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Donegal's Patrick McBrearty in action. INPHO/Presseye/Andrew Paton
GAA

Ulster U21FC: Wins for Donegal, Down, Derry and Cavan

The last eight U21 football clashes took place in the Northern province tonight.

Donegal 0-15
Tyrone 1-6

SENIOR STAR PATRICK McBrearty struck 0-7 as Donegal’s U21 side enjoyed a successful trip to Omagh for this evening’s Cadbury’s Ulster U21FC quarter-final tie against Tyrone.

The Red Hands had a fancied side after winning the All-Ireland minor title with this team three years ago but they fell short at the first hurdle.

Raymond Munroe’s side finished the game with 14 men after midfielder Richard Donnelly was dismissed when he was shown a second-yellow card in injury-time.

Donegal lead by 0-8 to 1-3 at the break with McBrearty having helped them into a 0-7 to 0-3 lead after the 25th minute. But wing-back Stiofan Tierney bagged a vital goal for Tyrone with four minutes remaining before the interval to ensure they were still in the hunt for success.

Tyrone kept in contention in the third quarter with senior attacker Darren McCurry impressing from play and Ronan O’Neill accurate from frees. A long-range point from McCurry cut the gap to three points, 0-12 to 1-6, with ten minutes remaining.

But that was as close as they got as Donegal finished strongly with midfielder Luke Keeney raising a white flag and attacker Conor Gibbons pitching in with a brace to seal a six-point victory.

Scorers for Donegal: Patrick McBrearty 0-7 (0-4f), Conor Gibbons 0-4 (0-2f), Darach O’Connor, William Gillespie, Odran MacNiallais, Luke Keeney 0-1 each.
Scorers for Tyrone: Stiofan Tierney 1-0, Darren McCurry 0-3, Ronan O’Neill (0-2f), Conan Grugan 0-1.

DONEGAL: Peter Boyle (Aodh Rua); Kevin McFadden (Cloughaneely), Ciaran Cannon (Letterkenny Gaels), Pauric Carr (Kilcar); Eoin McHugh (Kilcar), Martin O’Reilly (Sean MacCumhaill’s), Conor Parke (St Eunan’s); Caolan Ward (St Eunan’s), Luke Keeney (Four Masters); Leon Kelly (Glenswilly), Conor Gibbons (St Eunan’s), Ryan McHugh (Kilcar); William Gillespie (Naomh Colmcille), Patrick McBrearty (St Eunan’s), Odhran MacNiallais (Gweedore).

Subs: Darach O’Connor for Carr.

TYRONE: Mark McReynolds (Edendork); Ruairi Loughran (Carrickmore), Dwayne Quinn (Clonoe), Hugh Pat McGeary (Pomeroy); Stiofan Tierney (Errigal Ciaran), Conor Clarke (Omagh), Jonathan Munroe (Carrickmore); Richard Donnelly (Trillick), Conan Grugan (Omagh); Liam Gervin (Derrylaughan), Ronan O’Neill (Omagh), Niall Sludden (Dromore); Darren McCurry (Edendork), Padraig McNulty (Dungannon), Ryan Devlin (The Rock).

Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan)

Stefan Tierney of Tyrone scores a goal
Pic: INPHO/Presseye/Andrew Paton

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Derry 4-12
Antrim 1-9

Derry ran out 12-point victors over Antrim in their quarter-final tie in Casement Park with their greater goal-scoring ability proving key in their trip to Belfast.

The success helped Derry set up a semi-final meeting with Donegal after they had lead 3-3 to 0-5 at half-time. Aaron Devlin notched two first-half goals for the winners while Ryan Dougan struck the third on the stroke of the interval.

Antrim fought back in the second-half with Owen Gallagher firing in a goal for the home side but Derry sealed their success when Chris Spiers netted late on.

Ryan Bell, Rory Moore and Spiers all added points to help the Oak Leaf County run out comfortable victors.

