Nicky Rackard Cup: Donegal and Mayo book final date

November 14, 2020

Mayo's Cathal Freeman

Donegal will face Mayo in next Saturday’s Nicky Rackard Cup final after both sides came through their respective semi-finals this afternoon.

Donegal produced a powerful second-half display in Letterkenny to down Tyrone by 3-25 to 1-16. 

Tyrone netted an early goal against the hosts via Kiefer Morgan but would lead by a single point (1-13 to 1-12) at the break after Richie Ryan pulled back a major at the other end on 21 minutes.

Damian Casey’s scores bumped the Red Hands’ lead up to two early in the restart but the wheels would come off when Gerard Gilmore netted back-to-back goals for the Tir Chonaill men.

Gilmore also added a point before the second water break to leave the score board read 3-18 to 1-16, leaving Tyrone in need of goals to claw a way back that never came their way.

In Castlebar, Mayo also recovered from an early goal recession to see off Leitrim convincingly by 3-23 to 1-11.

Colm Moreton’s goal had Leitrim in the driving seat 12 minutes in but a Shane Boland point was backed up by Brian Moley’s goal to move the home side 1-3 to 1-2 in front.

Leitrim edged ahead before the sides drew level on 1-8 apiece just before the half-time whistle and within nine minutes of the restart Mayo would have the sliotar in the net again.

This time Cathal Freeman provided the finish and seven minutes later Boland would rattle Leitrim’s net to move the hosts 3-11 to 1-9 ahead, as they cruised for the final quarter to move into next weekend’s final.

Donegal - L White (0-1f); G Browne, S Gillespie, M Callaghan; J O'Loughlin (0-11, 7f), S McVeigh, J Boyle (0-2); M Donaghue, R McDermott (0-2); G Gilmore (2-3), D Cullen, K Kealy (0-1); C O'Grady, R Ryan (1-0), C Mathewson (0-3). Subs: L Henderson (0-1) for C O'Grady, J Cronnelly (0-1) for R Ryan, C Parke for G Browne, S Doherty for M Donaghue, C Bradley for C Mathewson.

Tyrone - C McElhatton; R Devlin, D Rafferty, S P McKernan; S Donaghy, C Kearns, C Munroe; T Morgan, C Cross; C Grogan (0-1), B McGurk (0-3), K Morgan (1-1); B Molloy, D Casey (0-14, 9f), M Mulgrew. Subs: L Devlin for C Cross, C Ferguson (0-2) for B McGurk, J McGurk for M Mulgrew, J Kelly for B Molloy.

Referee - C McDonald.

**

Mayo - G Kelly; G Nolan, S Coyne, J Cassidy; S Regan, D Kenny, C Freeman (1-0); A Phillips (0-2), S Mulroy; S Kenny (0-4, 1f, 1'65), S Boland (1-11, 0-10f), C Scahill; J Coyne, B Morley (1-2), E Delaney (0-2). Subs: L Lavin (0-1) for J Coyne, C Phillips for E Delaney, B Hunt (0-1) for S Mulroy, D Huane for S Regan, C Murray for J Cassidy.

Leitrim - M O'Brien; P Lenehan, D McGovern, P Early; M Feeney, L Moreton, A McDermott; E Moreton, B Murray (0-1); K McDermott (0-4, 1f), C French (0-2), C Moreton (1-0); G O'Hagan (0-2f), C Beirne (0-1), S Goldrick. Subs: J McNabola for L Moreton, Z Moradi (0-1) for G O'Hagan, J Ward for C French, S O'Riordan for S Goldrick, C Mallon for A McDermott.

Referee - R Fitzsimmons.


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