Gaelic Games

Derry edge Armagh epic to reach Ulster Under-21 final

Extra-time victory sets up showpiece with Donegal after their rampant Cavan win

Derry’s Jordan Curran is challenged by Armagh’s Cathal Boylan and Paul Quinn. Photograph: Lorcan Doherty/Inpho

Wed Apr 5 2017 - 23:05

Derry 0-21 Armagh 1-15

Derry progressed to their first Ulster Under-21 final since 2008 after an epic tussle with Armagh ended in a three point extra-time win at Celtic Park.

An Oisin O’Neill pile-driver minutes from half-time accounted for the only goal of the opening 30 minutes and edged Armagh ahead at half-time at 1-6 to 0-8. The teams were well matched, and when Patrick Kearney opened the scoring for Derry shortly after throw-in the contest, which fizzed with open attacking play, swayed one way and then the next throughout the half.

Points from Peter Hagan and Danny Tallon saw Derry draw first blood at 0-3 to a point before the Orchard men returned fire through Caolan McConville and two Shea Loye frees to take the lead for the first time in the 12th minute.

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Derry responded. Free-takers Shane McGuigan and Danny Tallon nailed their shots as the home side began to look comfortable at 0-7 to 0-4 up after 22 minutes. But just as Derry hinted at taking control, Peter McDonnell’s men finished the half the strongest with O’Neill, Armagh’s brightest star, following up a fine point with and even better major.

Back-to-back Danny Tallon frees returned Derry’s lead shortly after the restart, but four-in-a-row from Armagh, with O’Neill at times unplayable, handed the visitors a three point lead by the 49th minute.

But once again Derry battled back with McGuigan and Tallon both hitting a quick brace of points to scrape a single point Oakleaf lead in the 59th minute. However, deep into injury that man O’Neill saved Armagh skins and took the game to injury time with a late, late leveller.

Fergal McCusker’s side took the early initiative and raced to a three point lead in the first period of extra-time, but Steven Morris’ final kick of the ten minutes left Armagh trailing 0-17 to 1-12.

Consecutive Tom O’Kane points left Armagh just a point in arrears as the game finally approached boiling point mid-way through the second period of extra-time. But Derry were able to find that extra gear when they needed it most and crucial points from Tallon (his eighth), Peter Hagan and Eamon McGill sealed the win for the home side.

Derry: Ben McKinless, Conor McGrogan, Oisin Duffin, Niall Keenan, Cathal Mulholland, Michael McEvoy, Jordan Curran, Patrick Kearney (0-2), Jack Doherty, Patrick Coney, Danny Tallon (0-8, 0-5f), Peter Hagan (0-3), Shane McGuigan(0-6, 0-5f), Ruairi McElwee, Conor Doherty. Subs: Tiernan Flanagan for R McElwee (H/T), Barry Grant for P Coney (HT), Eamon McGill (0-1)for C Mulholland (44 BC), Dean Curran (0-1) for B Grant (58), Keelan Feeney for J Curran (ET)

Armagh: Ryan Kearney, Phelim McArdle, Aidan Rushe, Caolan McConville (0-1), Ciaran Higgins, Barry McCambridge, Callum O'Neill (0-1), Ben Creely, Jack Rafferty, Paul Quinn, Oisin O'Neill (1-5, 0-2f), Cathal Boylan, Shea Loye (0-2f), Jason Duffy, Rian O'Neill (0-2, 0-1f). Subs: James McAlinden for P McArdle (39), S Hoey (0-1) for J Rafferty (39), Ryan Owens for P Quinn (47), Tom O'Kane (0-2) for S Loye (47), Fergus Quinn for J McAlinden (BC 51), Steven Morris (0-1) for C Boylan (59), Jarlath Og Burns for B Creely (ET)

Referee: Niall Cullen (Fermanagh)

Donegal 3-17 Cavan 0-13

Cavan had no answer to a rampant Donegal side in the Ulster Under-21 semi-final in Brewster Park, Enniskillen.

Donegal led by 0-13 to 0-6 at the break, and then Cian Mulligan hit the first of their goals 45 seconds into the second half.

Further goals from Michael Carroll and Caolan McGonigle came as the result of great approach work.

Donegal fielded six of the side that featured for the seniors against Mayo on Sunday last in Castlebar.

Lorcan Connor, in his first appearance of the campaign, hit 0-6, while Michael Langan again impressed with 0-3.

Cavan relied totally on corner forwards Caoimhin O’Reilly and Ryan Connolly for their scores, the duo hitting 0-9 of their tally.

Donegal: D Rodgers; C Morrison, S McMenamin, B McCole; C Mulligan (1-1), D O Baoill, E Ban Gallagher; J McGee, T McClenaghan; C McLaughlin, S McBrearty (0-4), M Carroll (0-2); L Connor (0-6,5f), M Langan (0-3,1f), J Brennan. Subs: C Doherty for McLaughlin ht; N O'Donnell (0-1,f) for McBrearty 42; C McGonigle (1-0) for Carroll, bcard 47; E O'Donnell for Langan 48; R Carr for Connor 52; N Friel for McClenaghan 56

Cavan: L Brady; M Smart, D Monahan, L Fortune; S O'Connor (0-1), E Sommerville, P O'Reilly; T Galligan, C Daly; P Smith, C Bradley (0-1), M McKenna; C O'Reilly (0-5,5f), B Magee (0-1), R Connolly (0-4,3f). Subs: C Smith for McKenna 37; B Argue for P O'Reilly 42; D Brady (0-1) for P Smith 42; C Reilly for Daly 46; T Donohoe for Magee 50; R Clarke for Bradley 55

Referee: S Laverty (Antrim)

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