Donegal minors suffered heartbreak to Tyrone as they were defeated 4-3 on penalties in the Ulster minor semi-final at Celtic Park.
Donegal 1-10 Tyrone 0-13 (Tyrone win 4-3 on penalties)
After leading 0-8 to 0-5 with 10 minutes to go, Donegal were rocked as substitute Sean Hughes made a big difference to level the game.
Neither side could find the winning point in normal time and Tyrone came out flying in extra time.
Tyrone took a five point lead with minutes left but a Donal Gallagher goal and a late Cian McMenamin point took the game to penalties.
Conor McAneney was the hero for Tyrone, saving Shane Callaghan’s penalty.
Cian McMenamin opened the scoring for Donegal from a well taken 45 and Karl Joseph Molloy got his first point from a free.
Ronan Molloy got Tyrone’s opening score before Molloy scored another free.
Michael McElhatton scored a superb point from play at a tight angle while Conan Devlin’s effort went straight over the black spot to level the game.
Tyrone captain Eoin McElholm gave The Red Hands the lead for the first time but again Molloy scored from another free.
A Molloy effort from play dropped short and Cian McGee fisted over from close range to give Donegal a 0-5 to 0-4 lead at half-time.
Noah Grimes got the first point of the second half drew Tyrone level before a super score from Mark McDevitt restored Donegal’s lead.
Another classy McDevitt score and Karl Joseph Molloy’s first point from play gave Donegal a healthy three point lead with 15 minutes to go.
After a long spell without a point for either side McElholm found Callum Daly who reached to punch over Zach Conlon in the Donegal goal but the ball hit the bar for just a point.
Sean Hughes then scored an important free to get Tyrone back to within a point and captain McElholm got Tyrone level with minutes left.
Neither side could find the winning point as it finished 0-8 apiece in normal time.
Tyrone took a hold of the game in the early stages of extra time as Grimes scored a free and McCarney quickly gave Tyrone a two point lead.
Callum Daly then made it a three point game before half-time as Tyrone were patient in possession and worked the ball well.
Tyrone won the ball straight from throw-in in the second half and McElholm converted a free inside the first 30 seconds as they looked to finish Donegal off early.
Grimes extended the lead and Shane Callaghan got one back for Donegal before a massive score in the game.
Tyrone tried to keep the ball but Donegal won it back and Donal Gallagher picked up the ball, smashing past Conor McAneney into the back of the net, leaving it 0-13 to 1-9 in added time.
Donegal won the kick out and piled the pressure on as Tyrone gave away a free-kick.
Cian McMenamin stepped up for the all important free to take the game to penalties.
Grimes converted his penalty and Cian McMenamin missed Donegal’s first.
Leo Hughes made it 2-0 and McDevitts penalty was weak and saved by McAneney but the referee called for a retake and McDevitt made no mistake the second time, blasting the ball into the net.
Nathan Farry scored Tyrone’s third and Seanan Carr’s penalty went in off the post.
Zach Conlon then saved Sean Hughes’ penalty and Eoghan Scott levelled the sides 3-3 after four kicks each.
Niall McCarney converted his penalty into the top corner and Shane Callaghan was the unfortunate taker that saw his left footed penalty saved by McAneney.
Tyrone advance to the minor championship final and will face Derry.
Donegal: Zach Conlon; Shaun McMenamin, Niall Prederville, Donal Gallagher (1-0), Finbar Roarty, Eoghan Kelly, Sean Martin; Cian McGee (0-1), Lorcan McGee; Karl Joseph Molloy (04,3f), Conor McGinty, Cian McMenamin (0-2f), Mark McDevitt (0-2), Ryan Barrett, Daithi Gildea
Subs: Padraig Coyle for Barrett (46 mins), Sean McLaughlin and Eoghan Scott for Gildea and Roarty(54 mins), Shane Callaghan (0-1) for Molloy (65 mins), Kevin Lynch for Coyle (72 mins), Seanan Carr for McGinty (75 mins)
Tyrone: Conor McAneney; Joey Clarke, Ben Hughes, Conor Devlin, Conan Devlin (0-1), Callum Daly (0-2), Nathan Farry; Ronan Molloy (0-1), Conor O’Neill, Charlie Donnelly, Eoin McElholm (0-2), Caolan Donnelly, Noah Grimes (0-3,1f), Barry McMenamin, Michael McElhatton (0-2).
Subs: Ruairi McCullagh and Sean Hughes (0-1) for Molloy for Donnelly (43 mins), Niall McCarney (0-1) for McElhatton (54 mins), Sheehan Fay for Clarke (77 mins), Eoin Donaghy for McElholm (80 mins)
