Tyrone Minors see off Donegal after penalty shootout drama

TYRONE 0-13

DONEGAL 1-10 (AET)

(Tyrone won 4-3 on penalties)

Tyrone Minors progressed to the Ulster Championship Final after a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Donegal at Celtic Park on Saturday night.

Ultimately it took spot kicks after extra-time to determine who would progress to meet Derry in the provincial decider next weekend and in the end it was Tyrone who took the spoils 4-3 to keep their title defence on track, keeper Conor McAneney with the vital save in nets.

The Tir Chonnail led 0-3 to 0-1 just past the midway stage in the first half. Karl Joseph Molloy slotted over two frees, after Cian McMeniman split the posts with a ’45’. All the Red Hands could muster in response was a quality effort swung over by midfielder Ronan Molloy.

Tyrone were struggling to unlock the Donegal rearguard and five wides alone inside the opening twenty minutes highlighted their early unease, though Noah Grimes bustling run almost created a goal chance for Donaghmore clubmate Molloy.

The likes of Conor Devlin and Callum Daly did see plenty of possession as they sought to patiently pick and probe their way through the opposition’s defensive lines and it appeared those openings were beginning to appear as Michael McElhatton pointed spectacularly, and McElholm fed Conan Devlin to arch over the leveller on 21 minutes.

McElholm then lofted over a quality effort himself to give Tyrone the advantage but that lead was shortlived as KJ Molloy (free) and Cian McGee, with a fisted score, handed Donegal a narrow 0-5 to 0-4 edge at the interval.

There seemed to be a greater urgency and intensity to the Tyrone play in the early stages of the second half, with McElholm surging through after a razor sharp exchange of passes only to miss the target under pressure, while from a vital turnover Grimes rattled over the equaliser.

In fairness though there was no let up in the insatiable workrate and hunger of the Donegal boys and two lovely points from Mark McDevitt in quick succession boosted their morale again.

With impressive midfielder Lorcan McGee dictating proceedings, Donegal took the upperhand again as Molloy floated over his first from play to leave three in it.

The omens didn’t look good for Tyrone who were struggling to build-up a head of steam, despite a sprightly showing from second half sub Sean Hughes, but when Callum Daly burst through onto McElholm’s delivery to fist over it set up a grandstand finish.

Hughes then banged over a 40m free to leave one in it, and with their belief growing Tyrone salvaged an equaliser through McElholm with a magnificent individual attempt as he was being channelled out to the right wing.

There looked to be only one team in it during extra-time with Donegal’s stamina visibly flagging. Grimes, Daly and sub Niall McCarney all pointed during the first ET period, putting the seal on some enterprising approach work.

And the gap had widened to five as McElholm struck over a ‘mark’ and Grimes swivelled to register his third score of the night.

While sub Shane Callaghan did knock over a 78^th minute point for Donegal it seemed to be a mere consolation but amazingly within seconds a high ball hoisted in was touched down by sub Kevin Lynch into the path of corner back Donal Gallagher and he produced a brilliant finish high into the net.

There was just one in it now and during a breathless finale, Tyrone sub Ruairi McCullagh picked up a red card, for a second caution, before McMeniman kept his nerve to drive over a 45m free with the last kick.

Despite their weary limbs and the stunning conclusion to the match with victory snatched from their grasp, Tyrone to their credit regrouped and converted four of their five spot-kicks to advance, Scott’s last effort for Donegal being saved by McAneney.

MATCH STATS

The Scorers

Tyrone

Eoin McElholm (0-3,1 mark), Noah Grimes (0-3,1 free), Callum Daly (0-2), Conan Devlin, Ronan Molloy, Niall McCarney, Michael McElhatton (0-1 each), Sean Hughes (0-1, free)

Donegal

Karl Joseph Molloy (0-4,3 frees), Donal Gallagher (1-0), Cian McMeniman (0-2,1 45,1 free), Mark McDevitt (0-2), Cian McGee, Shane Callaghan (0-1 each)

The Teams

Tyrone

Conor McAneney, Joey Clarke, Ben Hughes, Conor Devlin, Conan Devlin, Callum Daly, Nathan Farry, Ronan Molloy, Conor O’Neill, Charlie Donnelly, Eoin McElholm, Caolan Donnelly, Noah Grimes, Barry McMenamin, Michael McElhatton. Subs used: Sean Hughes for C Donnelly (42), Ruairi McCullagh for R Molloy (42), Niall McCarney for M McElhatton (53), Leo Hughes for B McMenamin (56), Sheehan Fay for C Devlin (75)

Donegal

Zach Conlon, Shaun McMeniman, Niall Prenderville, Donal Gallagher, Finbar Roarty, Eoghan Kelly, Sean Martin, Cian McGee, Lorcan McGee, Karl Joseph Molloy, Conor McGinty, Cian McMeniman, Mark McDevitt, Ryan Barrett, Daithai Gildea. Subs used: Padraig Coyle for S Martin (44), Sean McLaughlin for D Gildea (53), Eoghan Scott for F Roarty (60), Shane Callaghan for KJ Molloy (65), Kevin Lynch for P Coyle (71)

Referee: Michael Moore (Down)