Shield success for Red Hand Minor hurlers

Derry B  0-7  Tyrone 1-13

TYRONE held their hosts Derry relatively comfortably at arms length on Saturday in Owenbeg to clinch the Ulster Minor Hurling Shield title.

The victory in the final capped an encouraging winter campaign for the team who now turn their attentions to the Celtic Challenge competition, no doubt harbouring high hopes of another extended run.

Across all sectors of the pitch the visitors held the upper hand, and with ace score getter Cormac McErlean pitching in with ten points in total (evenly split between open play and frees) they bossed proceedings for the most part.

A hat-trick of early McErlean frees and a Caolan Grimes score helped Tyrone ease into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead, before Daire Sally then extended their advantage.

Derry clawed the deficit back courtesy of Joe Bryson and Dylan Kelly, but when Cahir Cassidy struck for a goal, and McErlean tagged on a couple of smartly take points from play, the visitors enjoyed a 1-7 to 0-4 interval lead.

There was no let up from Tyrone on the restart, with McErlean (two) and Shane Corrigan registering further scores.

The Red Hand back unit, led by the likes of Conor McMurray, Patrick Harley, Peter Conway and Daire Sally, afforded the Oka Leaf attack little leeway to mount any kind of concerted fightback. And late points from McErlean at the other end saw Tyrone coast home with plenty of room to spare.

Tyrone Scorers

Cormac McErlean (0-10), Cahir Cassidy (1-0), Caolan Grimes (0-1), Daire Sally (0-1), Shane Corrigan (0-1)

Teams

Tyrone: Dara Cranny, Patrick Harley, Conor McMurray, Thomas Loughran, Peter Conway, Daire Sally, Odhran Mullin, Christopher Gildernew, Shane Corrigan, Cormac McErlean, Phelim McCrory, Caolan Grimes, Callum Jackson, Cahir Cassidy, Caolan Lloyd. Subs used: Charlie McKenna, Jude Rafferty, Matthew Price, Rian Martin, Rory Woods

Derry: Chris McAleer, Ailbhe Mac Conmdhe, Ronan Bradley, Sean O’Neill, Conall McCauley, Cian Doyle-Kennedy, Ryan McKenna, Dara McKenna, Cormac O’Kane, Cathal Duggan, Joe Bryson, Dylan Kelly, Callum Richardson, Ronan McIlhatton, Oisin Groogan.