Donegal stepped on the gas in the second half to record a 1-15 to 0-12 victory over Derry at Ballybofey.
Inspired by Mark Lynch, the Oak Leaf County were good value for their 0-9 to 0-6 interval lead, but the hosts got to grips with proceedings after the restart, as Odhran MacNiallais's brilliant goal at the start of the final quarter turned the tide in the Tir Chonail men's favour.
That blaster made it 1-11 to 0-11 and a brilliant point from Man of the Match Patrick McBrearty increased the margin to four before Michael Murphy's routine free on the hour cancelled out a reply from Derry substiture Eoin Bradley.
The peerless Christy Toye - with his second point - and Murphy tagged on late points as Rory Gallagher's men finished strongly.
The home side had also started brightly with points from McBrearty, Martin O'Reilly and Toye to lead by 0-3 to 0-1 in the opening minutes but their opponents gradually got on top and a brace of Lynch frees - his fourth and fifth points of the night - edged them into a 0-9 to 0-5 lead coming up to the half-hour mark.
The Donegal players stand for the National Anthem before the game. ©INPHO/Presseye/Lorcan Doherty.
Half-time substitute Martin McElhinney had the gap back to three within seconds of the restart and efforts from McBrearty and O'Reilly soon tied the scores up at 0-9 each.
Points were exchanged firstly by Murphy and Lynch and then by Enda Lynn and McBrearty before MacNiallais's sumptuous 53rd-minute strike effectively settled the issue.
Donegal - P Durcan; P McGrath, E McGee, F McGlynn; R McHugh, K Lacey, C McGinley; N Gallagher, C Toye (0-2); H McFadden, M McHugh, O MacNiallais (1-0); P McBrearty (0-5, 2f), M Murphy (0-5f), M O'Reilly (0-2). Subs: D McLaughlin for C McGinley, M McElhinney (0-1) for H McFadden, D O'Connor for D McLaughlin, G McFadden for M O'Reilly.
Derry - T Mallon; O Duffy, N Holly, J O'Kane; K Johnston, G O'Kane, M Craig; M Lynch (0-6, 5f), C McAtamney (0-1); B Heron (0-1), D Heavron, E Lynn (0-1); S L McGoldrick, E McGuckin (0-1), B McGoldrick (0-1). Subs: B Og McGilligan for C McAtamney, L McGoldrick for N Holly, E Bradley (0-1) for E McGuckin, C McFaul for B Heron, J Kearney for E Lynn.
Referee - Marty Duffy.
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