Donegal claim U21 Title

Cadbury GAA Football Ulster U21 Championship Final:
Donegal 2-08  Cavan 0-07

Donegal claimed their first Cadbury GAA Football Ulster U21 Championship title since 1995 after a 2-8 to 0-7 defeat of Cavan before a crowd of 6,000 at Brewster Park on Wednesday night.

Senior star Michael Murphy scored 1-5 of his side’s total and was named Cadbury Hero of the Match.

Donegal led by 1-4 to 0-2 at half-time after Murphy hit the back of the net just before the break.

Brendan Fitzpatrick, Barry Reilly and Diarmuid Molloy were all on target for the Breffni men in the second half as they reduced the deficit to three points, 1-6 to 0-6, with ten minutes left to play.

However, Donegal grabbed the decisive goal when Dermot Molloy knocked the ball to the back of the net in the 52nd minute.

Antoin McFadden and Murphy added late scores as Jim McGuinness’s men eased to a seven-point win to claim their first title at this level in 15 years.

Donegal: P Boyle; E Doherty, C Boyle, P McGrath; D Walsh, T McKinley, C Classon; K Mulhern, D Curran; M McHugh, L McLoone, D Molloy (1-2, 0-1f); J Caroll, M Murphy (1-5, 0-2f), D McLaughlin. Subs: A McFadden (0-1) for Caroll (43′), P McNeillis for McLaughlin, S O’Kennedy for McKinley (both 48′), D Murphy for Curran (58′).

Cavan: M Smith; P Carroll (0-1), R Dunne, D Tighe; D Graham, J McEnroe, T Reilly; G McKiernan, D Gibney; N Smith, N McDermott, B Reilly (0-4, 0-2f); B Fitzpatrick (0-2), D McKiernan, C McClarey. Subs: O Minagh for Reilly, R Maloney Derham for McClarey (both 40′), B Murray for Carroll (46′).