COUNTY | Young Guns Book O’Fiaich Final Spot

Sunday 13.12.2015

Club

A somewhat inexperienced Tyrone senior football team booked their place in next Sunday afternoon’s O’Fiaich Cup final following a very impressive eleven point victory over Derry in Crossmaglen this afternoon.  The Tyrone side featured seven debutants during the course of the seventy minutes.

Tyrone were a real handful for Derry throughout the game with serious pace being provided by Johnny Munroe, Tiernan McCann, Conal McCann, Niall Sludden and Conor Meyler.  The defence was also hugely impressive with full back Padraig Hampsey and corner back Hugh Pat McGeary very commanding over the course of the game.

The Red Hands were three point up inside five minutes.  Former Donaghmore man Shane Mulgrew made his debut for Derry and he got the opening score of the game from a free.  That score was followed by a Cathal McShane point and a Patrick Quinn goal for the Tyrone.

They might well have had a second goal in the 15th minute but Harry Og Conlon’s shot was well saved by Thomas Mallon in the Derry goal.  Points from Ronan O’Neill, Richard Donnelly, Patrick Quinn and Cathal McShane eased Tyrone to a 1-7 to 0-6 lead at the break.

Two early second half points from the boots of Mark Lynch and Shane Heavron had Derry back to within two points of Tyrone by the 41st minute.  That was as good as it got for the Oak Leafers as Tyrone dominated the next eighteen minutes kicking seven points in a row.

Patrick Quinn, Conal McCann, Niall Morgan, Peter Harte and Ronan O’Neill all contributed on the scoreboard during this time.  Shane Mulgrew stopped the flow of Tyrone scores in the 59th minute but further points from O’Neill, Harte and Morgan helped Tyrone to a comfortable eleven point win.  Final Score Tyrone 1-18 Derry 0-10.

Tyrone : Mickey O’Neill, Aidan McCrory, Padraig Hampsey, Hugh Pat McGeary, Tiernan McCann, Conor Clarke, Johnny Munroe, Conal McCann 0-1, Richard Donnelly 0-1, Conor Meyler, Ronan O’Neill 0-7 (5 frees), Niall Sludden, Patrick Quinn 1-2, Harry Og Conlon, Cathal McShane 0-2

Subs : Niall Morgan 0-3 (3 frees), Peter Harte 0-1, Lee Brennan 0-1, David Mulgrew

Derry : Thomas Mallon, Joe Morgan, Dermot McBride, Ryan Ferris, Gareth McKinless, Barry McGoldrick, Sean Leo McGoldrick, Conor Murphy, Brian Og McGilligan, Mark Lynch 0-2 (1 free), Shane Heavron 0-1, Neill Forester, Shane Mulgrew 0-4 (2 frees), Ryan Bell 0-3, Gavin McWilliams