Tyrone defeated Donegal by 2-13 to 1-10 in the big relegation battle at Healy Park.
Michael Murphy eased Donegal into a 0-6 to 0-3 lead, and Peter Harte missed a Tyrone penalty, but they did grab a goal on the stroke of half-time to lead by 1-5 to 0-7 at the interval.
Mark Bradley netted a second Red Hand goal, but Odhran MacNiallais palmed home a Donegal goal.
It was the Red Hands who had the greater firepower in the closing stages, with Lee Brennan, Cathal McShane and Harte hitting the late scores that plunged Donegal deeper into trouble.
Tyrone beat Donegal in the Allianz Football League, watch the Full-Time highlights here on GAANOW! pic.twitter.com/GpYL9Dfsic
— The GAA (@officialgaa) March 10, 2018
An injury which kept Division One’s top scorer Paddy McBrearty out of the game came as a huge blow to Donegal, but with Michael Murphy taking up an advanced position, they were not lacking in finishing power.
And midfielder Odhran MacNiallais also proved adept at finding the target, opening the scoring for the visitors, before adding a monster effort from 50 metres to give them a 0-03 to 0-01 lead after six minutes.
Mark McHugh also landed a stylish effort as the Donegal men looked for every opportunity to attack
Tyrone were on the back foot for long stretches in those opening stages, but raided from deep for Mark Bradley, making his first start of the season, and Niall Sludden to claim scores.
Tyrone dropped 15 men back into their own half, but couldn’t prevent corner back Eoghan Ban Gallagher from stretching Donegal’s advantage
Frank Burns made the driving run that sent Lee Brennan in for a neat score as the Red Hands countered yet again, but the wind-assisted men from the north-west were in charge of all the key areas.
They were ahead by double scores, 0-06 to 0-03, by the end of the opening quarter as Murphy converted his second free.
But with Burns and Cathal McShane linking play effectively, the Red Hands closed the gap with converted frees from Brennan and Connor McAliskey.
And in the 31st minute, they were awarded a penalty, after Niall Sludden launched a counter-attack with a block on Murphy, and as he got on the end of the move, he was hauled to the ground by ‘keeper Shaun Patton.
Peter Harte stepped up to the kick, but sent it wide, and a glorious opportunity was lost.
Two minutes later, however, they did hit the net, and it was Sludden who finished low past Patton to put the Red Hands in front for the first time, ahead by 1-5 to 0-7 at the break.
And they grabbed a second goal less than two minutes into the second half, Bradley brilliantly side-stepping Leo McLoone before planting the ball in the net for a four points advantage.
With Connor McAliskey (2) and goalkeeper Niall Morgan tagging on scores from frees, the home side moved into a seven points lead, 2-08 to 0-07, and Donegal were lacking in ideas, their early spark well and truly extinguished.
But they got themselves right back in the game with a 53rd minute goal, Jamie Brennan making the running, before Eoghan Ban Gallagher crossed for MacNiallais to palm home.
Substitute Stephen McBrearty slotted over a score to leave a goal between the sides, and they had another positive spell which saw Hugh McFadden narrow the gap further.
Going into the final ten minutes, Donegal trailed by just two, but the Red Hands dominated that closing spell, hitting the last four points of the game, through Brennan (2), McShane and Harte to see out the tie.
Tyrone: N Morgan (0-01, f); HP McGeary, P Hampsey, C McCarron; C Meyler, F Burns, M Donnelly; C Cavanagh, P McNulty; P Harte (0-01), N Sludden (1-01), C McShane (0-01); L Brennan (0-05, 4f), C McAliskey (0-03, 3f), M Bradley (1-1).
Subs: M McKernan for McGeary (48), K McGeary for McNulty (56), D Mulgrew for McAliskey (62), D McCurry for Bradley (66), C McCann for McShane (70), R Brennan for Meyler (73)
Donegal: S Patton; C Morrison, S McMenamin, E Ban Gallagher (0-1); T McClenaghan, C Ward, E Doherty (0-01); H McFadden (0-01), O MacNiallais (1-02); L McLoone, R McHugh, M McHugh (0-01); C Thompson, M Murphy (0-03, 3f), J Brennan.
Subs: D O Baoill for Thompson (41), M McElhinney for McClenaghan (41), S McBrearty (0-1) for M McHugh (48), F McGlynn for Ward (56), N O’Donnellf for Brennan (63), M Langan for MacNiallais (76),
Referee: D Coldrick (Meath).
