Donegal advanced to the 2006 Ulster SFC final following a comfortable 1-13 to 0-11 semi-final victory over Derry at wet and bitter Clones. The north-westerners got their tactics right from the start, while Derry never recovered from the concession of an early goal to Michael Doherty. Rory Kavanagh hit five excellent points from play for the winners, and frustrated Derry finished the game with 14 men when Enda Muldoon saw red for striking late on. Donegal outplayed Derry in the first half and led convincingly at the break - 1-5 to 0-4. Two scores apiece from Ciaran Bonner, Rory Kavanagh and Michael Doherty (1-1) gave Donegal a four-point interval advantage, while all bar one of ineffective Derry's first-half scores came from Enda Muldoon frees (and the other from corner back Francis McEldowney). Donegal had the better of the opening exchanges and deservedly went into a fourth-minute lead when St Eunan's clubman Kavanagh split the posts with an angled right-foot shot. Muldoon's nice free on the stroke of five minutes levelled the scores but Brian McIver's charges broke free in the eighth minute when No.15 Michael Doherty drove low and mercilessly to the net via the post after a wonderful set-up flick from full forward Conal Dunne. They would never surrender that lead. Paddy Bradley fired a presentable free wide and Michael Hegarty dropped one into the keeper's hand at the other end. Goalscorer Doherty also sent an effort wide in the 13th minute and centre back Barry Monaghan repelled Derry's next attack, with Bradley looking dangerous. Bradley was unfortunate not to get a shot off on goal when he outjumped Paddy Campbell and failed to make contact with a flailing left leg as he went to ground. It was a timely warning for the Donegal men, who were themselves guilty of another wide, again courtesy of Doherty. Ciaran Bonner had the goal at his mercy after good approach play from Donegal captain Christy Toye but the half forward blazed his shot over the bar for his side's second point, 1-2 to 0-1 at the end of the first quarter. Another Muldoon free narrowed the gap and Derry's Mark Lynch was unlucky when he swatted off a couple of tackles to kick a great point while off balance. The score was harshly ruled out for over-carrying. Donegal responded with a brace - a superb Doherty free from distance and an excellent second from Kavanagh -before Muldoon landed his third free of the afternoon. Kavanagh, Hegarty, Liam Hinphey and Johnny McBride all got yellow cards inside the first half-hour The Oak Leaf rearguard crowded Dunne out at the end of Donegal's next move and Campbell read the ball better than Bradley as Derry tried to threaten. Frustrated, Eoin Bradley was booked for an off-the-ball exchange and Donegal almost had a second major when Kavanagh jumped above Joe O'Kane and added to Doherty's 50-metre free, but the flick rebounded off the post with Barry Gillis stranded in the Derry goal. Bonner got his second point just before the break and Donegal were well on top. Derry were showing none of the aggression and industry that saw them eclipse All-Ireland champions Tyrone in Omagh, although Fergal Doherty did hit Barry Dunnion with a massive shoulder that left the Donegal No.7 gasping for air. Derry didn't get a score from play until corner back Francis McEldowney hit a point in the sixth minute of first-half added time and Donegal led by 1-5 to 0-4 at the short whistle. There was a lengthy delay at the start of the second half when Muldoon was accidentally caught on the jaw by goalkeeper Paul Durcan's hip and, when play resumed, Donegal carved out another goal chance but Kavanagh chose the wrong option, shooting for goal when he had a colleague better placed. The shot was blocked. Muldoon's free dropped short into Durcan's hands; Mark Lynch was crowded out after being picked out by Paddy Bradley; and Donegal stretched their lead with the first score of the second half - eight minutes after the resumption. Paul McFlynn was adjudged to have touched the ball on the ground and Doherty obliged from the free. Kavanagh had all the time in the world to kick Donegal's next point and Paddy Bradley retorted with a Derry point in the 45th minute - 1-7 to 0-7. Derry had their best spell when they finally started to play the obvious direct ball into their forwards and Muldoon showed no ill effects of his earlier knock when he collected Hinphey's delivery to point from long range. Lynch left the Donegal defence trailing in his wake with a powerful run, but he had no support when he looked inside and was forced to take a shot, which came back off a post. Eoin Bradley kicked wide and his cousin Paddy dropped one into the keeper's hands as the Oak Leafers strived to get back into it. When Derry midfielder Joe Diver kicked an inspirational point in the 51st minute, Donegal responded by bringing Adrian Sweeney in for Conal Bonner. Kavanagh immediately struck his fourth point from play and corner back Karl Lacey put five between them again, 1-9 to 0-7 with a quarter of the match remaining. Resurgent Derry then had two points in as many minutes from Diver and Bradley, before Doherty and Paddy Bradley (free) traded scores. Derry had closed within a goal for the third time since the turnaround and they needed the next score. It was looking good when Muldoon collected a high delivery but the big target man couldn't hold the ball and ended up touching it on the ground. Muldoon then foolishly landed a nasty punch into Campbell's back and received a straight red card. With that, went Derry's chances of an Ulster final place. Paul McFlynn's 69th-minute free came off the post and Lacey's second point at the other end finished the match as a contest - 1-11 to 0-10. Donegal got a free when Kevin McCloy pulled Sweeney in the last seconds of normal time and Doherty exacted retribution with an injury-time free. Doherty and Derry substitute Paul Cartin were both forced out of the action following a bad collision and, after a long delay, Paddy Bradley got a late consolation score for the Foylesiders. But that man Kavanagh popped up for the last point of the match as Donegal booked their place in this year's Ulster football final. Donegal: P Durcan; N McGee, P Campbell, K Lacey (0-2); E. McGee, B Monaghan, B Dunnion; N Gallagher, B Boyle; C Toye, M Hegarty, C Bonner (0-2); R Kavanagh (0-5), C Dunne, M Doherty (1-4). Subs: D Diver, A Sweeney, C Kelly Derry: B Gillis; K McGuckin, K McCloy, F McEldowney (0-1); L Hinphey, P McFlynn, J O'Kane; J McBride, J Diver (0-2); M Lynch, B McGoldrick, F Doherty; E Muldoon (0-4), P Bradley (0-4), E Bradley. Subs: G Donaghy, P Cartin, T Kelly, B Mullen Tweet

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