Donegal under-20s ran out worthy winners in the Leo Murphy Cup final against Tyrone in O’Donnell Park.
Donegal 2-10 Tyrone 1-06
This Ulster development Under 20 Final brought together the only two unbeaten teams from the group stages at O’Donnell Park in Letterkenny and produced an excellent hard fought encounter between two well matched teams.
Donegal won the toss to gain home advantage for this final and that gave them a slight edge against a strong Tyrone team which had scored heavily during the group stages.
Donegal started well and kicked four points in the opening twelve minutes, Eric Carr with a mark and three excellent frees from Johnny McGroddy.
Tyrone took time to settle ,getting turned over often by good Donegal pressing but finally got a foothold and began creating goal chances.
Ruairi Canavan fisted wide when well placed and then Michael McGleenan raced through but blasted wide from twelve yards.
However it was third time lucky for the visitors in the 16th minute when Ruairi McHugh burst through, found Canavan who set up Ciaran Bogue who drilled the ball to the net , 0-04 to 1-00 after 16 minutes.
Johnny McGroddy converted his fourth point but Seannie O’Donnell replied with a fine effort from play but Eric Carr who had started the scoring finished the half off with another super point from play to leave two in it at the break, 0-06 to 1-01.
We had a lively start to the to the second-half as Donegal struck in the first minute when Kealan Dunleavy raced on to a flicked pass and drove the ball to the net, 1-06 to 1-01.
Tyrone again replied quickly with points from Ruairi Canavan’s free and Michael McGleenan from play.
We had a quiet period score wise before Donegal burst into scoring action again with four points in a row.
McGroddy’s fifth free, and Kealan Dunleavy, Luke McGlynn and a third from the excellent Eric Carr, 1-10 to 1-03.
Sub Cormac Devlin and a Canavan free replied for Tyrone but yet again Donegal responded with a brillant move involving five players which Bobby McGettigan tapped to the net to maintain his excellent goal scoring record in the competition.
It finished 2-10 to 1-06 in Donegals favour, an impressive end to an impressive Leo Murphy Cup campaign.
Donegal: Daithi Roberts, Kieran Tobin , Sean Doherty , Ryan McShane , Caolan McColgan , Jack Gallagher , Kealan Dunleavy (1-1) Eric Carr (0-3) , Drew McKinney, Luke McGlynn (0-1), Johnny McGroddy (0-5f’s), David Boyle , Eoin Dowling, Ciaran Moore, Paul O’Hare.
Subs: Bobby McGettigan (1-0) and Donal McBride for Boyle and Gallagher ( both h/t), Oisin Caulfield for Moore ( 50mins), Fionan Coyle for O Hare (57mins), Ferdia Doherty for Carr (60mins).
Tyrone: Harry Morgan, Caolan McGinty, Brian Conway (0-1), Eoin Corry, Michael Rafferty, Stephen Donaghy, Niall Devlin, Ruairi McHugh, Matthew McGleenan (0-1), Oran McGrath, Ciaran Bogue (1-0), Dan Muldoon, Seanie O’Donnell (0-1), Ruairi Canavan (0-1), Ciaran Daly.
Subs: Luke Donnelly and James Donaghy for Muldoon and McGrath (35mins), Fionnbarr Taggart for McGinty (40mins), Lorcan McGarrity for Daly (53mins), Cormac Devlin (0-1), for Bogue (55mins).
Referee: Pat Clarke (Cavan).
