Tyrone U20s sink the Saffrons to ease into quarter-finals

TYRONE 2-24 ANTRIM 0-10

WOUNDED by the nature of their ten point defeat to Donegal a week earlier, reigning All-Ireland Under-20 champions Tyrone got the show back on the road with an ultimately convincing victory over Antrim at O’Neill Park last Wednesday evening.

A devastating scoring spree in the final five minutes, which saw the hosts reel off a goal and five points on the spin without reply, helped paint an unkind reflection on the contest from the Saffrons perspective.

Yet while the twenty point margin on the scoreboard may have been somewhat harsh come the final whistle, there was little doubting the Red Hands superior quality, sharpness and fitness across the hour.

Manager Paul Devlin made seven changes from the previous outing in Ballybofey, resting up some of the regular starters, with Tyrone already guaranteed a spot in this week’s quarter-finals.

There was still no lack of quality in their midst, with Sean McCann and Callum Daly tenacious in defence; Conan Devlin and Conor O’Neill again providing a formidable platform around the centre of the pitch, and in attack the Cookstown trio of Conall Sheehy, Lorcan McMurray and Michael McElhatton looked lively.

Another potent marksman Ruairi McCullagh struck over the opening two points (one free), before Antrim defender Paul Duffin banged over an excellent two pointer to equalise after a prolonged spell of Saffron possession.

In the early evening Dungannon sun, there was no real zip or intensity to the exchanges, though McMurray slotted over a brace of sharply taken scores, while McCullagh tagged on a free, and Sheehy cleverly made room to convert.

A superb two pointer from Corey Walsh reduced the arrears for Antrim to 0-6 to 0-4 by the 20 minute mark, as they hung on defiantly to the coat-tails of the hosts.

Tyrone were far from their fluent best, even with Liam Lawn and McCullagh stretching their lead with assured finishes.

Pointed frees from Sean Boyd and LorcanPhilips kept Antrim very much in contention (the latter also knocked over a fine effort from play before the break) but terrific two pointers by McCullagh from the right wing and his team-mate O’Neill eased the Red Hands into a 0-12 to 0-7 advantage at half-time.

The home side tagged on three further points on the restart- McCullagh with a brace- and Lawn with the other after bulldozing up the middle. Antrim were limited to just one score in the third quarter, that a Phillips free, as Tyrone began to turn the screw.

Team captain Joey Clarke, a half-time sub, ventured up the pitch to split the posts, while the impressive O’Neill and McElhatton also got in on the scoring act to open the gap to ten, 0-18 to 0-8.

With the Saffron challenge wilting, they were dealt a cruel blow when an attempt from out the pitch by Tyrone sub Shea McDermott dropped over the head of keeper Jamie McLaughlin into the net in the 44^th minute.

Despite a fine two pointer from Antrim sub Turlough Henry, Tyrone wrested a firm grip on exchanges down the home straight. McDermott was doing his prospects no harm with a sprightly cameo showing and floated over a two pointer.

Another replacement Fiachra Nelis also tagged on a point and a lofted effort into the net from McMurray in the last minute capped a satisfactory night’s work for the defending champions.

Scorers

Tyrone: Ruairi McCullagh (0-8, 1tpf, 4f), Lorcan McMurray (1-3), Shea McDermott (1-3, 1tp), Conor O’Neill (0-3,1tp), Liam Lawn (0-2), Conall Sheehy (0-2), Michael McElhatton, Fiachra Nelis, Joey Clarke (0-1 each)

Antrim: Lorcan Phillips (0-3,2f), Corey Walsh (0-2,tp), Paul Duffin (0-2,tp), Turlough Henry (0-2,tpf), Sean Boyd (0-1,f)

Teams

Tyrone: Conan McGarvey, Shane McCaul, Ben Hughes, Sean McCann, Callum Daly, Brian Gallagher, Caolan Donnelly, Conan Devlin, Conor O’Neill, Conall Sheehy, Liam Lawn, Matthew Quinn, Lorcan McMurray, Ruairi McCullagh, Michael McElhatton. Subs used: Fiachra Nelis for B Gallagher (h-time), Joey Clarke for B Hughes (h-time), Lorcan McCullagh for M Quinn (40mins), Shea McDermott for R McCullagh (45), Sean Broderick for C Devlin (48)

Antrim: Jamie McLaughlin, Sonny Doyle, Donncha McGurk, Christopher Hale, Ronan Quinn, Paul Duffin, Liam Lynn, Niall Hynds, Michael McKenna, Corey Walsh, Se Ferris, Darragh Bradley, Sean Boyd, Lorcan Phillips, JJ Higgins. Subs used: Turlough Henry for S Boyd (41mins), Callum Lappin for L Lynn (41), Segdae Mac Adhaimh for D Bradley (48)

Referee: Christopher Brady (Monaghan)