Ulster Minor Football League 2010

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Minors finish league campaign on a high




ANTRIM............... 2-10

TYRONE............... 2-14


By Kevin Kelly


Tyrone finished their Ulster minor league group games on a high when they had four points to spare over a dogged Antrim side at Ahoghill on Saturday afternoon but its not sure yet if that result will take them into the final.

Derry lost at the weekend but Donegal won without having to play Westmeath and that means that Tyrone and Donegal are level on points but they can't use score difference as that wouldn't be fair to Donegal.

There may well have to be a play off between the two to see who goes through to the final.

Keifer Morgan and Chris McGuinness exchanged early points before Antrim corner forward Brendan Bradley finished low to the Tyrone net past keeper Mark McReynolds.

Liam Gervin responded with a Tyrone point but it was the hosts who were looking the better side and scores from John Carron, Anton Taylor and Colm Duffin.

Tyrone got a well worked goal though when good work from John McCullagh saw him cut in along the end line before crossing for midfielder Conor Clarke to palm the ball to the net from close range.

Morgan had another Tyrone point before the visitors had a let off when Stephen O'Connor's goal bound shot crashed off the woodwork, Duffin with a point from the rebound.

With the last kick of the first half Tyrone grabbed a fortunate goal when a Ronan O'Neill free from the left wing went all the way to the net to leave it 1-8 to 2-3 at the break.

Two early frees from substitute Conan Grugan brought Tyrone back on level terms before O'Neill put them in front.

Enda McGahan then tagged on a point before Tyrone were awarded a penalty when John McCullagh was fouled.

O'Neill took the kick and it was brilliantly saved by Danny McErlean with the Antrim keeper following up to save O'Neill's rebound at the expense of a point.

Stephen O'Connor and Duffin had Antrim points but Tyrone responded through efforts from McCullagh and Grugan.

Ronan O'Neill then went past four challenges to land the score of the game from out on the left wing as Tyrone eased further in front. Grugan and Morgan added to their tally before Antrim got a consolation goal towards the end of the game when Gerard Slane finished well to the bottom left hand corner of the net.

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Meanwhile, Donegal minors have been handed an unexpected reprieve in the Ulster Minor Football League. Their weekend game against Westmeath was cancelled, as the Leinster side were unable to fulfil the fixture, and Donegal were given the points. Donegal have now finished joint top of Group B with Tyrone on seven points.

However, as Donegal were denied the chance to add to their scoring difference in their walkover victory over Westmeath, they will now play Tyrone in a play-off on Saturday at noon in Celtic Park, Derry. The winners will play Dublin in the Ulster Minor League final, after the guests won Group A on scoring difference.

[ONeill]

Was spaking to an Antrim minor player who's mighty confident of beating Tyrone in the Championship.

What price the Saffron double?

[FermGael]

Minors take Derry scalp

Fermanagh 2-09; Derry 0-11;


Fermanagh finished off the campaign with an impressive victory over Derry at Irvinestown on Saturday. Following the win against neighbours Tyrone the previous week it was important for Mark Henry's team to finish the league with another win.

"It's a major boost to us to beat Derry and Tyrone after a poor start to the campaign. This was the best performance of the lot because we played with more consistency throughout than we did against Tyrone last week. It was a good result against a decent team like Derry and with 7 weeks until the championship game against Cavan, it's given us confidence" says Henry.

Derry opened the scoring in this game with a pointed free from Fintan Bell. Fermanagh responded with a point from play from Sean Quigley before Derry tagged on two more scores. Fintan Bell and full forward Benny Quigg both notching a point apiece.

Fermanagh took the lead for the first time in the game after they hit a hat trick of points. Conall Jones, Sean Quigley and Jarlath Jackman (free) all registering scores to give the home side a 0-04 to 0-03 lead. Derry soon drew level with a 45 metre kick from Tiernan Rafferty.

Fermanagh were playing with a slight breeze at their backs in the first half and capitalised on this with a goal. Ciaran McBrien's shot rebounded off the post and fell to Sean Quigley. Quigley was on hand to collect the rebound and fist to the back of the net. Fermanagh had all the momentum at this stage and extended this lead with two points in quick succession from Paddy McManus before the break to leave the half time score 1-06 to 0-04.

In the second half Derry were first off the mark when Barry Quigg pointed. Conall Jones pulled one back for Fermanagh but Derry were starting to dominate at this stage. Two more points for the Oak Leaf County reduced the deficit to three points and it was against the run of play Fermanagh got a lucky goal. John Joe Strain made a run deep out of his own defence and his attempt at a point dipped under the crossbar. His kick deceived the Derry keeper Kevin Farran who was left picking the ball out of his net.

