Tyrone U20s win Ulster title after penalty shootout

TYRONE 3-10 DERRY 2-13

(aet, Tyrone win 3-1 on penalties)

KEEPER Conor McAneny pulled off three quality saves in the spotkick shootout as Tyrone secured the Ulster Under-20 Championship title after a marathon evening at the Athletic Grounds on Wednesday.

Having dug themselves out of a hole, when trailing by four points at the end of half-time in extra-time, the Red Hands summoned up the courage and character to plot a path back into contention, a fisted goal from sub Ruairi McHugh helping to set up the grandstand finish.

The victory on penalties marked a fourth provincial crown in seven saesons for Tyrone at this grade, but none of those past triunphs could have been as hard-earned as this, with Derry giving as good as they got throughout.

Both teams had served up an attritional but evenly fought battle when they locked horns in the group stages and the initial signs here were that another tactical arm wrestle was on the cards.

Niall O’Donnell floated over the opener for the Oak Leafers in the sixth minute, but Tyrone quickly responded courtesy of a Ronan Cassidy free after captain Michael Rafferty had been fouled.

The teams remained deadlocked as Ronan Walls and Conor O’Neill traded scores, the Tyrone midfielder impressing throughout the first period with his menacing runs from deep.

With several of the Red Hands more pivotal figures struggling to get involved in the contest, Derry sought to capitalise and in the 11^th minute a razor sharp exchange of passes between Ruairi Forbes and Danny McDermott culminated in a low finish past keeper Conor McAneny by Johnny McGuckian.

The Tyrone response was emphatic however, as the dynamic Shea O’Hare raced clear and found Joey Clarke. His shot was blocked by the advancing keeper Callum Armstrong but the alert O’Hare was on hand to guide the rebound to the net.

These quick fire strikes at either end helped to kickstart the tie into life, with the intensity and pace upped considerably.

O’Donnell and Cassidy were among the shining lights for their respective sides and they hoisted quality efforts at either end which maintained parity on the scoreboard at 1-3 apiece with twenty minutes having elapsed.

Derry opened a two point window after Oisin Doherty (free) and Shea McCann split the posts but again Tyrone provided a fitting riposte. O’Neill was at the heart of it as he galloped clear and fed Ruairi McCullagh whose rising shot came back down of the underside of the bar, just crossing the white line.

And Tyrone almost rattled the net for a third time just ahead of the interval as Gavin Potter and O’Hare linked up to send Cassidy through but his effort drifted just inches wide of the post. And right on the break Ronan Walls knocked one over to leave it all-square at half-time, 2-3 to 1-6.

While Danny McDermott steered Derry ahead on the restart, Tyrone leapfrogged in front again as Ronan Cassidy and Odhran Brolly both steered over scores.

It remained nip and tuck throughout the second period, Eoin McElholm slotting a quality brace of points for Tyrone, but they just couldn’t shirk off the Oak Leafers.

A couple of points from Oisin Doherty put them in the box-seat but McCullagh’s tidy finish in the 53^rd minute sent the match into extra-time, Tyrone 2-8 Derry 1-11.

Tyrone’s cause looked a forlon one when Ryan McNicholl slotted home a goal in the 69^th minute after McPeake caused mayhem around the square.

McHugh’s goal soon after the restart was a timely boost and right at the death sub Conor Owens floated over a quality leveller to set up the penalty shootout, where McAneny took centre stage.

MATCH STATS

The Scorers

Tyrone

Ruairi McCullagh (1-2,1f), Shea O’Hare (1-0), Ruairi McHugh (1-0), Ronan Cassidy (0-3,1f), Eoin McElholm (0-2), Odhran Brolly, Conor O’Neill, Conor Owens (0-1 each)

Derry

Oisin Doherty (0-4,3f), Johnny McGuckian (1-0), Ryan McNicholl (1-0), Shea McCann (0-2), Niall O’Donnell (0-2), Rory McGill (0-2) Conleth McGrogan, Ronan Walls, Danny McDermott, (0-1 each)

The Teams

Tyrone

Conor McAneny, Joey Clarke, Ben Hughes, Conor Devlin, Shea O’Hare, Michael Rafferty, Odhran Brolly, Ronan Fox, Conor O’Neill, Cormac Devlin, Eoin McElholm, Gavin Potter, Ruairi McCullagh, Ronan Cassidy, Callum Daly. Subs used: Fiachra Nelis for C Devlin (22mins), Ruairi McHugh for O Brolly (44), Paddy McCann for R Fox (50), Noah Grimes for R Cassidy (55), Conor owens for C O’Neill (70), Fichar Donnelly for M Rafferty (72)

Derry

Callum Armstrong, Fionn McEldowney, Danny McDermott, Rory Small, Conleth McGrogan, Patrick McGurk, Ronan Walls, Ruairi Forbes, Conall Heron, Cahir Spiers, Shea McCann, Johnny McGuckian, Niall O’Donnell, Ciaran Chambers, Oisin Doherty. Subs used: Ryan McNicholl for S McCann (h-time), Eoin Higgins for C Spiers (37), Rory McGill for C Chambers (45), Dara McPeake for R Walls (55), Tommy Rogers for C Heron (72)

Referee: Diarmuid Boylan (Monaghan)