Minors Will Face Meath In Quarter finals

Monday 23.07.2012

Club

Following their Ulster final win over Monaghan on Sunday afternoon Tyrone can now look forward to an All Ireland quarter final tie against Leinster runners up Meath. The royal county were on the receiving end of a fairly comprehensive defeat by Dublin today. Tyrone recovered from a sluggish start to the second half and showed considerable character to win the county’s twenty second provincial title at this level. Man of the match Keran Mc Geary was perpetual motion as he helped his team recover from an early second half one point deficit to eventually defeat the Farney lads 0-14 to 1-8.
Six different Tyrone players, including two defenders scored in an impressive opening twenty minutes as they built up a five point 0-8 to 0-3 lead. Sean Hackett (0-3) and Mc Geary were causing major problems for their opponents with their strong running and ball carrying. However Monaghan score a goal and a point to go in at the break only one in arrears.
The men in blue began the second half well and were ahead within two minutes. Indeed they could have stretched their lead to two but the normally reliable Padraig Keenan was wide with a relatively easy free. Tyrone made one or two switches including introducing Danny Mc Nulty to the middle of the field and five unanswered points from the thirteenth to the twenty fourth minute put them in control of the game again. They were denied a cast iron penalty when the referee awarded a thirteen metre free following a foul on Sean Hackett which appeared to have taken place inside the square. Mark Bradley and Michael Cassidy were enjoying a lot of possession as Tyrone showed why they were strong pre-match favourites.
With time running out Monaghan went for broke and threw on big Donnacha Dolan in an attempt to salvage something from the game. They launched several high balls into the square but Tyrone full back and captain Padraig Hampsey was superb as he fetched the O’Neills size five from the sky and ensured his team made it title number twenty two at this level. Congratulations to all the players and the team management of Mickey Donnelly and Kieran Mc Hugh on their well deserved success.