30-04-2025
Tyrone supremo Paul Devlin staying cool as Red Hands plot U20 Ulster Championship glory over Donegal
Even though the Loughmacrory clubman was able to whip over a superbly taken point that kept his side in contention, his influence was not quite sufficient to quell Armagh's drive for a place in the Final.
Frustration may have been the feeling of McElholm and his Red Hand colleagues in the immediate aftermath of the game, but there may be a ration of compensation on the table on Wednesday night when Tyrone square up to Donegal in the Ulster Under-20 Championship Final at Owenbeg (7.30pm).
Given the form that Paul Devlin's Tyrone side have been showing of late, it is no great surprise to see them in the decider again.
And they will certainly not be touching their forelocks to a Donegal side that will more than likely bring a competitive edge to the north Derry venue.
Indeed, Tyrone's hunger for success, be that at schools', club or county level, has been such of late that their teams have become accustomed to taking delivery of silverware.
But manager Devlin is certainly taking nothing for granted in terms of Wednesday night's showdown.
'When you look at it, Donegal have been making progress at schools' and club level and we know that we are in for a tight game. Donegal will certainly be playing on the front foot on this occasion to make a big point,' insists Devlin.
The north west side can parade a battery of talent, with players such as Shane Gallagher, Seanen Carr, Conor McCahill, Mark McDevitt and Kevin Muldoon ready to set the tone for their team's performance.
But Tyrone are likely to embrace this particular challenge with considerable enthusiasm. If McElholm tends to set a fine example, Ben Hughes, Calum Daly, and Fiachra Nelis are among those who are prepared to take a leaf out of his book.
Lob in the work-rate and firepower of players such as Conal Sheehy, Matthew Quinn and Conal Devlin and it's not hard to understand why Tyrone are fired up for the battle.
Skipper Joey Clarke will look for his side to make a big impact should they hit the ground running, while his Donegal counterpart Sean Martin invariably leads by splendid example and plays a big part in sustaining his side's momentum.
Donegal, indeed, have fired out more than one message of defiance to date, but their 4-19 to 2-07 victory over Cavan thundered out a defiant warning in relation to their aspirations.
Tyrone, though, overcame a cohesive Armagh side and also left Derry floundering in their slipstream which would suggest that, should they hit the ground running on Wednesday night, it could prove difficult to deflect from their mission.
Yet with both teams committed to an attacking policy, there is every indication that the match could have much to offer, particularly as there is a significant trophy on offer for the winners.
It will be all systems go with nothing spared by either side.
