Tyrone get it spot on to edge out Derry and clinch Ulster U20 crown on penalties

Tyrone captain Michael Rafferty lifts the Ulster U20 title

Tyrone's Ruairí McHugh celebrates scoring against Derry in the Ulster U20 Final

Niall O'Donnell of Derry in action against Gavin Potter of Tyrone

thumbnail: Tyrone captain Michael Rafferty lifts the Ulster U20 title
thumbnail: Tyrone's Ruairí McHugh celebrates scoring against Derry in the Ulster U20 Final
thumbnail: Niall O'Donnell of Derry in action against Gavin Potter of Tyrone
John Campbell

The Ulster Under-20 Football Championship Final ended in a battle of nerves on Wednesday night when Tyrone overcame Derry by 3-1 in a nerve-tingling penalty shoot-out after the sides had been nip and tuck in the 3-10 to 2-13 stalemate.

Derry, though, could not have asked for a better start to the match. They looked sprightly and enterprising in the early exchanges but struck a telling blow when Johnny McGuckian hammered in a spectacular goal that hoisted his side into a 1-2 to 0-2 lead.

But it was to be a short-lived advantage. Scarcely had Derry time to lap up their early bonus than Tyrone wing-back Shea O’Hare, who was rendering early support to his front line, pounced when the ball rebounded to him after an attack appeared to have floundered to give him the chance to find the Derry net.

With O’Hare and Ronan Cassidy having landed points immediately prior to the former’s goal, the match had already gathered considerable momentum. But Niall O’Donnell was already proving a thorn in the side of the Tyrone attack and his brace of points helped his side into a 1-5 to 1-3 lead.

But Tyrone’s response was emphatic in the 22nd minute when Ruairi McCullagh drilled in a second goal to leave the Red Hands in front at 2-3 to 1-5 with the contest delicately balanced. It became even more so when Walls stroked over the equalising point for Derry to leave the sides level at the interval (2-3 to 1-6).

When Tyrone’s Odhran Brolly and Ronan Cassidy traded points with Derry duo Danny McDermott and Conleth McGrogan on the resumption, it appeared as if it was to be nip and tuck all the way. And that’s just the way things turned out with Oisin Doherty snapping up another two points for Derry as Eoin McElholm did likewise for Tyrone.

The sides were deadlocked at 2-8 to 1-11 at full-time, thus sending the game into extra-time. And it was substitute Ryan McNicholl who breathed new life into Derry when he fired in their second goal to leave his side ahead at 2-13 to 2-9.

But Tyrone substitute Ruairi McHugh squeezed the ball into the Derry net to leave his side one point adrift at 2-13 to 3-9 only for Conor Owens to being the sides level again to pave the way for a penalty shoot-out.