Latest news with #GerardDonnelly
The 42
25-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Tyrone beat Cavan in Ulster minor final
TYRONE BEAT Cavan 2-11 to 1-8 in this evening's Ulster Minor Football Championship final at Brewster Park, Enniskillen. Gerard Donnelly's side started strongly as they raced into a 0-6 to 0-2 lead in the early stages. Advertisement But Cavan recovered well after a slow start, and Nathan Quigley's goal put them into the lead for the first time on the brink of half-time. Tyrone, however, produced a perfect response early in the second half, as Cathal Farley's goal restored their advantage. It was tight for a period thereafter, with Nathan Quigley's point from a free levelling the scores at 1-8 apiece. But it was to prove Cavan's final score of the game. Tyrone finished much the stronger, with Joel Kerr's goal 11 minutes from time giving them the momentum they needed to see the game out convincingly. The Red Hands will now face Cork in the All-Ireland quarter-finals, while Cavan come up against Kerry.
Belfast Telegraph
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Tyrone keen to make another Minor title statement with more Ulster success
Both teams were extended in reaching the decider with Cavan managing to get the better of Donegal by 1-17 to 0-15 in their Semi-Final while in the other last-four clash Gerard Donnelly's Tyrone overcame Monaghan by 2-20 to 3-12. The Red Hands won the title in 2021 and 2022 and clearly relish the prospect of landing another coup. While Cavan can look to players such as Jake Brady, Mark Reilly, Caolan Graham and Nathan Quigley to keep them fired up, Tyrone are not as likely to concede too much in this outing. In allowing Monaghan passages of freedom at the Semi-Final stage, they made things difficult for themselves. The Red Hands, though, can look to players such as James Meenan, Eoin Long and Joel Kerry to spark their challenge but they may encounter difficulty in coping with Cavan's pace. James Daly and Peter Colton are other Tyrone players who are capable of pulling the strings within their side. Indeed, Monaghan kept Tyrone in check during the first half of their Semi-Final with the sides pegged at 1-10 to 2-7 at half-time before the Red Hands managed to pull clear. Meanwhile, in the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship on Saturday, Monaghan and Meath will cross swords at Carrickmacross (11.30am), Derry will face Donegal at Celtic Park (12.00pm) and Armagh will host Dublin at Crossmaglen (12.00pm). There is no doubt that the All-Ireland series is engaging a higher gear with Derry looking particularly strong. Their meeting with neighbours Donegal could prove particularly interesting given that both sides see Tyrone as a major obstacle to the coveted All-Ireland title. The fact that Armagh have home advantage against Dublin at Crossmaglen might well add to their prospects of coming out on top given their recent form.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Donnelly salutes character of his side after semi-final win
Tyrone are back in an Ulster Minor championship final after they got the better of Monaghan in an enthralling battle at Healy Park in Omagh on Saturday evening. It was a thrill a minute spectacle between two well drilled teams with the Ulster Minor league winners making up for defeats at the same stage of the competition in the last two seasons. It was the one stage of the competition that there was jeopardy as there was no second chance for the losers and Red Hands manager Gerard Donnelly admitted that it was a crucial victory for that point alone. 'That's important– Damian McErlain (Derry manager) said last year up in Owenbeg after they'd beaten us that this is the game you target– there's no doubt that we want to win the Ulster final but it's good to have that safety net,' admitted Gerard. 'That was a really good Monaghan team, they'd a brilliant win over Armagh in the quarter final and we knew it was going to be tough. "It was a rollercoaster of emotions, we'd a great start, then next thing we knew, it was a draw at half-time. "Halftime probably came at the right time for us as they were on top and it gave us an opportunity to press the reset button.' Tyrone raced into a nine point lead by the end of the opening quarter but they were pegged back by the visitors who scored two goals to leave it level at halftime. A third Monaghan goal had them in front for the first time in the 42nd minute but it was at that stage that Tyrone really demonstrated the character within this group of players. They took the game by the scruff of the neck and this time around there was no way back for Monaghan. 'Monaghan got a grip on things again, and our lads dug deep and I've told them that I'm so proud of the last fifteen minutes, it was just awesome,' said Gerard. 'You have to remember these lads are 15-17 years of age, you can plan all you want but they are children and they had to find a way of winning that game thee today. "We got nothing easy, and we fell short at this hurdle the last two years, so thank God we came through it. "The effort was brilliant, we lost more ball than we'd have liked but you definitely can't fault the effort. "At the end of the day our boys didn't want to lose against Monaghan, they showed how much they wanted this chance of an Ulster title. "Yes there were mistakes and things we need to be doing better, but we're delighted to have won.' Next up is the decider against Cavan at Brewster Park in Enniskillen this Sunday afternoon (5.15pm). Tyrone may have already beaten them in the league semi final as well as the championship quarter final but Gerard knows that will count for little this time around. 'Cavan are a damn good team,' he said. 'They beat a fancied Donegal side so that shows what they are made of and there is no doubt that they will be a tough test for us but it's really important for our boys to have made an Ulster final so we're really looking forward to it.'
