Heartbreak for minors as Tyrone head to semi-final

22 May 2019

A DOGGED and determined Down side just missed out an Ulster MFC semi-final spot when Tyrone produced a dazzling second half display to take the spoils at Pairc Esler on Sunday.

Down had done all that was asked of them in the first half and deservedly went in at the break with a 0-8 to 0-6 lead.

However, Tyrone were lying in wait and outscored their hosts 1-9 to 1-2 in the second half to progress with a bit to spare.

Mark Devlin took first blood for Tyrone with a converted free in the first minute, but a game Down side were back on level terms with an Odhran Murdock free.

Ryan Magill then pointed Down ahead, but two more Devlin frees had Tyrone in front with a 0-3 to 0-2 lead after 16 minutes. Adam Crimmins levelled matters with a point from play in the 17th minute, but a well-struck 45’ from Devlin nosed the visitors back in front.

James McCartan’s lads then hit a mini purple patch and two super scores from Cian McLaughlin and a point apiece from Sean Og McCusker and Murdock eased Down into a 0-7 to 0-4 lead after 23 minutes.

Tyrone responded positively and Down ‘keeper Aodhan Furlong kept his side in it with two brilliant saves. There was no stopping Tyrone and Devlin lofted over another 45’ to leave two points in it with three minutes of the first half remaining.

Downpatrick’s Oran Cunningham extended Down’s lead to three points after superb work from St Paul’s Josh Gray, but Shea Browne had the last say of the half for the visitors when he split the posts with unerring accuracy to send Tyrone into the break only trailing by two points, 0-8 to 0-6.

There really was little to separate the sides in an evenly contested first half, but Tyrone looked dangerous in attack and it took some great defending and covering from a mobile defence to keep the visitors at bay.

It was a different matter in the second half as Tyrone upped the tempo and went for broke.

Shea Daly left a point in it when he registered the first score of the second half. Down had chances to regain the initiative, but none were taken. A Daniel Fullerton free levelled matters, but the visitors were rocked to the core when Down caught them on the counterattack and the deadly John McGovern blasted the ball to the net after a raking pass from Murdock.

Down now held a 1-8 to 0-8 lead 10 minutes into the second half, but Tyrone were not for throwing the towel in just yet.

Fullerton and Down’s Adam Crimmins swapped scores before Tyrone moved from three points down to five points clear in a decisive and sparkling period of football.

Three points from Fullerton and a goal and two points from the lethal Devlin had Down on their knees.

Oisin Savage gave Down some respite with a late free, but Tyrone had to have the last say and a point from Devlin completed the scoring.

Down: Aodhan Furlong, Patrick McCarthy, Sean Donegan, Damien McMullan, Ronan Campbell, Josh Gray, Ryan Magill (0-1), Odhran Murdock (0-2, 1f), Peter McEvoy, Padraig Clancy, John McGovern (1-0), Oran Cunningham (0-1), Sean Og McCusker (0-1f), Adam Crimmins (0-2), Cian McLaughlin (0-2). Subs: Oisin Savage (0-1) for Cunningham, C Billham for McMullan.

Tyrone: Fintan Coney, Seamus Sweeney, Caolan Mulgrew, Conor Cuddy, James Donaghy, Niall Devlin, Michael McCann, Michael McGleenan, Ruairi Campbell, Shea Daly (0-1), Mark Devlin (1-8, 4f, 2x45’), Shea Quinn, Shea Browne (0-1), Daniel Fullerton (0-5, 4f), Ruairi Canavan. Subs: Ethan Neill for Quinn, Shay Gallagher for Browne, R McHugh for Canavan, Luke Donnelly for Devlin.

Down Minors 1-10

Tyrone Minors 1-15

ULSTER MFC QUALIFIERS

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