Tyrone crowned Electric Ireland Ulster Minor Football champions

Electric Ireland Ulster Minor Football Final

TYRONE 2-16 DERRY 1-12

By Francis Mooney

Tyrone’s spectacular second half display of attacking football kept them on track for a second successive All-Ireland MFC title as they retained their Ulster crown with a convincing win over Derry at O’Donnell Park in Letterkenny.

They were second best in the opening half, but dominated the second period, picking off scores at will.

Conan Canavan’s first half goal was not enough to give them the lead at the interval, and a second from Logan O’Connor sealed the title for the Red Hands, but the losers will also advance to next weekend’s All-Ireland quarter-finals.

A defensive mix-up between goalkeeper and defender allowed midfielder Conor O’Kane to nip in and roll a loose ball to the net after less than three minutes as Derry got off to the dream start.

That score gave them the confidence to take on players and cut through for points from Tomas Devlin and Don Mulholland.

And they almost had a goal when Tadhg Bradley smashed a shot against the crossbar, and goalkeeper Roan O’Neill denied Neil McDermott as he connected with the rebound.

Tyrone were living off scraps, keeping in touch with scores from Matthew F Daly and Charlie Meenan, but Gabriel Gormley’s ball-winning at midfield kept Derry moving forward, as Devlin restored their three points lead.

But the Red Hands grabbed a 14^th minute goal, Brian Og McGuckin crossing from the right for Conan Canavan to punch home at the far post.

Both sides raised orange flags from 45 metre frees, Canavan and McDermott on target, and after soaking up a spell of pressure, with a couple of vital interventions from skipper Ciaran McCrystal, Tyrone broke away for Aodhan Corry to bring them level on 26 minutes.

Derry were equally effective on the breakaway, Lorcan Higgins sending McDermott in to regain the lead, before Mulholland’s second converted free of the evening sent them in with a 1-7 to 1-5 interval lead.

Tyrone were ahead within three minutes of the restart, Matthew J Daly landing a two-pointer, before Logan O’Connor nudged them in front for the first time.

Now the holders were slicing holes in the Derry defence, bringing four terrific saves from goalkeeper Michael Doherty, who denied Canavan twice, Vincent Gormley and Corry.

The challengers couldn’t get out of their own half, and further scores from Ruairi O’Neill, Canavan and McGuckin had the champions six clear

And they were out of sight when Logan O’Connor palmed home their second goal at the end of the third quarter

McDermott and substitute Roco Devlin pulled back Derry scores on rare raids, but an assured Red Hand side was totally in control, adding further points through Canavan, Conor Fyffe and Matthew F Daly.

Derry could find no way past a Tyrone defence in which Aodhan Corry and Ciaran McCrystal were outstanding, but did finish with a two-point free from substitute Pol McPeake deep into stoppage time.

Tyrone scorers: C Canavan 1-4 (1f, 1tpf) L O’Connor 1-1, C Meenan 0-3 (1tp), MJ Daly (tp), MF Daly 0-2 each, B Og McGuckin, A Corry, C Fyffe, R O’Neill 0-1 each.

Derry scorers: C O’Kane 1-0, N McDermott 0-4 (1f, 1tpf), D Mulholland 0-3 (3f), T Devlin, P McPeake (tpf) 0-2 each, R Devlin 0-1.

Tyrone: Ronan O’Neill, T McCarron, J Maguire, C McCrystal; MJ Daly, A Corry, C Fyffe; T Gallen, C Meenan; L O’Connor, B Og McGuckin, Ruairi O’Neill; C Canavan, MF Daly, V Gormley. Subs: C Shevlin for Ruairi O’Neill (43), C McKeown for Gormley (57), C McKee for McGuckin (59), F Quinn for O’Connor (61), J Muldoon for Meenan (63)

Derry: M Doherty; D McEldowney, C Sargent, D McKaigue; C Campbell, J Mullan, J McCartney; G Gormley, C O’Kane; D Collins, L Higgins, N McDermott; T Devlin, T Bradley, D Mulholland. Subs: R Devlin for Collins (35), U McCloskey for McCartney (40), D McKenna for O’Kane (43), C McDonnell for McDermott (51), P McPeake for Devlin (51)

Referee: N McGeown (Armagh).