EirGrid Ulster U21 FC Semi-Finals Review

The Semi Finals of the 2016 EirGrid Ulster U21 Football Championship were played last night and as a result Tyrone & Monaghan will go head to head in the final on Wednesday 6th April at the Athletic Grounds, Armagh at 8pm.

Eirgrid Ulster U21 Football Championship Semi-final

MONAGHAN 2-16 ARMAGH 0-9

Monaghan are through to a first Ulster U21 FC final since 2007, goals from substitutes Fearghal McMahon and Francis Maguire putting the gloss on a deserved victory over Armagh in Pairc Esler.

McMahon’s 37th minute penalty and a late Francis Maguire goal helped crush a disappointing Armagh side, with impressive displays up front by Barry McGinn and Conor McCarthy.

Monaghan, who haven’t won a provincial title at this grade since 1999, kicked five points in a row in the 10 minutes before half time to take a decisive 0-9 to 0-6 lead at the break.

Armagh were 0-6 to 0-4 ahead after 20 minutes, but were rocked when senior defender Shea Heffron was black-carded for a foul on McGinn in the 22nd minute – and half time could not come quick enough after conceding three points in a four-minute spell from McGinn, McCarthy, and midfielder Aaron Lynch.

Monaghan played with more purpose and conviction and hit 1-5 in a row in the second half to completely take the game away from Armagh.  They were then awarded a penalty which McMahon converted.  Goalkeeper Conor Forde also nailed a couple of long-range placed balls.

Oisin O’Neill ended a 22-minute scoring drought for Armagh, who only kicked three points in the second half.

Another Monaghan substitute Francis Maguire capitalised on a defensive lapse to tap home a loose ball into the net to round off an easy victory.

Scorers for Monaghan: F McMahon 1-2 (1-0 pen, 1f), C McCarthy 0-4 (2fs), B McGinn 0-4 (2fs), F Maguire 1-0, C Forde 0-2 (1f, 145), D Ward 0-1, A Lynch 0-1, M Murnaghan 0-1, B McBennett 0-1.

Scorers for Armagh: C McKenna 0-3, C Martin 0-2, O O’Neill 0-2 (1f), C McConville 0-1, J Freeman 0-1.

Monaghan: C Forde; B Kerr, M Murnaghan, K Loughran; D Ward, J Mealiff, N Rooney; N Loughran, A Lynch; R McAnespie, B McGinn , D Meegan; M O’Dowd, C McCarthy, A Treanor.

Subs: F McMahon for Treanor (34), F Maguire for O’Dowd (41), C Rice for Ward (55), B McBennett for Meegan (58), M McCarville for Lynch (58), A Kiernan for Mealiff (60)

Armagh: B Hughes; G McCabe, A Rushe, J Cosgrove; C McConville, S Heffron, J McElroy; D McKenna, O O’Neill; P Quinn, J Rafferty, C Boylan; C McKenna, S McPartlan, C Martin.

Subs: J Freeman for Quinn (12), R Finn for Heffron (BC, 22), J Og Burns for Rafferty (28), A Conlon for McPartlan (47), P Savage for McKenna (51).

Referee: R Barry (Down).

Report: Orla Bannon/gaa.ie

Eirgrid Ulster U21 Football Championship Semi-final

TYRONE 1-15  DONEGAL 2-8

Tyrone’s defence of their Ulster and All-Ireland Under-21 titles remains on course despite a big scare against Donegal in an action-packed semi-final at Celtic Park.

Ryan Coleman’s goal sent Tyrone on their way, but Donegal will reflect and wonder just how they didn’t have their tickets stamped for a fourth successive provincial decider at this level.

Tyrone goaled in the 38th minute. A shot from Mark Kavanagh careered off the upright, but fell neatly for Coleman, who smashed an effort into the top corner of the Donegal net.

Donegal’s response was instant and Conor Doherty shot low to the Tyrone net, but Tyrone hit back and landed seven-in-a-row, including a sideline kick from Lee Brennan.

Donegal had seen Sean Fox, the Tyrone goalkeeper deny Stephen McBrearty and Jamie Brennan with good saves, but Donegal were reflecting on how they weren’t more than 0-6 to 0-4 ahead at the break.

While McBrearty netted a penalty late in the night for Donegal, the damage had been done – and, agonisingly for them, it was largely of their own doing.

Donegal kicked six wides in the first half and were made pay as Brennan and Cathal McShane led the Tyrone fightback.

Although goalkeeper Fox was black carded before McBrearty netted the penalty, Tyrone reeled off the scores to give them the win. Donegal finished with 13 men as Stephen McMenamin and Bruce Waldron were sent off.

Scorers for Tyrone: R Coleman 1-2, L Brennan 0-5 (3fs) M Kavanagh, C McShane (1f) 0-2 each, S O’Donnell, S Loughran, F Burns, S Fox 0-1 each.

Scorers for Donegal: S McBrearty 1-5 (1-0pen, 3fs), C Doherty 1-0, C O’Donnell, C Bonner 0-1, C Thompson (f) each

Donegal: D Rodgers; C Morrison, K Gillespie, J O’Brien; S McMenamin, E McGrath, A McClean; C O’Donnell, C Thompson; C Bonner, E Gallagher, S McBrearty; J Brennan, C McGonagle, M Carroll.

Subs: C Doherty for Brennan (32), M Coyle for Bonner (40), B Waldron for McGonagle (black card, 42), C Mulligan for McClean (46), A Neely for O’Donnell (54), Jack Scally for O’Brien (58).

Tyrone: S Fox; C McCann, P Teague, S Hamill; C Byrne, S Loughran, M O’Neill; C McShane, B McDonnell; M Kavanagh, F Burns, D Mulgrew; L Brennan, R Coleman, S Fox.

Subs: M McKernan for Teague (15), J Harkin for McDonnell (black card, 17), R McGlone for O’Neill (50), for McShane (54), S O’Donnell for Kavanagh (58) R McGeary for Fox (black card, 60).

Referee: B Cassidy (Derry).

Report: Chris McNulty / gaa.ie

For the complete Ulster U21 Football Championship fixtures and results visit www.ulster.gaa.ie/u21football2016