Tyrone blaze way to glory

ULSTER MFC FINAL Tyrone 1-14 Armagh 0-5:TYRONE WON their third Ulster minor title in four years with a convincing win over All-Ireland champions Armagh in Clones yesterday.

The eventual winners were totally dominant from start to finish, and killed off the game with a Ryan Devlin goal in the 51st minute.

Tyrone were four points ahead inside eight minutes, two of their scores coming from Ronan O’Neill.

A Ryan Rafferty point merely interrupted their flow, with Ryan Devlin, John McCullagh (two), Niall Sludden and Eunan Deeney all hitting the target.

Conan Grugan, returning after suspension, made a big impression in midfield, and six different players got on the scoresheet in the opening half.

They could have had a goal on 20 minutes when O’Neill turned his marker, but sent his shot just wide. Tyrone held a commanding 0-9 to 0-2 lead at the break, after Paul McGeown had hit a second Armagh point from a free.

Richard Donnelly converted his second 45 to extend the advantage, with midfielder Harry Óg Conlon adding a fisted point.

In the 51st minute, Tyrone killed off the challenge of the defending champions when Devlin sidefooted to the net from Conlon’s assist.

And a couple of late points from substitute Dara Donnelly sealed a comprehensive victory for Tyrone.

TYRONE: M McReynolds, S McGarrity, C Clarke, HP McGeary, N Sludden (0-1), M Donaghy, E Deeney (0-1), C Grugan (0-1), H Og Conlon (0-1), R Donnelly (0-2, two 45s), T Canavan, R Devlin (1-2), S Tierney, J McCullagh (0-2), R O'Neill (0-2, two frees). Subs: Dara Donnelly (0-2)for R Donnelly, D Quinn for Donaghy, P McNulty for McGeary, D McCurry for McCullagh, R Loughran for Conlon.

ARMAGH: M McNeice, R McCaughley, C Hoey, R Finnegan, D Nugent, J King, N McConville, A Findon, C Gough, M McKenna, A Forker, B Seeley, C Stevenson, P McGeown (0-2, one free), R Rafferty (0-1). Subs: D McParland for Findon, R Conlon (0-2)for McKenna, C Trainor for Seeley, Pearce Casey for McParland.

Referee: J Galligan(Cavan).