Tyrone U-20s make wasteful Donegal pay a heavy price in Ulster semi-final
Gary Boyle’s team would kick 15 off target over the hour to Tyrone’s three and that was a damning statistic when the dust finally did settle
Reigning Ulster and All-Ireland U-20 champions Tyrone are through to another provincial decider after they seen off Donegal in Convoy.
The wind-assisted hosts were 0-7 to 0-1 in front at the break but nine wides was a slight concern for Gary Boyle's side going in at the midpoint.
Indeed, Donegal would kick 15 in total, off target, over the hour to Tyrone’s three and that was a damning statistic when the dust did finally settle.
Kalvin McLaughlin had got the hosts moving on six minutes while an outside of the right boot two-pointer from Tomás Carr moved Donegal three clear moments later.
A Shane Callaghan effort from deep then dropped short but with Darragh Hennigan following the dipping ball in, he got an outstretched connection to flick over the crossbar.
Four Masters pair Turlough Carr and Kevin Muldoon added back-to-back points to leave Donegal a half dozen clear on 20 minutes.
Max Campbell got up from wing half-back two minutes out from half-time to register but with Peter Coltan finally getting Tyrone off the mark in injury time, six split the teams at the break.
Paul Devlin’s team - now with the breeze to their backs - bagged seven on the bounce following the resumption as Adrian McGurren and Shea McDermott landed points while Leo Hughes and McDermott also chipped in with huge two-pointers.
Donegal didn’t get going again in the second period until the three-quarter hour mark as ‘keeper Lewis McCaughan cleared the crossbar from a ‘45.
Still, Tyrone remain on course for a third provincial and All-Ireland title in a row as Conor O’Neill landed a late two-pointer and McDermott brought the curtain down in added time from the ‘45.
Donegal scorers: Tomás Carr 0-2, 1tp; Lewis McCaughan 0-1, 1’45; Kalvin McLaughlin, Darragh Hennigan, Kevin Muldoon, Turlough Carr and Max Campbell 0-1 each.
Tyrone scorers: Shea McDermott 0-4, 1tp, 1’45; Leo Hughes 0-2, 1tp; Conor O’Neill 0-2, 1tpf; Peter Colton and Adrian McGurren 0-1 each.
Donegal: Lewis McCaughan; Cathal ‘Rua’ Ó Gallchóir, Cathal Mac Aoidh, Aaron Neely; Max Campbell, Callum McCrea, Finnbarr Roarty; Kalvin McLaughlin, Kevin Muldoon, Luke McGuinness, Jamie Gavigan, Darragh Hennigan; Shane Callaghan, Tomas Carr, Turlough Carr.
Subs: Donnacha Boyle and Dylan Mulholland for Hennigan and Gavigan (both 48); Thomas Lenehan for McGuinness (55)
Tyrone: Oisín Watson; Seán Mac Bródaír, Luke Neeson, Michael McNamee; Aodhán Quinn, Conor Devlin, Brian Gallagher; Enda Donaghy, Conor O’Neill; Conall Sheehy, Leo Hughes, Turlough Muldoon; Adrian McGurren, Peter Colton, Shea McDermott.
Subs: Liam Lawn for McGurren (50); Dara Devlin for Muldoon (59)
Referee: Margaret Farrelly (Cavan)