Donegal finished strongly with 1-07 without reply to put Derry in serious relegation trouble after an exciting contest in Fr Tierney Park, Ballyshannon.
Derry led by 1-19 to 0-15 by the 58th minute of the Allianz League Division 1 clash. But they lost Brendan Rogers to injury and that along with a super performance from substitute Michael Murphy, allowed Donegal to pile on the scores.
The arrival of Michael Murphy at half-time was a real boost to Donegal but despite the Glenswilly man creating two great goal chances that went abegging, Derry were still looking like winners until the final 10 minutes.
Derry had the advantage of the gentle breeze in the first half and the sides were close on the scoreboard for most of the half.
Ryan McHugh and Dáire Ó Baoill opened the Donegal account with Conor Glass, Lachlan Murray and Paul Cassidy replying for the Derry side.
Donegal had a number of goal chances but were unable to avail of any of them. Oisin Gallen had them level at 0-03 each and Lachlan Murran and Shane O'Donnell also traded points.
Ciaran Thompson had one of the points of the half to edge Donegal ahead on 22 minutes but Derry were sharper from there to the break. The impressive Lachlan Murray had the only two-pointer of the half to edge Derry ahead again and Eoin McEvoy and Shane McGuigan (free) opened a three-point gap.
Murray also had a great goal chance, denied by a point blank save by Shaun Patton and the follow up was scrambled off the line by two Donegal defenders.
Dáire Ó Baoill and Hugh McFadden cut the lead to one but Niall Loughlin and a Shane McGuigan two-point free left the half-time score - Donegal 0-07, Derry 0-11.
Ethan Doherty and Paul Cassidy pushed Derry six clear but Ciaran Thompson responded with a two pointer and Oisin Gallen added another from outside the arc.
But a great goal from Conor Glass put Derry back in control as he took a pass from Lachlan Murray to slide home. Murray and Shane McGuigan pushed Derry into what looked like a winning position on 58 minutes.
But then came the whirlwind Donegal finish with Michael Murphy pointing a free and then setting up Shane O'Donnell for the goal which lifted the team and the crowd.
Ciaran Thompson added a two-pointer and they finished with four points in the final four minutes from Conor O’Donnell (2), Ciaran Moore and Dáire Ó Baoill.
Donegal: Shaun Patton; Mark Curran, Brendan McCole, Eoghan Ban Gallagher; Ryan McHugh (0-01), Caolan McGonagle, Ciaran Moore (0-01); Ciaran Thompson (0-06,1tpf,1tp), Hugh McFadden (0-01); Shane O’Donnell (1-01), Niall O’Donnell, Dáire Ó Baoill (0-5,1tp); Conor O’Donnell (0-03), Oisin Gallen (0-3,1tp), Jamie Brennan.
Subs: Michael Murphy (0-01,0-01f) for Niall O’Donnell and Odhran McFadden Ferry for Curran (both ht); Caolan McColgan for Brennan (50); Eoin McHugh for H McFadden (57); Odhran Doherty for R McHugh (61)
Derry: Odhran Lynch; Diarmaid Baker, Eoin McEvoy (0-01), Martin Bradley; Conor Doherty (0-01), Brendan Rogers, Padraig McGrogan; Conor Glass (1-01), Anton Tohill; Dan Higgins, Paul Cassidy (0-02), Ethan Doherty (0-01); Niall Loughlin (0-01), Shane McGuigan (0-06,1tpf,0-04f), Lachlan Murray (0-06,2tp).
Subs: Mark Doherty for Bradley (50); Cahir McMonagle for Loughlin (52); Declan Cassidy for Rogers (58); Patrick McGurk for McGrogan (65)
Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo)
