Mickey Harte's Derry to good for Donegal in McKenna Cup final

Derry 0-12 Donegal 0-06

Micky Harte's love affair with the Dr McKenna Cup was rekindled at stormy O’Neills Healy Park, where his 13th title saw him claim his first piece of silverware as Derry manager.

It was the perfect conclusion to a strong pre-season ahead of their return to Division One and an Allianz League opener away to Kerry next weekend.

The second coming of Jim McGuinness hasn’t been bad either, with some new talent unearthed and a familiar style of football making a reappearance.

Three players were sent off in the second half as the Oak Leafers held on while playing into a strong breeze to claim an impressive victory following a highly competitive encounter.

Donegal went ahead in the eighth minute, goalkeeper Gavin Mulreany driving a 47 metre free into the breeze and sweetly between the posts, after their packed defence frustrated Derry’s strong press as they pushed forward with a driving wind in their backs.

With conditions challenging both sides, play was fractured and scrappy, turnovers and unforced errors ensuring that the game struggled to develop.

Shane McGuigan stroked over a levelling free on 12 minutes, but the holders were soon on the back foot as Caolan McGonagle surged forward from deep and the incisive runs of wings backs Ryan McHugh and Peadar Mogan caused problems.

The only clear-cut goal chance of the first half fell to newcomer Domhnall MacGiolla Bhride, but he slipped at the crucial moment as he attempted to collect Mogan’s pass.

Declan Cassidy fired the Oak Leafs ahead for the first time in the 19th minute, and McGuigan’s accuracy from placed balls saw them open out a 0-5 to 0-2 lead, with McHugh on target at the other end.

Paddy McBrearty’s free narrowed the gap, and McGuinness would have been