Tyrone Lift Ulster Minor League Title

Sunday 29.04.2012

Club

Tyrone 1-10 Derry 0-8
Tyrone lifted the Ulster minor league title at St.Tiernachs Park in Clones on Saturday afternoon when they got the better of Derry in a competitive decider.

Tyrone went into the game as slight favourites and they justified that tag to get the best possible boost ahead of their championship opener with Armagh. The winners had midfielder Sean Molloy sent off in the closing stages of the first half for a second yellow card offence but they really lifted their game in the second period as they took the game to Derry after it was level at the break.

In the closing stages of the game Tyrone had Padraig Hampsey and Kieran McGeary sent off while Derry duo Gareth McKinless and Ciaran McFaul were also dismissed as well after a brief scuffle but this wasn’t a dirty game.

Derry were out of the traps quick with three points from McFaul, Terence O’Brien and Ryan Dougan before Tyrone opened their account through Sean Hackett. Cormac O’Neill was then unlucky to see his shot come back off the bar but Tyrone did get a goal through the impressive Ruairi Sludden. Derry finished the half with points from Ryan Bell O’Brien to leave it 1-2 to 0-5 at the break.

McFaul edged Derry in front on the restart but a Hackett brace gave Tyrone a lead that they were never to lose. Hackett and James Kearney exchanged points before a Kieran McGeary free and a point from substitute Rory Brennan left Tyrone 1-7 to 0-7 to the good.

Midfielder Diarmuid Carroll then put Tyrone four in front before a well taken McFaul point proved to be Derry’s last score of the game. Tyrone finished the game strongly with the superb Sludden on target before substitute Danny McNulty had the final say with his second point of the game. In injury time at the end of the game referee Niall Cullen sent off four players in the one incident as the Red Hands emerged worthy winners on the day.

Tyrone – Daire Martin, Ruairi Mullan, Padraig Hampsey, Caolan Harvey, Conor Mallon, Caolan Corr, Peter McKenna, Diarmuid Carroll, Sean Molloy, Kieran McGeary, Cormac O’Neill, Ruairi Sludden, Darragh Kavanagh, Sean Hackett, Michael Cassidy. Subs – Rory Brennan for Corr, Danny McNulty for Kavanagh, Anthony Devlin for O’Neill

Derry – Christopher Bradley, Conor Gallagher, Ryan McDonnell, Gary Doyle, Gareth McKinless, Conor McAtamney, Conor Carville, Ryan Dougan, Peter Cassidy, Gerard Bradley, Ryan Bell, James Kearney, Ciaran McFaul, Terence O’Brien, Danny Tallon. Subs – Liam McGoldrick for McAtamney, Ryan Moore for Tallon

Tyrone scorers – Sean Hackett 0-4, Ruairi Sludden 1-1, Danny McNulty 0-2, Diarmuid Carroll 0-1, Kieran McGeary 0-1, Rory Brennan 0-1

Derry scorers – Ciaran McFaul 0-3, Terence O’Brien 0-2, Ryan Dougan 0-1, Ryan Bell 0-1, James Kearney 0-1

Referee – Niall Cullen, Fermanagh