By Ryan Ferry

SELECTING a Man of the Match award can sometimes be tricky during January football, but there was no doubt that one man stood out above everyone else in MacCumhaill Park on Tuesday night as Donegal defeated Derry in the McKenna Cup semi-final.

Caolan McGonagle said he put in a big winter to be primed and ready for the 2022 season and he has started the campaign impressively.

Tuesday was his best run out yet as he scored 1-2 and was involved in a huge amount of the play.

The Buncrana clubman always enjoys a battle, and on a wet and heavy night in Ballybofey, he helped Donegal into Saturday’s final against Monaghan following a 2-9 to 0-11 win..

“It was a tough evening alright and we knew with Derry were going to bring under Rory (Gallagher). They were always going to be well set up.

“The pitch was a bit slippery and it was a greasy night so it was going to be the team whose skills were a bit better on the night who were going to get over the line.

“Thankfully that was us because we always want competitive games building up to the league.”

McGonagle scored a fine goal against Tyrone in the championship last year but he wouldn’t be known for rattling the back of the net.

He raised a green flag against Derry and was in the right place when Eoghan ‘Ban’ Gallagher won the ball back high up the field.

“I didn’t know what happened, it just landed in my hands.”

He added: “The first goal was lucky enough, the ball just happened to break our way.

“I think we kicked a couple of wides in that first half too which is something we’re probably not happy with, and we will look at that going into the next day.

“They are shots we want to be taking but we need to be putting them over the bar.”

In truth, Derry didn’t look overly fussed on Tuesday evening, and their manager Gallagher was not his usual animated self in the second half.

Perhaps that was down to the way that Donegal kept possession and killed off the contest.

“That was our emphasis going out. If we have the ball, they are not going to be able to score.

“On a night like that there, your skills need to be good and we were probably happy enough with how we controlled that game in the second half.

“There were maybe a few chances at the end that we could have taken too.”

Donegal will now face Monaghan in Saturday’s McKenna Cup final at Healy Park, and while Declan Bonner should have a stronger hand to pick from, McGonagle will be hoping to get the shout in midfield once again.

He views the match as good preparation for the start of the league, and a hectic two months ahead.

“You want to win the McKenna Cup and you want to win every game you play.

“We’re going into Mayo in 10 days’ time, so it will be another competitive game, and hopefully we will have the boys from the colleges back, and we will get everyone together again.”