Luke White's penalty heroics send Donegal into McGurk Cup semis after shootout win

Donegal keeper Luke White was the hero of the night after saving four penalties and then hitting the decisive score as Tyrone’s Dean Rafferty missed his shot in a sudden death shootout.

White scored two of his side's four goals, with Conor Gartland and Gerry Gilmore netting the other two goals, with Conor O’Grady (saved) and Dan Donnelly (wide) the remaining Donegal shooters.

For Tyrone, Aidy Kelly, Ciaran Magill and Dean Rafferty were on target, with Rafferty, Shea Munroe and Mickey Little having their shots saved.

Otherwise, a draw was a pretty fitting result in a real slow burner that ignited into a hotly contested second half where the home side put in a strong finish after trailing by 3-5 to 1-6.

The Tyrone full-forward line had the better of their Donegal opponents in the first half, with the impressive Munroe (a nephew of former Tyrone dual star Raymond Munroe) netting twice and Liam Griffith also finding the net.

For an outgunned Donegal, debutants Dan Donnelly and John Kealy showed up well.

Tyrone looked to be in control as they led by 3-6 to 1-7 at the start of the second half.

But, a timely Donnelly goal and a cracking 21-yard free rifled to the Tyrone net by Gerry Gilmore garnished a gutsy Donegal comeback that saw them lead by 3-13 to 3-12 with time almost up.

Team captain Conor Gartland, playing in an unusual full forward role, could have put two points between the sides but tried to find John Kealy with a handpass.

The ball was cleared, and Tyrone substitute Eunan Campbell brought this tie to extra time.

Tyrone had a much brighter start and raced into a 1-4 to 0-0 lead by the 6th minute through points from Munroe, marksman Kelly, the bustling Ciaran Magill and a goal and further point from the rampant Munroe.

They had a chance of another goal, but full forward Mickey Little lost control of the sliotar in front of an open goal.

But a sparkling six-man move, started by Donnelly, ended with John Kealy tapping the ball to an empty net.

He followed this up with a point as Conor Diver and Kelly swapped points.

Kealy and Gilmore pointed as did Donnelly as Donegal eased into a 1-6 to 1-5 before Munroe bundled the ball to the Donegal net to put Tyrone into a 3-5 to 1-6 lead at the break, following on from Liam Griffiths’ goal.

A Kelly free made it a six point game in favour of the Red Hands on the resumption.

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Donnelly and Kelly exchanged points, and then Donnelly hit a cracking goal to leave Tyrone leading by 3-8 to 2-7.

Munroe added two more points, and Gilmore replied for an improving Donegal.

Two more points came from Kelly as exchanges hotted up on both the pitch and on the line.

A Gilmore pointed free made it Tyrone 3-11 to 2-10.

The intensity grew in a hard fought final eight minutes as Donegal gradually filleted Tyrone’s lead, and a point from sub Russell Forde left a goal in it before Magill made it 3-12 to 2-11.

And then Gilmore rammed home a 21 metre free to the net to leave a point in it and set up a frenetic finish.

He levelled the match from a free, and Brian MacIntyre put the home side in front by a point before substitute Campbell brought the game to extra time.

Donegal scorers: Gerard Gilmore 1-6f; Dan Donnelly 1-3; John Kealy 1-1; Brian MacIntyre 0-1; Conor Diver 0-1. Russell Forde 0-1.

Tyrone scorers: Shea Munroe 2-3; Aidy Kelly 0-5f; Liam Griffiths 1-0; Ciaran Magill 0-3; Niall McGarel 0-1; Eunan Campbell 0-1.

Donegal: Luke White; Peter Grant, Gavin Browne, Oisin Kelly; Ryan Hilferty, Gerry Gilmore, Donal Farrelly; Conor O’Grady, Conor Diver; Brian MacIntyre, Kevin Kealy, Dan Donnelly; Peter Kelly, Conor Gartland, John Kealy.

Subs: Caolan O’Neill for Gavin Browne (h-time), Russell Forde for Conor Diver (43), Fergal Delaney for Peter Kelly.

Tyrone: Conall Molloy; Cillian Kerr, Cian McGuigan, Sean Paul McKernan; Dean Rafferty, Fionn Devlin, Anthony Crossan; Feargal Donnelly, James McCann; Niall McGarel, Ciaran Magill, Aidan Kelly; Liam Griffiths, Mickey Little, Shea Munroe.

Subs: Pierce Mullin for James McCann (16), Francie Hurson for Anthony Crossan (h-time), Eunan Campbell for Liam Griffiths (50), Cahir Munroe for Cillian Kerr (58).

Referee Kevin Parke (Antrim)