Ulster Minor Football Championship 2011

[JHume]

Donegal folk made an awful lot of winning the All-Ireland intercounty vocational schools title. Far too much is always made of it, considering the best young players in Ulster play in Ulster Colleges football.

How did Antrim do in the Ulster Vocational Schools Intercounty competition? And how did their schools do in Ulster Colleges football?

[drici]

[drici]

Goals will be needed if Fermanagh to pass tough Derry test


Fermanagh will enter Sunday's Ulster Minor Championship quarter-final with the underdog tag firmly around their necks and it is going to take a huge performance from Mark Henry's outfit f they are to cause an upset against a highly fancied Derry side.

Fermanagh may have had a relatively successful Ulster Minor League campaign in reaching the semi-final but that clash with Armagh, in which they lost 2-18 to 0-06, would have left the management and players under no illusions that they were going to have to show big improvement if they are to challenge Derry.

Derry have also put one over on Fermanagh this year already with the Oak Leaf side winning the league meeting between the sides although Henry will have been reasonably happy with his team's performance on that occasion.


Eddie Courtney in action for the Fermanagh Minors during their win over Tyrone in the league and he will once again be a key player in the Fermanagh forward line on Sunday.

Indeed, on the whole the league was a positive experience for Fermanagh as they recorded wins from their opening three games.

Thomas McCaffrey and John Joe Strain bagged the goals in the opening encounter against Donegal as Fermanagh came through 2-04 to 0-09 while they followed that up with a 2-09 to 0-07 victory against Antrim, Ryan Hyde and Eddie Courtney the goal scorers. The most impressive display in the league came at Brewster Park when they defeated Tyrone, 3-10 to 1-09, Courtney grabbing two of the goals and Lyons the other, while they finished up their group stage with a 3-08 to 1-06 loss to Derry.

The semi-final was to prove to be a step too far though for the side as they crashed to that heavy defeat to the Orchard County, who then narrowly beat Derry in the final. However, that game will have been beneficial to Fermanagh if they can learn the harsh lessons from that contest and a defeat like that is always better coming in the league and not the championship when you have no chance to rectify the problems.

The Armagh game showed Fermanagh where they need to get to if they are to put it up to Derry on Sunday with Derry one of the sides fancied to win out in Ulster. And that is no great surprise given the quality they have at their disposal. At the back Martin Breen is Derry's key man marker and is likely to be given the job of shadowing Fermanagh dangerman Eddie Courtney while centre half back Nathan Rocks is a talented performer. At midfield Derry will look to Brian Og McGilligan, son of the great Brian McGilligan, to give them a good footing in this area and they have the forwards, who if given the chance, can punish any defence.

Ryan Bell(remember the craic up at St Paul's) has built a big reputation for himself at underage level in Derry and without doubt is a serious threat to Fermanagh's aspirations while Anthony O'Neill from Loup has been their top scorer during the league.

Added to that is the excellent free taking ability of Neil McNicholl and it becomes clear that Fermanagh are going to be up against it.

However, Henry will be targeting a good performance from his side and while this year's team is shorn of the likes of Sean Quigley and Kane Connor it does have a good balance to it and, importantly, they are a side who work very hard for each other. And they are going to have to maintain a high work rate and intensity from the first to the last minute if they are to be in contention.

Brian McAleer has established himself in goals and is a composed performer while Henry will require big displays from the likes of Louis Leonard, Che Cullen and Niall Shannon at the back as they look to stop the Derry attack although John Joe Strain is a big loss with the Aughadrumsee man missing out through suspension.

Ryan Hyde has had a very good campaign so far at midfield and that will have to continue on Sunday as Fermanagh look to build a platform around the middle third as it is crucial that they don't allow Derry to dominate in this sector. And if Fermanagh can get enough ball then they will hope to get a good supply into their forward line.

Captain Ruairi Corrigan has the ability to open up a defence while Eddie Courtney carries the main scoring threat for Fermanagh and if he can get his hands on sufficient ball he will do damage along with Bryan Owens in the full forward line. There is no doubt that Derry are favourites but that's not to say Fermanagh cannot win the game. It is going to take every player producing their best and in all likelihood Fermanagh are going to need goals if they are to win although they did show that they are a side capable of hitting the back of the net during the league.

