'It was a great win but it's just one game, we now focus on Tyrone' - McGonagle

Donegal defender Caolan McGonagle said that all thoughts now turn to Tyrone in their Ulster semi-final clash this Sunday in Celtic Park after overcoming Derry 4-11 to 0-17 points in Saturday’s quarter-final. 

McGonagle said following his side’s win on Saturday that he was just glad to get over the line in what was a much-hyped Ulster championship clash in Celtic Park.   

“It is a great result and performance, but it is just one game, and we have an Ulster semi-final next weekend to play,” he admitted. 

“We will turn our thoughts to that game now and get ready for Tyrone who will be a different challenge. But it is one we are looking forward to.” 

The Buncrana man was a solid rock at centre-half back at the weekend, stopping any danger from breaking through and sealing any gaps in the Donegal defence, with McGuinness’s side keeping a clean sheet against a team that has raised 16 green flags in the league campaign alone. 

But with such a talked about game over the last few months there was no time to allow the occasion to get the better of McGonagle or his side. 

“The game had been built up for the last few months ever since the draw was made and we are just happy to get over the line and get the result,” McGonagle said. 

“We’ve been building for the last few weeks since the end of the league and working on getting everyone back on the pitch and ready for the game. 

“It was a great team performance, every man showed up and we got the scores at the right time  

It was the goals which sealed it for Jim McGuinness’s side with Daire O’Baoill scoring a goal in each half, while Oisin Gallen and Jamie Brennan scored the other two.   

“Daire caught out the goalkeeper with his first in the first half to give us a four-point lead and he again caught out the goalkeeper early in the second half to move us out to a four-point lead once again. 

“And when Oisin scored from the penalty spot after Shane O’Donnell had been fouled in the middle of the second half, we went six or seven up then. 

“The goals gave us a cushion and really knocked Derry back each time they got close to us. Derry did press late in the game as you would expect from a good team, after all they are the Division 1 league champions and one of the favourites for the All-Ireland, so we’re happy to have seen the game out with a good win.”  

Donegal after a tentative start and going 0-3 to 0-1 down early on settled and moved into a 0-4 to 0-3 lead before Daire O’Baoill struck the first of his two goals to lead by four.  

But Derry trimmed that lead back to a single point at half-time and Donegal led 1-7 to 0-9 at the interval. 

“We were glad to get in at half-time in front and get ready to go again in the second half,” McGonagle admitted.  

“We came out at the start of the second half and got off to a good start with Daire’s second goal. 

“It was a great boost, and the lads did well to open up Derry’s defence and Shane O’Donnell got in behind and was fouled for the penalty. 

“Oisin (Gallen) put it away well and it gave us a good cushion. It put us six up and then they pulled it back to three points before Jamie (Brennan) scored the fourth goal to push us to seven up. 

“Derry did press late on, and they scored a few late points, but they never threatened to score a goal which they probably needed to get right back into the game.”