Antrim’s Stephen Tully and Derry’s Declan Brown
Pic: INPHO/Presseye/Matt Mackey

**********

Down 0-11
Armagh 1-5

Down advanced past near neighbors Armagh in tonight’s quarter-final clash at the Athletic Grounds with a dominant display.

The Mourne men lead by 0-7 to 0-1 at the interval with Danny Savage and Ryan O’Hare both shining in the scoring stakes for them. Eddie English swept over Armagh’s solitary point of the opening period.

The Orchard County tried to force their way back into contention in the second-half but Down kept the scoreboard ticking over with Daragh O’Hanlon, Shea McArdle and Jerome Johnston amongst their point-scorers.

Down lead 0-11 to 0-5 entering the closing stages and while Aiden Forker found the net for Armagh, it only proved a consolation effort.

Scorers for Down: Danny Savage, Ryan O’Hare 0-3 (0-2f) each, Daragh O’Hanlon 0-2 (0-1f), Shea McArdle, Ryan Johnston, Jerome Johnston 0-1 each.
Scorers for Armagh: Aiden Forker 1-1, Niall McConville 0-2 (0-2f), Jemar Hall, Eddie English 0-1 each.

Aerial action from Armagh and Down.
Pic: INPHO/Presseye/Jonathan Porter

***************

Cavan 1-16
Monaghan 1-12

Cavan needed extra-time before prevailing on home soil against local rivals Monaghan in tonight’s quarter-final clash in Kingspan Breffni Park.

Cavan produced a decisive burst to forge clear by 1-13 to 1-10 at the midway mark of normal-time with key attackers Jack Brady and Enda O’Reilly adding vital points in the second-half to affirm their advantage.

Monaghan had lead 0-5 to 0-2 early on during the first-half with Shane Carey landing three of their points but then Cavan hit back as they strung together six points without reply. A late point by Monaghan goalkeeper Rory Beggan from a free cut the deficit to two points, 0-8 to 0-6, midway through the second-half.

Cavan got off to a dream start in the second-half when full-forward Paul O’Connor planted the ball in the back of the net after a long ball forward by defender Daragh McVeety.

That helped the Breffni establish a 1-8 to 0-6 advantage but Monaghan hit back with substitute Jack McCarron impressing and he tied the teams with a second-half goal after Keith McEnaney had created the opportunity.

Monaghan forged ahead through a Carey free but Enda O’Reilly sent the teams towards extra-time with a late point for Cavan and they clinched honors in the additional period.

Scorers for Cavan: Enda O’Reilly 0-5 (0-4f), Paul O’Connor 1-2, Alan Graham, Conor Madden, Jack Brady (0-1f) 0-2 each, Conor Gilsenan, Ciaran Brady, Joe Dillon 0-1 each.
Scorers for Monaghan: Jack McCarron 1-2 (0-2f), Shane Carey 0-4 (0-4f), Thomas Connolly, Thomas Kerr, Keith McEnaney, Daniel McKenna, Rory Beggan (0-1f), Conor McKenna 0-1 each.

CAVAN: Conor Gilsenan, Jason McLoughlin, Killian Clarke, Ciaran Brady, Daragh McVeety, Daragh Sexton, Feargal Flanagan, Brian Sankey, Michael Argue, Gerard Smith, Christopher Conroy, Turloc Mooney, Enda O’Reilly, Paul O’Connor, Jack Brady.

Subs: C Madden for Conroy, A Watson for C Brady, J Dillon for Rooney,  A Graham for O’Connor, C Moynagh for Sexton, T Mooney for San-key, P Flynn for McLoughlin.

MONAGHAN: Rory Beggan, Ryan Wylie, Conor Boyle, Paddy McGuigan, Paudie McKenna, Johnny McGuigan, Cillian Cromwell, Stephen Sherry, Pete Dooney, Shane O’Brien, Shane Carey, Thomas Connolly, Thomas Kerr, Keith McEnaney, Daniel McKenna.

Subs: B McQuaid for Cromwell, J McCarron for O’Brien, C McKenna for D McKenna.

Referee: Eamonn McHugh (Tyrone)

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