Tyrone Minors battle past Monaghan to make Ulster Final

Tyrone 2-20 Monaghan3-12

WHAT is it about that trademark Monaghan grit? Well, Tyrone have plenty of it as well, redoubling their efforts after the concession of a third goal midway through the second-half at Healy Park on Saturday to advance to a first Ulster Minor Championship Final since 2021.

The Farney rattled out 1-2 without reply to move into a 2-15 to 3-10 lead – they had momentum, their supporters were going bananas, and it looked like Tyrone could be about to lose their first match all season – and there was no backdoor on this occasion.

The Red Hand youngsters showed immense composure to regain control of the contest, their efforts aided by a pair of gargantuan two-point frees from the cool-as-a-cucumber Joel Kerr.

By the final whistle, they’d four points to spare on the scoreboard, and now they can look ahead to next Sunday’s Ulster final against Cavan – a team they have already beaten twice this year, but that can be no guarantee…

As for how it all transpired on Saturday, Tyrone had the ball over the bar in a matter of seconds, the impressive Thomas Meenan playing a neat one-two with James Daly before splitting the posts. Not long after, they doubled their advantage with an Eoin Long free.

Waspish tackling from Meenan and Ciaran McCrystal saw Monaghan stripped off possession under the shadow of the stand, Tyrone’s intense start boding extremely well indeed, and they added a third point from the resulting play when Joel Kerr converted.

Monaghan got their first of the day via Sean Murtagh, much to the delight of their support, but Tyrone weren’t long in responding with Aodhan Quinn ghosting forward and finding the target. Five minutes, five points, four of those Tyrone’s.

The Farney defence looked rather porous and Joel Kerr took full advantage with a superb individual effort close to the arc, while down the other end of the field, the tigerish corner-back Elliott Kerr did well to prevent a likely Monaghan score.

James Daly too did well to put the clampers on a promising attack with a well-timed interception.

Tyrone were scoring almost at their leisure and Fintona talent Peter Colton swept over their sixth of the day, Monaghan by contrast fluffing their lines in front of the posts on repeated occasion.

Then a Tyrone goal – Peter Garrity reacting smartly to a goal-bound shot from Darren McAnespie that spiralled back out after an initial save. 1-6 to 0-1, and Monaghan were already in deep trouble.

It was really impressive stuff from the Red Hands in every respect. Aodhan Quinn’s second pushed their advantage further in the 17th minute, and at this juncture they hadn’t even hit a single wide.

Monaghan midfielder James Ennis tagged on their second point, before another score from half-back Quinn – his third of the day!

That preceded two Monaghan scores in quick succession, including a two-point free from Ennis, leaving a slightly more manageable six-point deficit with 23 minutes gone.

And all of a sudden it was cut back to three. Monaghan hadn’t been up to much but they were growing in confidence and Adam Treanor applied a cool finish to the net after the ball was played across goal by Shane Byrne.

Tyrone responded with a Peter Colton point though James Ennis was looking very useful from the dead ball and steered over a ‘45’.

Joel Kerr, proving himself a real handful, could’ve got a goal but he didn’t have much of an angle to work with and his shot skirted wide of the target.

A lovely effort from Thomas Meenan restored a four-point lead though not for long – Tristan Nugent doing extremely well to maintain possession before squeezing a pass through to Shane Byrne who found the net.

In the next attack, with the final kick of the half, Byrne blasted over and that was that – for all Tyrone’s good work the sides were deadlocked at the break. Hard to believe considering they had led by nine points midway through the half and had looked entirely comfortable.

So anyway, Gerard Donnelly’s side were back to square one and it was going to take a mammoth effort to come through this one.

Tyrone started the second half with real intent, the ever-lively Kerr setting up Colton for his third point from play, but it didn’t take Monaghan long in responding, a Sean Murtagh free.

Every ball was fought for in a game worthy of its billing and it took a piece of magic to unlock the Farney defence for Tyrone’s second goal, Cathal Farley playing a defence-splitting through-ball to Thomas Meenan who did the rest.

It certainly didn’t unnerve Monaghan, who struck for 1-2 without reply. Two pointed frees in quick succession paved the way for a supremely well-worked goal finished to the net by Harry Hamill, the catalyst, wizarding a timely turnover in the middle of the park. It wasn’t quite a disaster from a Tyrone perspective but it was another reminder, as if it were needed, that Monaghan are a dogged, dogged bunch.

Eoin Long got his first of the day in response before a point down the other end from Byrne, leaving Monaghan with a 3-11 to 2-12 lead with a quarter of an hour remaining.

Tyrone midfielder James Mulgrew and Peter Colton fired over two fine scores to restore parity before a big, big moment.

Joe Kerr stepped up to hit a 50-metre free and absolutely nailed it to add two points to the kitty, the Red Hands now leading by 2-16 to 3-11 with ten minutes left.

And again, Kerr was offered the opportunity to land a two-point free and again, he nailed it – brilliant place-kicking. A four point advantage with 55 minutes on the clock, Tyrone were almost but not quite there.

Monaghan were in danger of unraveling completely when they were caught breaching the 3v3. Long took full advantage, tapping the resulting free over the bar.

Long scored a much more difficult effort from the deadball from the next attack, and let’s note that since the Farney’s third goal, Tyrone had scored seven points in-a-row, impressive stuff worthy of an Ulster final berth.

Monaghan, trailing by six points, ended their drought with a point from sub Harry Treanor and they could have got a fourth goal only for the quick thinking of Ciaran McCystal as injury-time approached, clearing his lines after intercepting a dangerous pass across goal.

Tyrone were basically home and hosed at this stage – the scoreboard reading 2-20 to 3-12 – and some more last-ditch defending kept Monaghan at bay.

The final whistle blew shortly thereafter on a thoroughly entertaining match – and Tyrone were thoroughly deserving victors.

Scorers

Tyrone: Joel Kerr (0-6, 2 2pt f), Thomas Meenan (1-2), Peter Colton (0-4), Eoin Long (0-4f), Aodhan Quinn (0-3), Peter Garrity (1-0)), James Mulgreew (0-1)

Monaghan: Shane Byrne (1-3), James Ennis (0-4, 1 2pt f, 1 45), Adam Treanor and Harry Magill (1-0 each), Sean Murtagh (0-3, 0-2f), Tristan Nugent (0-1f), Harry Treanor (0-1)

Teams

Tyrone: Ronan Donnelly, Elliott Kerr, Padraig Goodman, Ciaran McCrystal, Aodhan Quinn, James Daly, Cathal Farley, James Mulgrew, Padraig Donaghy, Darren McAnespie, Peter Colton, Thomas Meenan, Joel Kerr, Eoin Long, Peter Garrity. Subs used: Michael Mullin for Kerr, Matthew F Daly for Farley, Diarmuid Martin for Garrity, Michael Hughes for McAnespie

Monaghan: Liam Mulholland, Niall Fanthrope, Conor Mulligan, Darragh Feeney, Móchra Lynch, Oliver Kelly, Tiernan McGeough, Harry McQuillan, James Ennis, Shane Byrne, Adam Treanor, Ryan Lynch, Harry Hamill, Tristan Nugent, Sean Murtagh. Subs used: Seán Meegan for Fanthope, Mickey Burke for Byrne, Harry Treanor for Treanor