Tyrone lose out to Orchard in Buncrana Cup Final

Tyrone 0-8 Armagh 3-10

Tyrone Under-16s went into this Buncrana Cup final with high hopes of retaining the silverware but on the day Armagh emerged deserving winners to take the title for the first time in their history.

There was little between the sides for three quarters of the contest but Armagh then put their foot on the gas to emerge comfortable winners in the end after a second half that saw three players sent off, two from Tyrone and one from Armagh. The first half was an error strewn opening period, with both defences generally on top, forcing turnovers and gladly accepting misplaced passes.

Armagh played with wind advantage and from the outset started on the front foot, Paul McGinley defending well to deflect a goal bound effort from his Armagh namesake, out for a 45 in the first minute. Tyrone replied immediately with a nice point from Liam McGeary before Finn Campbell equalised with a lovely point from the outside of the boot. Armagh were looking sharp and James McCooe kicked a brace from both wings as the half reached the mid point. Adam Cushnahan kicked the first of his three excellent points, off the ground between McCooe’s points.

Little separated the sides but frees from Cushnahan and Shea McDermott restored the Tyrone advantage with 21 minutes played. Armagh finished the half strongly points from Loughran, Fionn Toale and Lewis Bellew seeing the victors edge ahead but Cushnahan responded again with his third free, to leave the minimum between them at half time.

An altercation before the restart seemed to ignite the fuse and a bad tempered second half was to ensue. Tyrone had an early goal chance, before Sean Corry received a red card two minutes in.

Caolan McGinley extended Armagh’s lead from play and after Tyrone were guilty of three wides, McDermott converted a free to open their second half account.

With 40 minutes on the clock another melee developed which saw both Caolan McGinley, Armagh, McDermott from Tyrone sent off.

Bellew with his second from play made it 8-6, as the game entered its final quarter, with both defences still on top. Intelligent play from Lorcan McMurray led to McGeary claim and convert a mark, to halve the deficit with eight minutes remaining.

That was to be as good as it got for Tyrone though as from the next kick out Armagh secured possession and a move up the left wing found Aaron Garvey who released Shea Loughran who fired home. Armagh really should have found the net from the next play, Garvey’s shot wide of the gaping net. Toale didn’t make the same mistake with Loughran the provider as he slammed home a second goal in two minutes.

Davin McKeown got a consolation point for Tyrone, but it was Armagh’s day as they closed the contest out with points from substitute Julian Carr and Loughran and an injury time goal from Garvey.