All-Ireland U20 FC semi-final: Tyrone too good for Kerry

Dalata Hotel Group All-Ireland U20 Football semi-final

Tyrone 2-14 Kerry 0-14

By Francis Mooney at Laois Hire O'Moore Park

All-Ireland U20 champions Tyrone are back in another final, following their six points victory over Kery in a repeat of last year’s decider.

Eoin McElholm and Ruairi McCullagh fired home a combined tally of 1-13 to sink the Kingdom, but it was a solid defensive display that swung this closely fought semi-final at Laois Hire O’Moore Park in favour of the holders.

First half goals from McElholm and Noah Grimes gave them the vital cushion that they needed to fend off a strong Kerry push in the second half, and the Kingdom lads will be reflecting ruefully on some of their finishing.

They were just three points behind going into the closing seven minutes, but the holders stood firm to weather the storm and reel off a late flourish of scores.

Both sides had goal chances inside the opening ten minutes as the respective defences took time to assess the threat, with Tyrone’s

McElholm bringing a superb save from ‘keeper Michael Tansley, and Evan Boyle denied at the other end by full back Ben Hughes’ block.

But it was the Red Hands who showed the greatest sharpness in attack, opening out a four points lead by the end of the first quarter.

McCullagh got them going with a converted ’45 resulting from Tansley’s save, and added a 20 metre free conversion, before Kerry got off the mark through midfielder Daniel Kirby.

But their shot selection letting them down on several occasions, and Tyrone were allowed off the hook to counter and hit the target through McElholm and McCullagh.

However, direct long ball to full forward Tomas Kennedy began to pay dividends, and he won three frees which Paddy Lane converted.

They were now winning the scrap for possession around the middle through Kirby, Eddie Healy and Darragh O’Sullivan, with Killian Dennehy sending over a couple of scores as they picked off five in a row to close the gap to a point.

But the Ulster champions reasserted themselves, McCullagh converting a two-point free, before Conan Devlin sent Noah Grimes in to smash home their second goal on the half-hour.

They led by 2-8 to 0-9 at the interval, and it was in the second half that the Tyrone defence stood tall in the face of waves of attack, with Ben Hughes, Joey Clarke, Callum Daly and substitute Sean Broderick stepping in with vital challenges.

Nevertheless, the Munster champions, who had cruised through their provincial series, kept coming, with Kennedy always a threat up front and Kirby and Healy driving it from midfield.

Substitute Ronan Carroll scored with his first touch, and a couple of Lane frees narrowed the gap.

Ben Murphy broke through to fire in a shot that Red Hand ‘keeper Conan McGarvey kept out, and when Kennedy scored from the rebound, just three points separated the sides going into the final seven minutes.

But the champions were able to shut out the Kerry attack in those vital closing stages to turn defence to attack with impressive transition, hitting the last three points through McElholm and McCullagh (2).

Tyrone scorers: E McElholm 1-4 (0-1f), N Grimes 1-0, R McCullagh 0-9 (3f, 1tpf, 1’45), S McDermott 0-1.

Kerry scorers: P Lane 0-6 (5f), K Dennehy 0-3, E Healy 0-2, T Kennedy, D Kirby, R Carroll 0-1 each.

Tyrone: C McGarvey; F Nelis, B Hughes, Conor Devlin; C Daly, J Clarke, C Donnelly, Conan Devlin, C O’Neill; C Sheehy, E McElholm, M Quinn; N Grimes, R McCullagh, L Og Mossey. Subs: S Broderick for Conor Devlin (23), S McDermott for Grimes (48), E McDonagh for Sheehy (51), D Donaghy for Mossey (58)

Kerry: M Tansley; A O Beaglaoich, G Evans, M Lynch; L Evans, D O’Connor, B Murphy; E Healy, D Kirby; C Collins, E Boyle, K Dennehy; P Lane, T Kennedy, D O’Sullivan. Subs: R Carroll for Collins (42), E Daly for Boyle (46), J Murphy for O’Sullivan (55), J O’Sullivan for Kirby (57), O Ferris for Lane (58)

Referee: B Judge (Sligo).