Holders Tyrone defeat Donegal in Ulster U20 Final thriller

Tyrone 1-19  Donegal 2-14

(after extra-time)

THE Danny Murphy Cup will take up residence in Tyrone for another twelve months as the defending Ulster Under-20 champions fended off a fierce challenge from Donegal at Owenbeg last Wednesday night to retain their crown.

The O’Neill County’s remarkable sequence of success in this competition has now seen them win the Championship in five of the last seven seasons, and this latest triumph also keeps them on track for a potential third All-Ireland title in four years.

This one was hard earned after a marathon evening in the sun-kissed south Derry venue, with extra-time required to eventually separate the two protagonists.

The teams were locked together at 1-9 apiece after normal time, captain Joey Clarke leading by example with a fine second half goal for the holders, but a flurry of brilliant two pointers in the early stages of extra-time provided Tyrone with a sufficient cushion to see the job through, inspite of a gutsy Donegal fightback.

Ruairi McCullagh led the scoring stakes for Tyrone, with nine points to his name, while Conor O’Neill was a colossus at midfield, but as was the case throughout the campaign, it required a solid and assured showing from individuals across the park to get the job done.

There was a fairly soporific start to proceedings with both sides pushing and probing for openings, but no real intensity or fire to the exchanges.

It took five minutes for McCullagh to land the first score for Tyrone courtesy of a ’45’, before Noah Grimes doubled their advantage when cutting in to fist over.

Donegal, who hammered Tyrone by eight points in the group stage of the competition a month earlier, suffered an early blow when the influential Cian McMenamin limped off, but they soon registered on the scoreboard as the lively Conor McGinty split the posts.

Matthew Quinn, another one of the Red Hands bright sparks throughout this campaign, produced a tidy finish on his right peg to stretch their lead, but by the twenty minute mark it was three points apiece, with McGinty again and midfielder Kevin Muldoon on target for Donegal.

Goal opportunities were thin on the ground, but it required a superb intercept from Joey Clarke to dislodge possession from David Monaghan before he could pull the trigger.

Tyrone started to assert a degree of control as the half unfolded, O’Neill lording it around the middle and Eoin McElholm coming to the fore, but a spate of poor wides (eight in total before the break) stymied their ambitions.

Instead it was Muldoon who hoisted over a quality score to put Donegal ahead, but in injury time the Red Hands leapfrogged ahead.

The excellent Caolan Donnelly fisted over the black spot and McCullagh swivelled sharply to convert and hand his side a narrow 0-5 to 0-4 half-time advantage.

Donegal flew out of the blocks on the restart, with half-time sub Shane Callaghan blasting over a two pointer with his first touch and Conor McCahill following suit from outside the 40m arc a minute later.

Three points in arrears Tyrone responded in the most emphatic fashion in the 35th minute, Joey Clarke steering home a goal on the rebound after Liam Og Mossey’s initial attempt cannoned down off the post into his path.

McCullagh then screwed another goal chance off target under pressure, but he did add a point soon after, while Conall Sheehy also raced through to convert, from a deft McElholm lay off.

Midfielder Sean Martin notched up a much needed Donegal score, but their challenge received a real fillip in the 50 minute, defender Cathal ‘Rua’ O Gallchoir blasting home a goal, after a terrific Muldoon burst.

Two close range McCullagh frees drew Tyrone level, but despite their best efforts to chisel out a late opportunity, extra-time was required.

A series of excellent two pointers from McElholm, McCullagh and sub Shea McDermott appeared to have Tyrone home and hosed but a weaving run and fine finish to the net by Seanan Carr kept Donegal very much in contention as they turned around 1-16 to 2-11 in arrears.

McElholm widened the gap but a battling Donegal refused to yield and Seanan Carr and Callaghan (twice) gave them renewed hope.

McCullagh’s close range free then put Tyrone two in front but it required a fine reaction save from keeper Conan McGarvey at the death to keep out Carr’s low goalbound strike. Tyrone were champions yet again.

Scorers

Tyrone: Ruairi McCullagh ((0-9, 1tp, 4f,1 ’45’), Eoin McElholm (0-3,1tp) Joey Clarke (1-0), Conall Sheehy (0-2), Shea McDermott (0-2,tp), Noah Grimes, Caolan Donnelly, Matthew Quinn (0-1 each)

Donegal: Shane Callaghan (0-5,1tp,2f), Seanan Carr (1-1), Cathal ‘Rua’ O Gallchoir (1-0), Conor McCahill (0-3,1tp), Conor McGinty (0-2), Kevin Muldoon (0-2), Sean Martin (0-1)

Teams

Tyrone: Conan McGarvey, Fiachra Nelis, Ben Hughes, Conor Devlin, Callum Daly, Joey Clarke, Caolan Donnelly, Conan Devlin, Conor O’Neill, Conall Sheehy, Eoin McElholm, Matthew Quinn, Noah Grimes, Ruairi McCullagh, Liam Og Mossey. Subs used: Michael McElhatton for N Grimes (52mins), Darragh Donaghy for Sheehy (HT ETSean McCann for L Mossey (75)

Donegal: Padraig McBride, Aaron Neely, Niall Prendiville, Cathal ‘Rua’ O Gallchoir, Finbarr Roarty, Callum McCrea, Conor McGinty, Sean Martin, Kevin Muldoon, Max Campbell, Cian McMenamin, Mark McDevitt, Conor McCahill, Daithi Gildea, Seanan Carr. Subs used: David Monaghan for C McMenamin (10mins), Shane Callaghan for D Gildea (h-time), Dylan Mulholland for M McDevitt (45), Donal Gallagher for A Neely (55), Turlough Carr for D Monaghan (55), Max Campbell for K Muldoon (75), D Monaghan for C McGinty (80)

Referee: Kevin Faloon (Armagh)