Donegal beat Down to set up Armagh Ulster decider

Holders Donegal set up an Ulster Football Final against All-Ireland champions Armagh - a repeat of last year's provincial decider won by Jim McGuinness' side on penalties - after a comfortable 1-19 to 0-16 victory over Down at Clones.

Clones will stage the final on Saturday, 10 May with a 17:25 BST start in what will be a double-header with the same two counties playing in the Ulster Senior Ladies Football Final.

Down led 0-3 to 0-1 early on and the sides were level at 0-4 to 0-4 when the Mournemen butchered a goal chance in the 17th minute as John McGeough's pass was too high for Patrick McCarthy to palm into the net.

The Ulster champions didn't make the same mistake three minutes later as Michael Langan calmly set up Patrick McBrearty to find an unguarded net after a huge Shaun Patton kickout had flown all the way to Oisin Gallen.

The goal put Donegal 1-5 to 0-4 up and Jim McGuinness' side went on to outscore Down 0-7 to 0-3 during the remainder of the first period as they led 1-12 to 0-7 at the interval.

Down forward McGeough was also involved in a first-half controversy after appearing to stamp on Donegal centre half-back Stephen McMenamin early on although the incident was missed by the match officials despite Ciaran Thompson's vigorous protests.

Leads bigger than eight points have been reeled in since the introduction of the new rules but few were betting on a Down comeback in the second half.

After trailing by nine after 44 minutes, Down trimmed Donegal's advantage to five with six minutes remaining as Pat Havern nailed a two-pointer.

However, the Mournemen's last real chance to get back in the contest had been squandered four minutes earlier when substitute Shay Millar failed to find the net from pointblank range after he had intercepted a Patton kickout, with the Donegal keeper redeeming himself to block the shot.

Down's promising start stalled as Donegal started to turn them over with increasing regularity with the Mournemen bereft of attacking ideas once they reached the opposition's 45-metre line.

Down had plenty of possession in the first half but struggled to make incisions once the reached the scoring zone.

Eight points in arrears at the break, Down did attempt to run at Donegal in the second half and while it did bear some fruit, it was too late at that stage.

Points from the busy Eugene Branagan, Havern and Miceal Rooney helped Down to their early 0-3 to 0-1 advantage but an Oisin Gallen point and McBrearty two-pointer put Donegal ahead before Danny Magill brought the sides level.

Then came Down's first missed goal chance as McGeough failed to pick out the unmarked McCarthy.

Donegal's response was ruthless as a Murphy point was followed by McBrearty's goal.

A Ryan McHugh score and typical Dara O Baoill two-pointer helped stretch Donegal's lead with McBrearty, Murphy (two) and blood substitute Jamie Brennan tagging on more points during the champions' dominant second quarter.

Donegal led Down 1-12 to 0-7 at half-time at St Tiernach's Park

Donegal lose rhythm in second half

As Down adopted a running game, the first of two Havern second-half two-pointers helped cut Donegal's advantage to six after 40 minutes only for another O Baoill score to start a run of three unanswered scores in response.

To their credit, Down didn't wilt as they fired the next three scores but Conor Laverty's side were never able to get close enough to put Donegal's lead under any real threat.

By that stage, Donegal were running their bench with Murphy and McBrearty among the players who had already departed, which did seem to disrupt their rhythm somewhat.

A thumping two-point free from Langan extended Donegal's lead to eight in the 58th minute and after Havern replied, Down's last chance came and went with Millar's missed goal chance.

Donegal also had their goal chances late on with Down keeper Ronan Burns brilliantly denying O Baoill and substitute Aaron Doherty in the closing 15 minutes.

But the misses ultimately mattered not as it was job done for Donegal, who now must prepare for another provincial final with Armagh which will take place at Clones despite the speculation that it could be moved to Croke Park.

Down: R Burns; P McCarthy, P Fegan, C Doherty; R Magill, P Laverty, M Rooney (0-1), D Guinness (0-1), R McEvoy (0-1); D Magill (0-2), O Murdock (capt), E Branagan (0-3); J Guinness, P Havern (0-8), J McGeough.

Subs: S Millar for R Magill 50, F McElroy for McCarthy 55, C Mooney for J Guinness 49, C McCrickard for McGeough 58.

Not used: J O'Hare, A Crimmins, R McCormack, A McClements, D Scullion, G McKibben, P Brooks,

Donegal: S Patton (0-1) F Roarty, B McCole, P Mogan; R McHugh, S McMenamin, C Moore (0-1); O Gallen (0-1), C Thompson; D O Baoill (0-4), C Thompson, S O'Donnell; P McBrearty (capt) (1-4), M Murphy (0-3), C O'Donnell (0-2).

Subs: J Brennan (0-1) for Murphy 45, O McFadden Ferry for Roarty 52, A Doherty for C O'Donnell 58, N O'Donnell for McBrearty 55, J McGee for Gallen 50.

Not used: G Mulreaney, C McColgan, O Doherty, E Hugh, J MacCeallabhui, H McFadden

Blood: Brennan for C O'Donnell 31, O'Donnell back HT

Referee: J McQuillan (Cavan)