Dalata Hotel Group: Tyrone reach decider
Shea McDermott scoring a goal for Tyrone against Kildare. Photo by Mark Kavanagh/Sportsfile
Dalata Hotel Group All-Ireland U20 Football Championship Semi-Final
Tyrone 2-12 Kildare 0-13
By Francis Mooney at Kingspan Breffni
Tyrone are back in another All-Ireland U20 final, and right on track to make it three titles in a row when they face Kerry in the decider.
The Red Hands had to endure some anxious moments before getting the better of Kildare by five points at Kingspan Breffni.
They led by five after playing into a strong wind in the opening half, with Shea McDermott firing home a goal, but the Leinster champions fought back to narrow the gap to a point, before the holders steadied the ship to pull away in the final quarter, sealing the win with a goal from substitute Darragh Donaghy.
With the strong, gusting wind at their backs, Kildare started in confident mode, going ahead with a Jimmy Lynch two-pointer, struck from beyond the 45 metre line.
Tyrone stuck to the plan, building patiently from the back, and were level by the seventh minute, thanks to a couple of Adrian McGurren scores.
Peter Colton was a constant threat up front, evading a couple of tackles to edge the holders ahead.
The Leinster champions pressed the kick-out to gain territory, going level by the end of the opening quarter through Euan Cowzer.
Luke Neeson and Brian Gallagher stepped in with vital defensive challenges as the Lilywhites continued to dominate possession, pinning Tyrone back in their own half for long stretches.
They survived to break for a point through wing back Aodhan Quinn, and now it was the Ulster champions with the momentum, Leo Hughes punching them two clear by the 22nd minute.
Top scorer Shea McDermott set the game alight as he smashed home a brilliant 29th minute goal off the underside of the crossbar, and the Leinster champions were in trouble.
Cowzer slotted his second going of the evening, but Conor O’Neill sent the Red Hands in with a 1-6 to 0-4 interval lead.
Kildare registered three quick-fire scores at the start of the second half through Lynch, Colbert and Ronan Kelly as the moved the ball through the hands to find openings.
Colbert provided an effective link from defence to attack, and suddenly the Lilywhites had belief and a measure of cohesion they were unable to find in the opening period.
Lynch drilled a ’45 between the posts with the wind gusting in his face, and added a free to bring his side level in the 43rd minute.
The holders were clinging on to a slender one point lead going into the final quarter, thanks to a Conor O’Neill two-pointer.
Substitute Darragh Donaghy made a stunning impact with his first touch, intercepting a kick-out to fire in his side’s second goal on 49 minutes.
Enda Donaghy restored the five points lead, and the holders had regained their composure, although there were anxious moments at the back, goalkeeper Oisin Watson denying Harry Redmond with a double save.
Scorers for Tyrone: S McDermott 1-0, D Donaghy 1-0, C O’Neill 0-3 (1tp), A Quinn, A McGurren, P Colton 0-2 each, L Hughes, E Donaghy, D Devlin 0-1 each.
Scorers for Kildare: J Lynch 0-6 (1tp, 1 ’45, 1f), R Kelly 0-3 (1f), E Cowzer 0-2, D Colbert, R Murray 0-1 each
Tyrone: O Watson; S Broderick, L Neeson, M McNamee; A Quinn, C Devlin, B Gallagher; E Donaghy, C O’Neill; C Sheehy, L Hughes, T Muldoon; A McGurren, P Colton, S McDermott.
Subs: D Donaghy for Muldoon (46), D Devlin for McGurren (52), R McCullagh for Hughes (57), A Colton for Sheehy (65).
Kildare: C Carroll; C McKevitt, L Kelly, S Gallagher; C Keaveny, F Dowling, B Ryan; E Boyle, R Lawlor; D Colbert, L Kenny, J Lynch; E Cowzer, C Moran, R Kelly.
Subs: R Murray for McKevitt (50), C Keaveny for Cowzer (50), A Donegan for Kenny (55), H Redmond for Keaveny (55).
Referee: B Tiernan (Dublin).