To their credit Derry continued to press forward in an effort close the deficit. Four consecutive points from Fintan Bell (2), Nathan Rocks and Cahir Mullan brought them to within two points of Fermanagh. It was the Erne men who finished stronger though despite having Aidan Breen sent off with ten minutes left. Monaghan referee Sean Gilsenan deemed his tackle to be high and issued a straight red card.

The fourteen Fermanagh players left on the field dug deep and the set back seemed to spur them on in fact. They finished the game with the final two scores, the first of which from Ciaran McBrien when he skilfully chipped over with the outside of his right foot. The final score was another fine individual effort from Sean Quigley and it was the last say of the match.

There were many solid performances for Fermanagh. Brian McAleer in nets pulled off a number of terrific saves early on to keep Fermanagh in the game. In defence Vinny O'Brien and Jarlath Jackman worked hard and kept Derry at bay. In attack Sean Quigley, Ciaran McBrien and Ruairi Corrigan all looked very dangerous. Vice Captain, Kane Connor also did well and showed great leadership when he was switched from the half back line into centre half forward

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Minors bow out of Ulster League

Jack Brady scored 0-2 for Cavan.

Monaghan 0-14 Cavan 1-10

Cavan bowed out of the Ulster Minor League with a narrow defeat to neighbours Monaghan in Ballybay on Saturday.

Mickey Graham's side will be disappointed not have snatched at least a draw after a lack of composure and some wayward shooting saw them squander several opportunities in the closing minutes as they chased the game.

It wasn't all doom and gloom for Cavan though and the team's management will have learned plenty about their side ahead of their championship opener against Fermanagh in Clones at the end of May.

There were no outstanding individual performances on the Cavan side but the team possessed an excellent work-ethic and played a good running game - although their patient build-up play worked against them at times as Monaghan got men behind the ball and turned them over.

Cavan got the game's opening score in the fourth minute through Shane Harten but that point proved to be their only one in the opening 15 minutes as Monaghan edged into the lead.

Full-Forward Keith McEnaney pointed on the turn in the 11th minute to open Monaghan's account and Jack McCarron and Peter Dooney quickly added to their tally.

Struggling against a taller midfield, Cavan were on the back foot for the majority of the first half but they managed to kick-start their performance with a well-taken Chris Conroy goal. It was Shane Harten's awareness that unlocked the Monaghan defence with a quick-free and Conroy drilled the ball into the Monaghan net from close-range.

McCarron, who was a constant threat at corner-forward, replied with a point but Karl Duke quickly replied to push Cavan into a minimum advantage with 24 minutes on the clock.

Monaghan owned the next five minutes though and registered four unanswered points but Graham's charges rallied in injury time to reduce the deficit to 0-8 to 1-4 at the break.

Jack Brady pulled the first one back after shaking off his marker and Fergal Flanagan showed great strength to claim possession and then evade his man before calmly slotting over.

After the restart it remained as close and Paul McEvoy scored a terrific point after starting and finishing a move that began in his own half to put it all square once more.

Monaghan came back strong and replied with four points to Cavan's one in a one-sided ten minute spell but Flanagan's second point left Cavan trailing by three with 13 minutes to go.

Flanagan then traded points with McCarron, who got his ninth of the afternoon, before Jack Brady tagged on another in the 24th minute.

Cavan were trying hard to get back level and Monaghan were gradually drifter deeper and deeper as they set about holding on to their three-point lead.

The visitors enjoyed reams of possession but their patient build-up approach worked against them as it gave the Monaghan sweeper time to get into position in front of the danger area.

However, two points in as many minutes for Cavan made it a one-point game entering injury-time but a lack of composure cost the Breffni boy's dear as they wasted several very good chances.

McEvoy and substitute Enda O'Reilly got the two scores but both could have arguably become decent goal-chances if they had have worked it a little bit more.

Monaghan were completely on the retreat at this stage and Cavan, to their credit, threw everything at it. But as it turned out, three rushed wides in injury time cost them dear as pressure got to them and they chose the wrong options.

However, Graham's troops will have learnt a great deal from this experience and should the same situation arise next month you would hope this would stand to them.

Leagues are for playing in, championships are for winning.

Cavan: Conor Gilsenan, Cian McPhillips, Jason McLoughlin, Shane Clarke, Conor Moynagh, Aaron Smith, Shane Harten (0-1), Paul McEvoy (0-2), Turloc Mooney, Andrew Dewart, Fergal Flanagan (0-3), Karl Duke (0-1), Cian Byrne, Jack Brady (0-2, 1f), Chris Conroy (1-0)

Subs: Joe Dillon, Paul Smith, Shane McKiernan, Enda O'Reilly (0-1)

Monaghan: Dean McDermott, Conor Boyle, David Savage, Ciaran McCaffrey, Padraig McKenna, Owen Coyle, Brendan Woods, Peter Dooney (0-1), Stephen Sherry, Brendan McElroy (0-1), Shane Carey, Anthony Mulligan, Jack McCarron (0-5), Keith McEnaney (0-1), Daniel McKenna

Subs: Mark McGuigan, John McGuigan, Cillian Coleman, Thomas Kerr, Thomas Connolly (0-1

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Ulster Minor Football League Section B Play Off

Tyrone 0-11 Donegal 0-07

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Ulster Minor Football League Final
Tuesday 27-04-10  19:30
Healy Park Omagh

Tyrone v  Dublin

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All change.

