Ulster Minor Football Championship 2011

[PAULD123]

Why do Cavan play Antrim in Newry? Why isn't the game the curtain raiser to Cavan vs Donegal seniors on June 12th? And why Newry?

[Dougal]

Why do Cavan play Antrim in Newry? Why isn't the game the curtain raiser to Cavan vs Donegal seniors on June 12th? And why Newry?

cavan players will be doing their leaving cert the week before and after the game so thats why its this weekend.dont know why its newry though.

[armaghniac]

Newry is an astonishing venue for Cavan v Donegal. Enniskillen seems the obviouschoice , but as this game would not have a large crowd some other venue in Tyrone or Fermanagh could be found.

[tommysmith]

Newry is an astonishing venue for Cavan v Donegal. Enniskillen seems the obviouschoice , but as this game would not have a large crowd some other venue in Tyrone or Fermanagh could be found.

Its Antrim that Cavan are playing.

[armaghniac]

Its Antrim that Cavan are playing.

D'oh! Brain defrag required. 

[drici]

Armagh Senior Hurlers play Monaghan in Páirc Esler on Sunday in the Ulster Championship. Armagh Minor Hurlers will be playing in the Ulster Minor Hurliing Championship match after that game in Páirc Esler. They play Cavan Minors. Cavan Minor Footballers will then play in the match after that game. They are playing Antrim. It's just the way things were going.

[drici]

Mickey Donnelly Looks Ahead To Championship Opener

Mickey Donnelly goes into his first Championship game as Tyrone Minor manager this Sunday when his charges face Monaghan at Brewster Park and he acknowledges that they will have to play better than they did during the League if they are to book their place in the Ulster Semi Final.

"Our displays in most of our league games just weren't up to scratch and I would hope that the team that takes the field this Sunday will play the football that they are capable of, says Mickey.

"It's going to take that against a Monaghan side that I rate highly. They are a big, physical and determined team and with Mattie McGleenan involved in their set up they will know all about us. They had a comprehensive win over Fermanagh recently in a friendly and when you see what Fermanagh did to Derry last weekend it shows the size of task that we face. They have players who have tasted success with Monaghan at Vocational level in recent times and we will have to be at our best to beat them."

Stewartstown's Ryan Devlin is the only player who featured in last September's All Ireland final win over Cork although keeper Mark McReynolds did play in all of the games prior to that but missed the decider due to injury. Team captain Jonathan Munroe, Darren McCurrie, Enda McGahan and Cahir McCullagh were all in last season's squad and that experience will be crucial although they have been dealt a blow with full back Thomas McCarron ruled out.

"The absence of Thomas is a big blow to us as he only had his appendix out three weeks ago. We played Meath in a friendly six weeks ago and he was the one player who really stood out for us but we have to get on with things and do our best."

[drici]

Ulster Minor Football Championship Quarter Final

Monaghan v Tyrone Sunday  7-00pm  Enniskillen

Monaghan's Minor footballers take on Tyrone at Brewster Park on Sunday evening in the Quarter Final of the Ulster MFC.

Monaghan had no success in the Ulster Minor Football League, as defeats to Armagh and Cavan saw them knocked out, after a first-round victory against Down, but Colin McAree used the games to try out everyone on his panel in an effort to work out his best 15. Monaghan then went into the Shield Semi Final, where they lost by a point to Sunday's opponents Tyrone after letting a four-point lead slip. Monaghan may have lost that game, but they showed enough to prove that they can at least compete with Sunday's opponents, who are the defending All Ireland champions.

Monaghan's panel is dominated by players who were either on the St. Macartan's College MacRory Cup team or the County Vocational schools side that reached the Ulster final, while Tyrone can choose players from their Vocational side and two MacRory schools: St. Pat's, Dungannon and Omagh CBS. Monaghan's recent record against Tyrone at Minor level is poor, but they will be determined to rectify that on Sunday.

Monaghan's chances will depend largely on the players who return from 2010, including captain Johnny McGuigan, Pádraig McKenna, Conor Boyle and Cillian Cromwell. Thomas Kerr is the main score taker, while Mel Boyce and Pádraic Keenan could also play key roles. Tyrone have lost the vast majority of last year's Ulster and All Ireland title winning team, but they can still call on quality players like Enda McGahan, Philip Barker, Ryan Devlin, Aidan McGarrity and Seán Hackett.

[drici]

Hard working minors get what they deserve


Derry 0-07 Fermanagh 1-09

Fermanagh produced a display full of determination, hunger and no shortage of quality as they sent favourites Derry
packing from the Ulster Minor Football Championship at Celtic Park on Sunday.

Mark Henry's side were thoroughly deserving of their victory, a first win in the minor category since 2003, and they can now look forward to a Semi Final battle against either Down or Armagh on Sunday June 19th.

With nine minutes of this encounter remaining Fermanagh looked as if they were losing their grip on the contest as they saw their lead trimmed back to a point while Derry had the advantage of a very strong breeze.

However, a superb goal from corner back Louis Leonard was to be the score that killed off Derry and Fermanagh went on to dominate the last period to claim a memorable win.

Leonard had broken forward from his defensive duties and when he got in on goal he made no mistake as he thundered a shot past Chris Bradley to send Fermanagh on their way to the semi-finals.

