Minors lift Jim McGuigan Cup after defeating Donegal

Tyrone 1-15  Donegal 1-13

TYRONE  secured the Ulster Minor League Jim McGuigan Cup after edging past Donegal in a hugely entertaining battle at sun drenched Maghera on Saturday afternoon.

It was a contest that the winners were in control off for most of the opening half but after establishing a seven point lead with the wind at their backs they allowed Donegal back into it to close the gap to three by half time. Donegal took the game to their opponents in the second half and within ten minutes they had their noses in front.

Tyrone looked to be in troubler but they didn’t panic and a 47^th minute Cathal Farley goal gave them back a lead that they were to never lose and they managed to hold out in the closing stages as Donegal piled on the pressure.

Man of the match Peter Colton got Tyrone up and running with a well taken two pointer in the 4^th minute and when the Red Hands won possession from the next kickout midfielder James Mulgrew split the posts as well.

Thomas Lenehan opened Donegal’s account in the 7^th minute but in the next attack the lively Joel Kerr cancelled that score out. Tyrone were on top with their defence giving nothing away and when they broke they did so at pace to leave their opponents struggling to contain them.

James Daly tagged on a point with Colton landing another two pointer while sandwiched in between those two scores Tyrone had a goal ruled out for a square ball after Mark Kennedy had palmed to the net. Eoin Long then knocked over a free to leave it 0-8 to 0-1 in the 21^st minute.

Tyrone though were to only add another free from Long to their first half tally as Donegal began to come into the game. Tyrone keeper Ronan Donnelly did well to punch a dangerous ball away but wing half back Cathal Doherty pointed from the rebound before Lenehan and Shane Sweeney hit two quickfire points.

Donegal were now on top and another Lenehan free was followed by a neat effort from play from centre half forward Tomas Carr to leave it 0-9 to 0-6 at the interval.

It was Tyrone who opened the second half scoring from a Kerr free but Donegal soon wasted no time in making the elements count as they began to move the ball with more purpose. Joseph Gibbons scored and when corner back Christopher O’Donnell kicked a terrific two pointer from out on the right wing the gap was down to the minimum and Donegal really had their tails up.

In the 39^th minute Donegal grabbed their goal when Sweeney and Carr combined to find the dangerous Lenehan who provided a precise finish to the bottom right hand corner of the net past the diving Donnelly.

Tyrone though dusted themselves down with Thomas Meenan scoring a fine and crucial point before Kerr levelled matters in the 42^nd minute from a free after he had been fouled himself.

It was a good spell for the winners and they quickly found themselves in front again after Matthew Daly got his name on the scoresheet. Respective right corner forward Sweeney and Kerr exchanged points before midfielder Kalvin McLaughlin sent over the equaliser going into the final quarter.

Moments later came the crucial score of the game as Tyrone struck for their goal. Long sent in a dangerous ball which Matthew Daly got on the end of and while his palmed effort was cleared off the line it came as far as Cathal Farley who coolly slotted the ball to the net.

Donegal hit back with scores from Lenehan and Sweeney while at the other end Long turned sharply to split the posts. Donegal had their chances in the closing moments but they lacked composure in front of the posts as a number of chances went abegging as Tyrone held out to take the silverware.

Scorers

Tyrone

Peter Colton 0-4 (2 x 2pt), Joel Kerr 0-4 (F), Eoin Long 0-3 (2F), Cathal Farley 1-0, James Mulgrew 0-1, James Daly 0-1, Thomas Meenan 0-1, Matthew Daly 0-1

Donegal

Thomas Lenehan 1-4 (3F), Shane Sweeney 0-3, Christopher O’Donnell 0-2 (2pt), Cathal Doherty 0-1, Tomas Carr 0-1, Joseph Gibbons 0-1, Kalvin McLaughlin 0-1

Teams

Tyrone

Ronan Donnelly, Elliot Kerr, Padraig Goodman, Ciaran McCrystal, Aodhan Quinn, James Daly, Cathal Farley, James Mulgrew, Padraig Donaghy, Matthew Daly, Peter Colton, Thomas Meenan, Joel Kerr, Eoin Long, Mark Kennedy. Subs: Peter Garrity for Kennedy, Darren McAnespie for Matthew Daly, Pearse McDonald for Long, Harley Patton for Farley

Donegal

Ronan O’Donnell, Christopher O’Donnell, Jamie Gavigan, Daithi Molloy, Cathal Doherty, Evan Daly, Conor Farrell, Kalvin McLaughlin, Cathal McGee, Conor Gallagher, Tomas Carr, Joseph Gibbons, Shane Sweeney, Matthew Enright, Thomas Lenehan. Subs: Callum McGilloway for Daly, Peter McLoughlin for Farrell, Danny McCready for Lenehan

Referee: Neil McGeown (Armagh)