Tyrone See Off Cavan Challenge

Saturday 29.03.2025

County

Tyrone hosted Cavan on Saturday afternoon in the semi final of the Ulster Minor League and came away with a 4-10 to 0-11 win and a place in the final. A brace of goals in either half were key to the outcome and flattered Tyrone somewhat in the final result.

Tomas Meenan opened the scoring after four minutes as Tyrone rose to the challenge. Cavan did draw level with a point from corner forward Nathan Quigley but scores from Haley Patton and Peter Colton put Tyrone two clear. Cathair  Smith reduced the gap before Tyrone hit their first goal of the game when Pearse Mc Donald got on the end of a fine team move to finish to the net.

Cavan were temporarily stunned and allowed Tyrone to add further points from Mc Donald, Padraig Donaghy and Mark Kennedy. The Breffni side, who had former Tyrone senior player Iggy Gallagher among their management team, struck again with a fine conversion of a forty five by goalkeeper Cian Mc Connell. With the clock ticking down to half time team captain Donaghy fired over his team’s sixth point before they rounded off their first half scoring with a goal from wing back Aodhan Quinn. Cavan corner forward Quigley struck his team’s fourth point of the game as referee Niall Mc Kenna sounded the half time whistle

Half time score: Tyrone 2-6, Cavan 0-4

Cavan played with the wind in the second half and used the elements well as they set about reducing the gap. Another converted forty five gave the visitors hope but any aspirations of a comeback were badly knocked when Tomas Meenan’s second point was followed by Tyrone’s third goal courtesy of full forward Eoin Long.

Cavan enjoyed their best phase of the game when they landed three points in a row courtesy of Quigley (2) and midfielder Faolan Graham to make the score 3-7 to 0-10 as the game entered the final ten minutes. James Daly exhibited his attacking skills as he burst through from the middle of the field to clip over a fine point. Credit and special mention to Tyrone goalkeeper Ronan Donnelly for making two superb saves and keeping a clean sheet.

Corner forward Quigley added to his team’s tally with a well crafted score but Cavan were finding the tackling and commitment of the Tyrone team somewhat suffocating and hard to cope with.

With the final whistle rapidly approaching and the outcome of the game already sorted there was still time for a point apiece from Long and substitute Vincent Gormley. The final score of the game was a fabulous run and finish by Joel Kerr as he picked his spot and struck for Tyrone’s fourth goal of the match.

Final score: Tyrone 4-10, Cavan 0-11.

Next up for Tyrone is a league final meeting with Donegal at Owenbeg.