Jul 11
16
20th championship meeting between the sides
By Michael McHUGH
Sunday’s Ulster senior final between Donegal and Derry will be the 20th Championship clash between the sides with the Oak Leaf men ahead on victories 11-8, although that should count for nothing come 4pm in Clones.
It will be the first time that they have met in the final since 1998 – the first that does not feature either Armagh or Tyrone. In fact, Armagh and Tyrone have shared the last 12 Ulster titles between them in what was the longest period of dominance by two counties since Down and Cavan dominated Ulster in the 1960s.
The Ulster final of 1998 which Derry won by 1- 7 to 0-8 was their last provincial success. Derry last reached the final in 2000 when they lost by a point to Armagh.
Donegal last won the Ulster title in 1992, the year they went on to win their first All-Ireland title. Since then, they have lost all five Ulster finals in which they played. They last reached the final in 2006 where they lost to Armagh. It’s the 4th Ulster final clash between the counties with Derry having won two to Donegal’s one. The counties last clashed in the championship in the 2009 qualifiers with Donegal winning by a point (2-13 to 0-18) in extra-time.
Donegal’s Path to the final
Donegal 1-10 Antrim 0-7
Donegal 2-14 Cavan 1-8
Donegal 2-6 Tyrone 0-9
Average For: 2-9 Average Against: 0-9
Donegal’s Top Scorers
Colm McFadden…..1-8
Patrick McBrearty..1-4
Michael Murphy…..0-6
Derry’s path to the final
Derry 1-18 Fermanagh 1-10
Derry 3-14 Armagh 1-11
Average For: 2-16; Average Against: 1-11
Derry’s Top Scorers
Eoin Bradley………….2-9
Conleth Gilligan……..1-8
Mark Lynch……………1-2
Last Five Championship Clashes
2009: Donegal 2-13 Derry 0-18 (After extra-time) (Third Round Qualifier)
2008: Derry 1-14 Donegal 1-12 (Ulster quarter-final)
2006: Donegal 1-13 Derry 0-11 (Ulster semi-final)
2002: Donegal 1-9 Derry 0-10 (Ulster semi-final)
1998: Derry 1-7 Donegal 0-8 (Ulster final)
Ulster Final Clashes
1998: Derry 1-7 Donegal 0-8
1993: Derry 0-8 Donegal 0-6
1992: Donegal 0-14 Derry 1-9
Last Five Ulster Final Appearances
Derry
2000: Armagh 1-12 Derry 1-11
1998: Derry 1-7 Donegal 0-8
1997: Cavan 1-14 Derry 0-16
1993: Derry 0-8 Donegal 0-6
1992: Donegal 0-14 Derry 1-9
Won 2, Lost 3.
Donegal
2006: Armagh 1-9 Donegal 0-9
2004: Armagh 3-15 Donegal 0-11
2002: Armagh 1-14 Donegal 1-10
1998: Derry 1-7 Donegal 0-8
1993: Derry 0-8 Donegal 0-6
