Seven-up for sizzling Sorcha in Minor Final

Tyrone 8-4  Monaghan 4-12

SORCHA Gormley scored a remarkable seven goals, completing a first half hat trick in two minutes, as Tyrone eventually saw off a dogged Monaghan at Silverbridge on Saturday to claim the Ulster Minor Gold Championship title with four points to spare at the end.

Gormley was clearly the star of the show although despite her scoring exploits Tyrone still had to dig deep to hold off the Farney.

In the end it was their character and hard work that got them over the winning line.

Goalkeeper Ella McCaffrey, as well as defenders Emily Conlan, Cara McCoubry and Emma McCrossan performed well, while Catherine Moohan, Emma Sheehy and Nicole Donaghy worked tirelessly. On another day anyone of them could have collected the Player of the Match tag but Gormley, in her first game in well over a month, was exceptional.

Monaghan led by three points after the opening five minutes, Alison Gilliland and a brace from Aimee Donnelly got them moving, before Gormley took centre stage bagging three quality goals. She owed much though to the selfless work of colleagues Sheehy, Donaghy and Moohan in carving out the opportunities.

Moohan collected a pass from Emma Murphy to score a fourth Tyrone goal, while hot-shot Gormley found the net twice before the break. Monaghan’s Aine Maguire punished a poor clearance with a goal of her own but her side trailed by nine points at the break.

The third quarter belonged to Monaghan as Tyrone only managed two points. The Farney side added several scores and a critical goal from Donaghy closed the gap to four points.

>body2text<A 48th minute penalty after Moohan was upended was netted by Gormley to give Tyrone further daylight and while Donaghy got her second goal the Red Hands maintained the pressure, keeping their noses in front despite a spirited Monaghan response.

Gormley capped a memorable display with her seventh goal of the afternoon when she intercepted a kickout with four minutes left as Tyrone claimed the title in what had been a hugely entertaining game.

Tyrone Minor Scorers: Sorcha Gormley 7-2, Catherine Moohan 1-0, Nicole Donaghy 0-1, Amy Sheehy 0-1

Ulster Under 16 Gold Final

Tyrone 4-10 Armagh 5-15

Three first half goals from Armagh at Healy Park on Sunday left Tyrone with a mountain to climb in the Ulster Under-16 Gold Final.

Although the home side deserve genuine credit for the battling qualities they showed through the second half they had left themselves with too much to do. Goals from Erin McGinn, Isabela Grimes and Mariana Loughran closed the gap and undelined the side’s character.

Tyrone trailed by ten points at the break, but ten minutes into the second half  they had closed that gap to three with Loughran, Grimes and McGinn bagging goals. However they just could not haul themselves level and the Orchard girls reasserted control to pull away again.

Ellie Daly, Lucy McCullagh and McGinn all registered to nudg Tyrone three points clear in a pulsating spell.  Moving the ball well the Red Hands looked comfortable, but after Alananh O’Neill rattled in a goal for Armagh the home side were forced on the backfoot.

Struggling to clear their lines Tyrone conceded three quickfire points and while Keeva Owens landed a mammoth point, Armagh were in the ascendancy. O’Neill tagged on 1-2 and Lilly Mc Bennett goaled before the break to open a ten point lead.

Tyrone worked hard, the impressive Lucy Mc Cullagh and Drumragh’s Dana Coyle landed points and they carved out chances in front of goal. Armagh though stood firm. A response from Tyrone was badly needed and came within two minutes when Mariana Loughran lashed in a goal.

Armagh pointed twice but it was Tyrone who made the running. Grimes steered her effort to the net and when McGinn stormed through with a great goal just three points separated the sides.

Two quickfire Armagh goals ended Tyrone hopes. O’Neill scored a penalty and player of the match McBennett added her side’s fifth goal. Further points from McBennett  and Caiomhe Gollogly opened the gap to eleven and effectively left no way back for Tyrone in the last quarter.

McCullagh and the excellent Owens did add points, before McGinn dropped in a long range goal but Armagh eased through the gears to register an eight point win come the final whistle.

Tyrone U16 Scorers: Erin McGinn 1-1, Lucy McCullagh 0-4, Isabela Grimes 1-0, Mariana Loughran 1-0, Keeva Owens 0-2, Therese Loughran, Dana Coyle and Ellie Daly 0-1 each