The Electric Ireland Ulster MFC continued on Saturday afternoon. Photo by Stephen Marken/Sportsfile
Electric Ireland Ulster Minor Football Championship
Down 3-9 Donegal 1-6
Tyrone 4-13 Monaghan 0-10
The chase for the one semi-final spot up for grabs from Group A of the Ulster MFC has been thrown wide open following first defeats of the series for Donegal and Monaghan.
Down, previously without a win, stunned Donegal at Pairc Esler with a 3-9 to 1-6 victory.
Darragh Poland’s 13th minute goal set the Mourne lads on their way, and with Paul McGovern scoring a couple of stylish points, they took control, restricting the visitors to just two first half scores, and led by 1-5 to 1-1 at the interval.
Liam Blaney’s finishing helped the home side maintain control, and when Poland crashed his second goal on 40 minutes, they held a commanding lead.
Down continued to press with growing confidence, sealing a morale-boosting victory with a Blaney goal at the end of the third quarter.
Meanwhile, Tyrone defeated Monaghan by 4-13 to 0-10 with a dominant display at Ardboe.
Lorcan McMurray was their chief marksman in the openjgn half, helping them open up a 0-9 to 0-4 interval lead, with Peter Colton, Liam McGeary and Enda Donaghy also on target.
Cian Rafferty and Kilian Kearns kept the Farney in touch with placed ball scores, but the Red Hands tightened their grip three minutes into the second half with a Sean Og Teague goal.
Shea McDermott fired in a second goal on 40 minutes, and when goalkeeper John Flanagan found himself isolated 60 metres from his line, Jamie Concannon’s lobbed effort found the net.