Minors Maintain Good Form

Saturday 23.03.2013

Club

Tyrone minors travelled to Celtic Park this morning to take on their old rivals Derry in their second Ulster Minor League fixture and came away with a very convincing 2-10 to 1-2 victory. Derry’s goal came late in the game and although the Oak leafers had several players from the Maghera MacRory Cup winning side missing they will be very disappointed with their overall performance. A single point was all they had to show for the opening thirty minutes of effort while a late goal and a point was the best they could muster during a disappointing second half for the home team.
Tyrone manager Mickey Donnelly will have been more than happy with the displays from his young side. Liam Mc Gillion and Cillian Mc Cann were the pick of a very well organised and resolute defence while midfielders Ronan Nugent and Ruairi Mc Glone got through a mountain of work. The quality of tackling and support play right across the field was textbook and when the ball was played into the forward line Lee Brennan, Daire Gallagher and Michael Lynn made life very difficult for the home defence.
The Tyrone management made several switches at half time but the introduction of second half subs Daniel Lowe, Padraig Mc Girr, Philip Donnelly and Michael Flanagan failed to weaken the side in any way. Indeed Lowe helped create Tyrone’s second goal with a fabulous pass that split the Derry defence and was finished to the net with great aplomb by Philip Donnelly.
What will have pleased the management most of all was the fact that Tyrone maintained a high level of workrate throughout the rather one sided second half.
Conditions for good football were difficult throughout with intense cold and a strong breeze but Tyrone coped more than well with the adverse weather and were deserving and convincing winners eleven point winners.