All-Ireland JHC semi-final Tyrone 0-13 London 1-4 Tyrone reach decider
TYRONE’S hurlers booked their places in the All-Ireland Junior Championship final.
In the end they had six points to spare over British champions London, who never really threatened to cause an upset.
But the Ulster representatives will be disappointed with the fact that with seven minutes to play they were just three points ahead, and a London goal would have plunged them into deep trouble.
It was midfielder Damien McCallion who came to the rescue with three late scores to settle the nerves and finally snuff out the Exiles’ challenge.
Tyrone were very much in control throughout the first half, mainly through the accuracy of free-taker Paul Lavery, who hit five excellent scores to open up a five points lead.
But then came a bolt from the blue on the stroke of halftime in the form of a London goal from substitute Kevin Casey.
Casey’s first contribution to the game was to finish a Martin Power pass skilfully to the net to give his side a fighting chance. Tyrone led by 0-7 to 1-1 at the break, but London staged a revival with two scores from Barry Marnell, before Lavery extended his tally to seven.
But the home side failed to press home the advantage, and often lived dangerously at the back, before McCallion took the game by the scruff of the neck in the closing stages, hitting those three late scores to send his side through to the decider.
Tyrone: M Ward, G Byrne, P Sweeney, D Molloy, P Hughes, E Hughes, K Cunningham, N Hurson (0-1), D McCallion (0-3), P Lavery (0-7), P Doyle (0-2), T Colton, D O’Neill, P Hughes, E Shields Subs: B O’Neill for D O’Neill, D Quigg for Shields.
London: C Duggan, P Caulfield, E Carey, D Murphy, F O’Meara, M Daly, W Duggan, M O’Reilly (0-2), T Bennett, A Darcy, D McDermott, M McLoughlin, B Marnell (0-2), M Power, M Farrell Sub: K Casey (1- 0) for Darcy, S Shanahan for Power, Nevin for Marnell.
Referee: T Mahon (Fermanagh).
ooooooooooooOOOOOoooooooooooo
Ladies football:
Ulster Junior Championship semi-finals Red Hands to meet Down in junior final
TYRONE will meet Down in a repeat of last year’s Ulster Junior Championship final after reaching the decider in contrasting circumstances yesterday.
Tyrone, who had earlier brushed aside the challenge of Fermanagh, powered to another easy victory beating Monaghan 4-17 to 2-2 in a totally one-sided encounter at Healy Park.
Down, in contrast, were pushed all the way by Donegal, travelling home last night with victory on a 5-9 to 4-7 scoreline.
A goal from Denise Dunnion helped the home side into an early three point lead but Down responded when Felicia Matheson and Yvonne O’Hare found the net to put their team six points to the good before Dunnion reduced the deficit to three points at the break.
Early goals from Claire McGrath and Karen Hopkins enabled Down to move into a commanding lead but there were only three points between the teams when Frances Kane scored a goal and a point before Micheala Downey wrapped things up for the Mourne girls with five minutes remaining.
Meanwhile, in Omagh, a poor Monaghan side was no match for the holders who had the game won by the end of the first quarter by which time they led 2-8 to 0-1.
Eilis Gormley, who was later named player of the match, got the first goal after being set up by Caroline Kelly in the fifth minute, with Kelly on target herself 10 minutes later.
Lynette Hughes cracked in Tyrone’s third goal shortly before the break and the home side turned around with a massive 3-11 to 0-2 advantage, and substitute Ann Donnelly capped the display with the fourth goal 13 minutes from time.
