Ulster U-20 FC final
Derry 2-13
Tyrone 3-10 AET
Tyrone win 3-1 on penalties
It was heartbreak for Derry on Wednesday night as Tyrone held their nerve to win a fourth Ulster U-20 title in six seasons after a penalty shoot-out.
The Oakleafers were four points up as the game ticked into the second half of extra-time.
A dubious palmed goal from Ruairi McHugh pulled Tyrone back into the game before Conor Owens, with his first touch, sliced over an equaliser.
There was still time for Derry to push on for a winner but when Sean Young dropped his shot into the arms of goalkeeper McAneney, the game went to penalties.
The Tyrone stopper denied Niall O’Donnell, Johnny McGuckian and Patrick McGurk.
Ryan McNicholl did score penalty for Derry and Callum Armstrong denied Gavin Potter.
Owens and Cormac Devlin converted penalties for Rtyrone before Noah Grimes slid home the winner.
Derry hit the front with captain Patrick McGurk’s early score with Ronan Cassidy levelling in a tough opening spell.
Shea McCann and Conor O’Neill traded scores before Johnny McGuckian hit the net for a 1-2 to 0-2 after 12 minutes.
Tyrone hit back instantly with a move from the kick-out and when Joey Clarke was denied by Armstrong’s save with Sean O’Hare poking the rebound to the net.
Oisin Doherty and Niall O’Donnell pushed Derry ahead before a second Tyrone goal, a rasper from Ruairi McCullagh off the bottom of the crossbar.
Tyrone missed a sitter of a goal when Cassidy pulled wide and it was Ronan Walls on target for Derry to level at the break, 2-3 to 1-6.
In a seond half littered with turnovers, Danny McDermott and Conleth McGrogan hit fine scores for Derry.
As the game developed, Eoin McElholm broke to put Tyrone 2-7 to 1-8 with Rory McGill on target for Derry.
McCullagh levelled for Tyrone with the rest of normal time failing to produce a score, sending the decider to extra-time, 2-8 to 1-11.
Rory McGill and Oisin Doherty hit points before Derry hit their second goal. A highball was punched goalwards by Dara McPeake and when Callum Daly cvlawed the ball off the line, McNicholl poked to the net fo a 2-13 t 2-9 lead at half time in extra tyime.
Ruairi McHugh palmed a controversial goal whern he appeared to be in the squad with Conor Owen’s hitting the point to take it to penalties.
Derry: C Armstrong; F McEldowney, D McDermott (0-1), R Small; C McGrogan (0-1), P McGurk, R Walls (0-1); R Forbes, C Heron, S McCann (0-2); C Spiers, N O’Donnell (0-2), J McGuckian (1-0); C Chambers, O Doherty (0-4, 3f)
Subs: Ryan McNicholl (1-0) for S McCann (HT), Eoin Higgins for C Spiers (37), Ryan McGill (0-2) for C Chambers (44), D McPeake for R Walls (56), T Rogers for C Heron (74), S Young for E Higgins (78)
Yellow cards: J McGuckian (65)
Tyrone: Conor McAneney; Joey Clarke, Ben Hughes, Conor Devlin; Callum Daly; Shea O’Hare (1-0), Michael Rafferty, Odhrán Brolly (0-1); Ronan Fox, Conor O’Neill (0-1); Cormac Devlin, Eoin McElholm (0-2), Gavin Potter; Ruairi McCullagh (1-2, 1f), Ronan Cassidy (0-3, 1f)
Subs: Fiachra Nelis for Conor Devlin (22), Ruairi McHugh (1-0) for O Brolly (43), Paddy McCann for R Fox (50), Noah Grimes for R Cassidy (56), Conor Owens (0-1) for C O’Neill (HT ET), F Donnelly for M Rafferty (75)
Yellow cards: F Nelis (59)
Referee: Diarmuid Boylan (Monaghan)
