Tyrone weather late storm

All-Ireland MFC Semi-final/Tyrone 1-8 Down 1-7: A cracking goal by Colm Cavanagh entering the last quarter at Casement Park on Saturday took Tyrone's footballers to the All-Ireland minor final, on September 26th at Croke Park.

On a day when defences stood out, Tyrone just about deserved to win after weathering a big finish by Down, Tyrone's Niall McGinn making a vital clearance just before the whistle sounded.

Down's Ciarán Brannigan pointed after only 55 seconds and it took Tyrone until the ninth minute to reply, midfield supremo Ray Mulgrew pointing from a free. Cathal O'Neill pointed another free in the 11th minute to edge Tyrone ahead before Down winger Ryan Kelly and Mulgrew swapped points.

The Down goal arrived on 15 minutes, Patrick Downey lofting the ball from midfield to Brannigan, who fired low to the net.

Points by Aidan Cassidy and Mulgrew left the teams level at the break: Down 1-2, Tyrone 0-5.

After the restart Ryan Kelly's point was answered by one from Mulgrew before Kelly knocked over another score to put his side 1-4 to 0-6 ahead on 39 minutes.

Cavanagh, rather quiet before being switched to midfield, burst into the picture with a stunning goal on 45 minutes after being sent away by Martin Murray.

And that score, despite a few subsequent points at both ends, made all the difference.

TYRONE: J Curran; N McGinn, P Marlowe, D Burke; J Gilmore, N Kerr, M Murray; R Mulgrew (0-4, 0-3 frees), G McCaughey; C O'Neill (0-1, 0-1 free), A Cassidy (0-1), R McCrory (0-1); G Devlin (0-1), C Cavanagh (1-0), S Donaghy. Subs: C McCarron for Donaghy (50 mins), D O'Neill for McCaughey (58 mins), PJ Quinn for Kerr (61 mins),

DOWN: M McAllister; L Howard, W Russell, P Mageean; S Parr, E McConville, R Lynch; J Colgan, C Brannigan (1-1); M Clarke (0-2, 0-2 frees), S Doran, M Farrell (0-1); P Downey, J Boyle, R Kelly (0-3). Subs: S Sands for McConville (34 mins), D Lavery for Brannigan (48 mins), B McArdle for Doran (54 mins), J McCarthy for Downey (54 mins),

Referee: J McQuillan (Cavan)