
Early points were traded between the two sides before Donegal took control of proceedings. Riona McIntyre pointed a free to edge her side ahead in the 13th minute and then followed up with two excellent points to put her side ahead by three in the 15th minute. Sarah Lett got a nice point in the 21st minute to extend the lead to four.
Derry had their chances but the Donegal defence stood firm and frustrated them. Minnie Coyle had a chance but shot at the Derry keeper Shannon Kelly before McIntyre kicked her fourth point to put five between the sides.
Derry were back in the game in the 28th minute when Caoimhe McKenna found the back of the net with a stunning strike. The gap was just three going in at the break 0-7 to 1-2.
In the opening five minutes of the second half two goals were scored. Donegal got their first of the game through Aoife Kelly while minutes later Derry got their second when Mitchell fired to the net.
Donegal were temporarily reduced to 14 in the 38th minute but Derry netminder Kelly pulled off a fine save to deny Lett in the 40th minute.
The game ebbed and flowed and in the 47th minute Derry took the lead for the first time; Cora Deighan made a run before passing to Mitchell for her second goal of the game. It was a lead that Derry were not going to relinquish.
McIntyre kicked a free to cut the gap to just one with minutes remaining but Donegal just couldn’t add further scores. Jessica Wilson kicked a free to put two between the sides in the 58th minute before McKenna sealed the win for Derry with a neat point from a tight angle in stoppage time.
Scorers – Derry: A Mitchell 2-0, C McKenna 1-2, J Willson 0-3 (3fs), C Musgrave (f), G O’Connor 0-1 each.
Donegal: R McIntyre 0-6 (3fs), A Kelly 1-0, S Lett 0-2, M Coyle, A Gallagher 0-1 each.
DERRY: S Kelly; A O’Neill, C O’Neill, S O’Neill; C McNicholl, C McCartney, R O’Neill; E Diver, J Wilson; C Musgrave, C McKenna, F Brolly; A McErlean, F Loughrey, C Deighan. Subs: A McNaught, A Mitchell, G McRory, G O’Connor
DONEGAL: S Hannigan; L Organ, L Doohan, C Friel;M Gallagher, E Doherty, C Sharkey; F.R. McHugh, D McNulty; N Sweeney, R McIntyre, M Coyle; K Gallagher, S Lett, L McNulty. Subs: A Kelly, A Gallagher, A McGee, S McGlinchey, A Boyle, A
Doherty, O O’Donnell.
Referee: Anthony Marron (Monaghan).
