30-04-2025
Conan McGarvey the late hero as Tyrone retain Ulster Under-20 title with extra-time win over Donegal
They needed a late, late save from goalkeeper Conan McGarvey to deny Conor McCahill a winning goal at the death as the Red Hands made it back-to-back provincial crowns.
Tyrone had a slight breeze and, after a scoreless five minutes, opened the scoring with a Ruairi McCullagh 45.
A fisted Noah Grimes point doubled the Tyrone advantage before Conor McGinty skipped inside to finish a neat Donegal move with a point in the 11th minute.
Tyrone played pass the parcel, stretching Donegal, before Matthew Quinn kicked a score for a 0-3 to 0-1 lead.
Conor McCahill made a score for McGinty before another Four Masters' man, Kevin Muldoon, hit a third Donegal score.
Muldoon added another point before Tyrone, like in their Semi-Final win over Derry, grabbed two stoppage time points.
Caolan Donnelly cut in to score with McCullagh adding his second after Tyrone won just the second Donegal kick-out of the half, the Red Hands 0-5 to 0-4 ahead at the break.
Shane Callaghan came in at half-time for Donegal and landed a two pointer in the first play to put them ahead.
McCahill, who missed three first half chances, added a second two pointer for a 0-8 to 0-5 Donegal lead.
Tyrone were soon level when Joey Clarke finished to the net after Liam Óg Mossey's shot came down off the post. McCullagh then kicked them back ahead in an exciting start to the second half.
A Sean Martin point had Donegal back to within point midway through the second half after a lively Tyrone third quarter.
Donegal hit the net with a goal started and finished in Gaoth Dobhair. Goalkeeper Pádraig Mac Giolla Bhríde saved a point with a moved finished by Cathal 'Rua' Ó Gallchóir, 1-9 to 1-7 after 50 minutes.
Two McCullagh frees levelled the game again with six minutes to play.
Tyrone had the last chance to win the game in normal time but Conor O'Neill kicked their tenth wide after a spell of keep ball outside the scoring zone.
Points from Eoin McElholm and McCullagh had Tyrone in the driving seat early in extra-time, but a Seanan Carr goal shot Donegal back in the game just before half-time.
Donegal pushed hard to save the game, with Callaghan pointing, but McGarvey's late save won both the game and championship for Tyrone.
Scorers – Donegal: S Callaghan 0-5 (2f, 1 tp), S Carr 1-1, C McCahill 0-3 (1tp), C Ó Gallchóir 1-0, C McGinty, K Muldoon 0-2 each, and S Martin 0-1; Tyrone: R McCullagh 0-9 (4f, 1 tp, 1 45), E McElholm 0-3 (1 tp), J Clarke 1-0, C Sheehy, S McDermott (tp) 0-2 each, N Grimes, C Donnelly and Matthew Quinn 0-1 each
Donegal: P Mac Giolla Bhríde; A Neely, N Prendiville, C Ó Gallchóir; M Campbell, C McCrea, F Roarty; S Martin, K Muldoon; C McMenamin, C McGinty, M McDevitt; C McCahill, D Gildea, S Carr
Subs: D Monaghan for McMenamin (INJ 10), S Callaghan for Gildea (HT), D Mulholland for McDevitt (49), T Carr for Monaghan (56), D Gallagher for Neely (56), M McDevitt for Cambell (Started ET), Campbell for Muldoon (75), Muldoon for McDevitt (78), D Monaghan for McGinty (79)
Tyrone: C McGarvey; F Nelis, B Hughes, Conor Devlin; C Daly, J Clarke, C Donnelly; Cónán Devlin, C O'Neill; C Sheehy, E McElholm, M Quinn; N Grimes, R McCullagh, L Mossey
