Epic results in third meeting

ULSTER UNDER-21 FC QUARTER-FINAL REPLAY Tyrone 0-14 Down 1-11:TYRONE AND Down will meet for a third time on Saturday after their Ulster Under-21 quarter-final finished level after extra-time at Healy Park last night.

It was an epic which neither side deserved to lose, with Kyle Coney levelling for Tyrone in normal time, and Down’s Paul Delvin converting a free which earned the rematch.

Niall McKenna, Paddy McNeice and Richard Donnelly and Kyle Coney were all on target as Tyrone eased into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead.

Danny Savage and Ben O’Reilly steered frees between the posts, and in the 21st minute, the visitors hit the front with a goal.

Full back Paddy Boyle drove a long ball into the danger area, and when the Tyrone defence failed to clear, full forward Connaire Harrison seized possession and sent a low finish past Niall Morgan.

McKenna’s second score narrowed the gap to a point, but Down finished the half strongly with two more Savage frees to go in at the break leading 1-5 to 0-5.

Harrison stretched Down’s advantage to four points early in the second half, but a couple of excellent efforts from Mattie Donnelly gave Tyrone fresh impetus as the game slipped into its final quarter.

Coney’s 40-metre free tied it up at 0-11 to 1-8 at the end of normal time, and Tyrone moved into a 0-14 to 1-8 lead midway through the added period, the pick of their scores a superb Coney effort.

Tyrone’s John McCullagh was sent off for a second booking, and Down gradually hauled in Tyrone, with Devlin scoring the late free to send us to a second replay.

TYRONE: N Morgan, N Sludden, R McNamee, F McQuaid, P Harte (0-1), R Pickering, T McCann, N McKenna (0-2), R Keenan, P McNeice (0-2, frees), R Donnelly (0-1), D McNulty, R O'Neill, K Coney (0-5, 0-1 free), M Donnelly (0-3). Subs: C Girvan for Keenan, B McGarvey for McNeice, S McKenna for McCann, R McNabb for Keenan, C Girvan for McNulty, J McCullagh for Girvan, McNulty for McGarvey.

DOWN: J Deeney, M Higgins, P Boyle, A Brannigan, K Quinn, P Bonny, D McKibben, A McArdle, C Poland, B O'Reilly (0-3, frees), P McPolin (0-1), C Clarke (0-1), D Savage (0-3, frees), C Harrison (1-1), R Brady. Subs: C Toner for Bonny, R McGarry for Harrison, P Devlin (0-1, free) for Clarke, Harrison for Deeney, C O'Hare for Savage, G McAnulty for Boyle, N McParland for Toner, R O'Hare (0-1) for Brady.

Referee: G Walsh(Antrim).