[drici]

Derry minor team to play Fermanagh

1 Christopher Bradley Greenlough

2. Gareth McKinless Ballinderry
3. Joe Morgan Kilrea
4. Martin Breen Desertmartin

5. Niall Higgins Magherafelt
6. Nathan Rocks Newbridge
7. Rory Moore Craigbane (Captain)

8. Emmett Bradley Glen
9. Brian Og McGilligan Dungiven

10. Ciaran McFaul Glen
11. Ryan Bell Ballinderry
12. Fergal Duffin Magherafelt

13. Anthony O'Neill Loup
14. Conor McAtamney Swatragh
15. Neill McNicholl Glenullin

16. Sean McNicholl Dungiven
17. Michael Kerr Magherafelt
18. James Kearney Swatragh
19. Antone McElhone Magherafelt
20. Ryan Moore Craigbane
21. Peter McGrogan Newbridge
22. Dermot McWilliams Kilrea
23. Shane Farren Banagher
24. Dermot Morrow Kilrea

[drici]

Doire 0-00 Fermanagh 0-00

After 10 minutes.

[drici]

Doire 0-00 Fermanagh 0-01

[drici]

Doire 0-00 Fermanagh 0-04

          Half Time

[drici]

Doire 0-05 Fermanagh 0-06

[drici]

Doire 0-06 Fermanagh 0-07

[drici]

Doire 0-06 Fermanagh 1-07

[drici]

Doire 0-06 Fermanagh 1-09

[drici]

Doire 0-07 Fermanagh 1-09

            Sin é.

[drici]

Fermanagh end barren run

Derry 0-07 Fermanagh 1-09

FERMANAGH produced a super display at Celtic Park yesterday afternoon to secure the county's first championship win at this grade since 2003.

Derry had been fancied to make a run at provincial honours this year but they were completely outplayed by a Fermanagh side who held them scoreless to the interval at which stage they led by 0-4 to 0-0, thanks to three frees from Eddie Courtney and a point from Ruairí McGrade.

Derry probably weren't overly worried at that stage as they had played into a gale in the first half and, with corner forward Antony O'Neill kicking four points, they had closed the gap to a single point with 10 minutes to go.

But Fermanagh rocked Derry with a superbly finished goal from Louis Leonard to lead by four and points from Shane Lynch and Courtney saw them lead by double scores at 1-9 to 0-6 with four minutes to go.

There was no way back for the Oak Leaf lads and the best they could muster was a late point from Antone McElhone as the Erne youngsters claimed a famous win.

FERMANAGH: B McAleer; L Cullen, C Cullen, L Leonard (1-0); N Began, N Shannon, N McMahon; P McMahon, R Hyde; R McGrade (0-3, two frees), R Corrigan, S Lynch (0-1); B Owens, P Leonard, E Courtney (0-4, three frees). Subs: J Duffy (0-1) for Leonard, T McCaffrey for McGrade (55 mins), S Swift for Owens (60 mins).

DERRY: C Bradley; G McKinless, J Morgan (0-1), M Breen; N Higgins, N Rocks, Rory Moore; E Bradley, B Og McGilligan; C McFaul, R Bell, Fergal Duffin; A O'Neill (0-4), C McAtamney, N McNicholl (0-1). Subs: P McGroogan for McAtamney (ht), Ryan Moore for Higgins (44 mins), A McElhone (0-1) for McNicholl.

Referee: M McNally (Monaghan).

[PAULD123]

Thanks, Drici, your posts on this thread will serve as a useful database for the championship

[drici]

Aontroim  (v An Cabhán) Quarter Final  Ulster Championship  Sunday Páirc Esler Newry 7-00pm.


1   Tiernan Hughes                 Ardoyne Kickams

2   Paddy Mc Bride                  St John's
3   Connor Hamill                    St Joseph's Glenavy
4   Luke Peden                        St John's

5   Mark Mc Garry                    Lámh Dhearg
6   Connor Mc Ilvenney             Lámh Dhearg
7   Fionnbar O Neill                  St Mary's Ahoghill

8   Ben Leonard                       St Brigid's Belfast
9   Mark Cummings                  St Gall's

10 Marc Jordan                        Lámh Dhearg
11 Ryan Murray                       Lámh Dhearg
12 Micheal Hynds                     Lámh Dhearg

13 Kevin Quinn                        Lámh Dhearg
14 Ryan Lynch                         St Mary's Rasharkin
15 Dermot Mc Alease               Casements

17 Andy Flood                         St James'
18 Connor Burke                      St Gall's
19 Declan Mc Cann                  Creggan Kickhams
20 Emett Killough                     All Saints
21 Joe Scullion                        Con Magees
22 Nial Delargy                        Casements
23 Peter Mc Reynolds               All Saints
24 Ronan Mc Grady                  St Brigid's Belfast
25 Steven O Neill                     St Joseph's Glenavy