Overall, this was a fine team performance from Fermanagh with every player putting in the hard work that Henry had demanded of them. The defence never allowed Derry time and space on the ball with the Cullen twins, Che and Lee, putting their bodies on the line when it was required while Niall Shannon swept up a lot of ball and made some vital interceptions.

At midfield, Ryan Hyde was immense and captain Ruairi Corrigan was central to Fermanagh's gameplan. He covered every inch of the Celtic Park pitch, won vital ball and was more often than not the launchpad for attacks.

Half forward Shane Lynch also got through a mountain of work while substitute James Duffy made a huge impact in the second half with his ability to carry the ball against the breeze.

Fermanagh won the toss and opted to play with the breeze at their backs in a first half which they were to dominate. With Hyde and partner Ryan Lyons helping Fermanagh get a footing in the middle third they started the game on the front foot although they struggled to make their superiority tell on the scoreboard with a string of early missed chances.

By the fifth minute Fermanagh had registered their fourth wide of the contest and there was to be 14 minutes on the clock before the away side accounted for the first score of the game as Ruairi McGrade rattled over a fine point following good work from left half back Niall McMahon.

Eddie Courtney doubled the lead as he converted a free but the sides wide tally was to increase further with Corrigan and Philip Leonard shooting wide when well positioned.

Fermanagh continued to work hard and Derry were finding it very hard to make headways into the wind with Fermanagh turning over the ball on a number of occasions as Derry attempted to run at the defence.

Indeed, Derry could only muster a few shots in the first half with a couple of efforts dropping short and one going wide.

A well struck free from Courtney was to edge Fermanagh three ahead and then in first half injury time Courtney rifled over a long range free to leave it 0-04 to 0-00 at the break.

The worry for Henry at half time was that a four point lead would not be enough given the strength of the breeze, and he may have felt that they would rue the eight wides accrued by his side over the course of the half.

And Derry began the second half positively with Anthony O'Neill knocking over their first score of the half two minutes after the resumption. That gap was soon down to two points when Neil McNicholl lofted over a great long range effort to give his side increased hope but Fermanagh started to dig in after this and they went on to respond with two points of their own.

The introduction of James Duffy at half time was to prove a masterstroke for Fermanagh as they began to play a runing game into the wind and this saw them win two free kicks, both of which were converted by Ruairi McGrade, one clipping the crossbar on the way over while the other went over off the post as Fermanagh regained their four point advantage.

Derry full back Joe Morgan landed a point for his side while O'Neill was starting to give the Fermanagh defence something to think about when he was switched out to the half forward line.

He tagged on a point following a fine crossfield ball from Rory Moore and then the same player added his third point of the encounter to leave one between the sides, 0-06 to 0-05.

The sides went on to trade points with Duffy slotting over a good score for Fermanagh and that man O'Neill again on target for Derry to leave it a one point game with less than ten minutes to play.

The Fermanagh goal though was to arrive in the 54th minute and this put paid to any hopes Derry had of winning the game. Fermanagh had caused problems when they played a short passing, running game and it was this that cut open the Derry rearguard. Corrigan, McGrade and Duffy were involved in a flowing build up before the ball was fed to Leonard.


He shoots, he scores...Louis Leonard fires home the crucial goal that earned the Fermanagh minors a great win against Derry on Sunday.

He still had a lot of work to do at that stage but he carried it forward and then drilled a cracking shot to the corner of the net to give Fermanagh a four point lead, 1-07 to 0-06.

The goal appeared to stun Derry and a rampant Fermanagh went on to increase their advantage as Shane Lynch and Eddie Courtney banged over points to make it a six point game.

Derry did come forward in search of goals but Fermanagh were not about to throw this one away and full back Che Cullen made two excellent blocks while Corrigan made another as Fermanagh defended their goal as if their lives depended on it.

Derry substitute Peter McGroogan did lob over a late point but this was only to be a consolation score as Fermanagh picked up their first win in eight years at minor level.

Derry C. Bradley; G. McKinless, J. Morgan (0-01), M. Breen; N. Higgins, N. Rocks, R. Moore; E. Bradley, B. Og McGilligan; C. McFaul, R. Bell, F. Duffin; A. O'Neill (0-04), C. McAtamney, N. McNicholl (0-01).

Subs - P. McGroogan (0-01) for McAtamney, R. Moore for Higgins, A. McElhone for McNicholl.

Fermanagh B. McAleer; L. Cullen, C. Cullen, L. Leonard (1-00); N. Beggan, N. Shannon, N. McMahon; R. Lyons, R. Hyde; R. McGrade (0-03, 2f), R. Corrigan, S. Lynch (0-01); B. Owens, P. Leonard, E. Courtney (0-04, 3f).

Subs - J. Duffy (0-01) for P. Leonard, T. McCaffrey for McGrade, S. Swift for Owens.

[ONeill]

Tyrone v Laois 1997 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHSH_Hs4QO0&feature=related

[drici]

Peil

[drici]

Cavan 2-06 Antrim 0-00

     Half Time

[drici]

Monaghan 0-04 Tyrone 0-09

2nd Half

[drici]

A ponit for Antrim.
Cavan still 2-06.

[drici]

Monaghan 1-04 Tyrone 0-09