Updated: April 23rd, 2025
Ulster U20 FC: Derry bow out as strong second half sends Tyrone to Ulster final
Game Recap
Ulster Under 20 Football Championship Semi Final
By Michael Wilson (Derry Journal)
Derry 0-19, Tyrone 3-12
Derry Under 20s’ championship dreams were dashed by a strong second half display from reigning All Ireland champions Tyrone in Wednesday’s Ulster semi-final at Owenbeg.
Three second half goals from Conan Devlin, Conor O’Neill and star man Eoin McElholm tilted the tie in the Red Hands’ favour after Derry had dominated the opening half but turned around with only a one point half-time lead at 0-9 to 0-8.
That scenario changed within 30 seconds of the restart when Devlin charged through on to Matthew Quinn’s pass. His initial shot was saved well by Karl Campbell but Devlin was quickest to react, bundling the rebound back over the line despite the valiant efforts of Conleth McGrogan to stop it on the line.
The goal was a momentum changer. From a first half of Derry control against Tyrone’s swift, incisive counter, the Red Hands went for the jugular. Derry’s response to the Devlin goal was a positive one, scores from Conall Higgins, Ruairi Forbes and the excellent Eamon Young tying up the game at 0-12 to 1-09 within 10 minutes of half-time but the pendulum swung once more when Tyrone hit another 1-02 without reply in six second half minutes.
The catalyst was O’Neill’s goal, the midfielder capping a flowing Tyrone move that owed everything to the strong running of full-back Ben Hughes. When that goal was added to by two points from Coalan Donnelly who had a superb second half, Derry were playing catch up and they never quite managed it.
McElholm’s brilliant solo goal looked to have killed off the Oak Leafers totally when it arrived with five minutes left but Damien McErlain’s squad has never lacked character and despite facing a game that was going away from them, they almost pulled off an unlikely comeback with 0-5 without reply in the closing minutes.
Young’s free was followed by a Forbes two pointer and a Higgins score to bring the gap back to three with one minute of five added remaining. Derry even won the next kick-out but in trying to drop a high ball in, Conleth McGrogan’s effort sailed over the bar and with it went Oak Leaf hopes.
Derry didn’t help themselves at times but Tyrone’s kicking game provided a cutting edge Derry didn’t match second half. The home side dominated kick-outs and possession first half but Tyrone were never stretched enough, Johnny McGuckian’s low snap shot that was turned away by Conor Aneney the closest Derry came to a goal before a late Young effort was also well saved by the Tyrone No. 1.
Ironically it was that packed Red Hand defence that then afforded Tyrone the space to which they aimed their kicks if turnover ball was won and in McElholm, Noah Grimes and Liam Og Mossey that had forwards capable of winning ball.
The margins separating the sides first half were paper thin but the third quarter won the game for Tyrone. In the 14 minutes after half-time Paul Devlin’s team outscored Derry by 2-02 to 0-3 and it won them the game.
A repeat of last season’s thrilling Ulster final which the Red Hands won on penalties, there was never going to be much between two of the best teams in the country and Derry badly missed the attacking influence of cruciate casualty James Sargent and the line breaking ability of Fionn McEldowney.
The opening half was an arm wrestle of a game, one which Derry controlled everywhere but inside the Tyrone ’45 where the visitors were excellent. With five Newbridge players in the starting 15, one of the O’Leary’s, Sean Young, set up Tommy Rogers for an opening score that was cancelled out by McElholm, Quinn and Og Mossey as Tyrone led 0-1 to 0-3 seven minutes in.
Derry levelled thanks to an Oisin Doherty free and lovely solo score from club mate Eamon Young and it was still level when Derry hit their best patch, 0-5 without reply between between the 14th and 27th minutes, but it proved a false dawn thanks to two late Tyrone frees.
The Red Hands hadn’t scored in 14 minutes when Ruairi McCullagh swung over their sixth and from the resulting kick-out, a huge call as Danny McDermott was adjudged to have fouled Conor O’Neill when the Derry player looked as much sinned against as sinner. Referee Niall McKenna gave it in Tyrone’s favour and McDermott’s hesitation in handing the ball over meant a 50m penalty which McCullagh took outside the arc and fired between the sticks for two massive points that proved another sliding doors moment.
That left only one in it at half-time and Tyrone, now with the tails up, roared out for a third quarter that means it is they who will meet Donegal at Owenbeg next Wednesday evening in the decider.
Teams and scorers
Derry scorers: Tommy Rogers 0-1, Oisin Doherty 0-1 (1f), Eamon Young 0-5 (2f), Sean Young 0-2, Danny McDermott 0-1, Conall Higgins 0-2, Ruairi Forbes 0-4 (1tp), Ger Dillon 0-2, (1tpf), Conleth McGrogan 0-1.
Tyrone scorers: Conan Devlin 1-0, Eoin Mc Elholm 1-3, Matthew Quinn 0-1, Liam Og Mossey 0-1, Conor O’Neill 1-1, Ruairi McCullagh 0-3 (1f, 1tpf), Conall Sheehy 0-1, Caolan Donnelly 0-2.
Derry: Karl Campbell, Rory Small, Conleth McGrogan, Padraig Haran, Luke Grant, Patrick McMullan, Ruairi Forbes, Tommy Rogers, Danny McDermott, Eamon Young, Sean Young, Johnny McGuckian, Jude Bryson, Ryan McNicholl, Oisin Doherty. (Subs) Conall Higgins for R McNicholl, HT; Ger Dillon for O Doherty, 50min; Cathaoir Bradley for J McGuckian, 59mins; Padraig O’Kane for P Haran, 61mins.
Tyrone: Conor McAneney, Fiachra Nelis, Ben Hughes, Conor Devlin, Callum Daly, Joey Clarke, Caolan Donnelly, Conan Devlin, Conor O’Neill, Conall Sheehy, Eoin McElholm, Matthew Quinn, Noah Grimes, Ruairi McCullagh, Liam Og Mossey. (Subs) Shea McDermott for N Grimes, 50mins; Shane McCaul for C Daly, 59mins; Conor Holmes for R McCullagh, 61mins.
Referee: Niall McKenna (Monaghan)