Tyrone are through to the All-Ireland quarter-final after an impressive display to defeat Donegal in MacCumhaill Park.
They might have been caught late on by Westmeath last week but there was never much doubt in this game as they were at full title from the throw-in.
It was championship pace from the throw-in with Ruairi Canavan denied a goal chance on 13 seconds. The wait for the first goal was not long as Canavan got a second chance on two minutes when Shaun Patton dropped a high ball from McCurry and he made no mistake.
AS IT HAPPENED: Donegal 0-13 Tyrone 1-18
The pattern was set with Tyrone keeping Donegal at arm's length thereafter in the opening half with the older of the Canavans, Darragh, in sparkling form, having four points on the board by half-time. Michael McKernan looked on fire as he bombed forward to find the target twice.
Donegal, to their credit, stayed in the game with Patrick McBrearty, back for his first start, and Oisin Gallen sharing six first half points while young guns Odhrán Doherty and Caolan McColgan chipped in with one each, while Brendan McCole was keeping a close eye on Tyrone dangerman Darren McCurry.
Late in the first half Tyrone went six clear with Mattie Donnelly and Conn Kilpatrick assisting the Canavans in the scoring department.
The half-time whistle had Tyrone five clear - 1-10 to 0-8 - after a very entertaining encounter. The Red Hand side also had seven first half wides.
Darren McCurry opened the second half scoring with a Tyrone free and Darragh Canavan hit a magnificent effort to push the lead to seven. Caolan Ward made a magnificent stop to deny Brian Kennedy but Darren Curry punished a free as Donegal seemed to wilt.
But they found a second wind and points from Ciaran Thompson and Oisin Gallen had the lead back to five. And they almost had a goal as Rory O’Donnell got through the middle only to be denied by Niall Morgan at the expense of a '45’, which Shaun Patton nailed.
Mattie Donnelly and Ciaran Thompson traded scores. Darren McCurry punished a high tackle from Eoghan Ban Gallagher on McKernan and Conn Kilpatrick galloped through the Donegal defence to put them out of sight, 1-16 to 0-12.
A Shaun Patton free went all the way to the Tyrone net but was ruled out for an infringement and a minute later Patton was red carded for a kick on Michael McKernan.
Donegal: Shaun Patton (0-01,45; Mark Curran, Brendan McCole, Caolan McColgan (0-01); Caolan Ward, Eoghan Bán Gallagher, Stephen McMenamin; Caolan McGonagle, Hugh McFadden; Dáire Ó Baoill, Jamie Brennan, Ciaran Thompson (0-02); Odhrán Doherty (0-01), Oisin Gallen (0-04,0-01f), Patrick McBrearty (0-03,0-02f).
Subs: Jason McGee for O Doherty (ht); Luke McGlynn (0-01) for Ó Baoill (44); Rory O’Donnell for H McFadden (47); Brian O’Donnell for McColgan (62); Gavin Mulreaney for M Curran (70+2)
Tyrone: Niall Morgan; Michael McKernan (0-02), Ronan McNamee, Padraig Hampsey; Cormac Quinn, Michael O’Neill, Peter Harte; Brian Kennedy (0-01), Conn Kilpatrick (0-01); Conor Meyler, Kieran McGeary, Ruairi Canavan (1-01); Darren McCurry (0-05,0-04f), Matthew Donnelly (0-03), Darragh Canavan (0-05,0-01f).
Subs: Frank Burns for McGeary (56); Richard Donnelly for D Canavan (62); Niall Devlin for R Canavan (70+1)
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork)