Final moved to Breffni Park.
Tyrone still play Dublin.
Still Tuesday 27-04-10 at 19:30.
Referee: Jim Galligan.

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Minors face Dubs decider


TYRONE MINORS aim to round off a topsy turvy league campaign on a positive note when they take on Dublin in Tuesday night's Ulster Final at Breffni Park, Cavan. (Throw-in 7.30pm)

The young Red Hands sealed their berth in the provincial decider with a hard-fought 0-11 to 0-7 victory over Donegal in a play-off last weekend, Darren McCurry, Ronan O'Neill and Keifer Morgan among those on target for the winners.

Manager Raymond Munroe has employed a vast squad through the course of the league, his hand forced somewhat due to the litany of absentees they have had to endure at times. The side recorded wins over Westmeath, Donegal and Antrim in Section B, but were held at home by Derry and surprisingly also lost to Fermanagh.

Whatever the outcome of tomorrow evening's clash Tyrone assistant Cathal McAnenly states that the competition has again proven to be a beneficial exercise as they build up to the start of the Ulster Championship next month.

"Through the league we have been carrying quite a big panel due to the closure of training up to March. Then we had the MacRory cup, with Omagh getting all the way to the final. So we had to carry a large panel which we have been using so we can get a look at a lot of boys. We found it very useful."

The concern for Tyrone seems to be injuries. With so many players involved in different competitions, not least those from Omagh who played in minor, under 21 and schools competitions right up to March, that could have a long-term effect on the team, according to McAnenly.

"These fellas are getting a lot of football. While we have no serious injuries there are a few knocks but hopefully they will all have cleared up by the time the championship comes around," he said.

Tyrone's first game in the championship is a meeting with Antrim on May 23rd at Casement Park. The Red Hands have already played the Saffrons this year, in their fifth and final game of the group stages of the minor league. They came away from that match on the right side of a 2-10 to 2-14 result.

But according to McAnenly, they'll need to improve if they want to beat them again in the first round of the Ulster Championship. The best way to do that is to get some quality matches in, and they hope to get that against Dublin.

"It's better than playing a challenge match," said McAnenly. "It's a competitive game, and a final and we will be going out to win it. When we play them they will already have played two matches so they will be a good bit ahead of us in terms of preparation.

"But we have to be fully focused when we play Antrim. We played them in Ahoghill early this year and we realised that they are a big, strong team."

Dublin qualified for the decider, after a 5-11 to 0-11 hammering of Meath gave them a scoring difference which was better than Armagh's, and thus put them in top spot in Section A of the competition.

Before Dublin take to the field on Tuesday they will already have played two Championship clashes. Last Saturday they fell at the first hurdle in the Leinster championship when they were beaten by Kildare 2-10 to 1-9. While Dublin lost, Leinster run a play-off system in the competition. The Dubs defeated Louth then in the Losers Section by 4-11 to 0-05 at Parnell Park.

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Ulster Minor Football League Final

Tyrone 0-08 Dublin 2-14

[ONeill]

Feck me Pink.

[ONeill]

Seriously. This could be the Day of Days for Antrim and The Black Diaries.

West Coast Cooler.

[INDIANA]

Was up at it. Thats 4 ulster minor teams I've seen this year and Kildare are miles better than all of them and that includes us too. Dublin missing their best 2 players as well. Maybe Tyrone were missing a good few- Tyrone have to be better than last night. I thought they were rubbish and the worst of all the minor teams I've seen this season.

[Jinxy]

I wouldn't put a huge amount of stock on the Ulster minor league tbh Indiana.
I remember Meath drawing with Tyrone in the final one year and narrowly losing the replay after extra-time.
When it came to Croke Park on a summers day a couple of months later Tyrone absolutely destroyed us.

[INDIANA]

I wouldn't put a huge amount of stock on the Ulster minor league tbh Indiana.
I remember Meath drawing with Tyrone in the final one year and narrowly losing the replay after extra-time.
When it came to Croke Park on a summers day a couple of months later Tyrone absolutely destroyed us.

Totally agree. I thought Dublin were flying it until I saw kildare. I'd say some of the ulster teams are throwing out half teams for most of it.