Electric Ireland Ulster Minor Football Championship Final
July 21, 2014Favourites Donegal vindicated that tag as they captured the county's 6th Ulster minor football championship title at the expenses of Armagh in a somewhat lack lustre game that they looked to have won at half time but one where they had a bigger battle on their hands in the second half. "Our first half was a disaster" said Armagh manager Paul Doyle afterwards, "I think the boys just froze on the day and the occasion got to them but I have to compliment them on their second-half performance and they showed that there is great character in the side". Donegal led from start to finish and showed great organisation and commitment even when under pressure in the second half and in truth the outcome was never in real doubt. Donegal got down to business right from the start and opened the scoring after just thirty five second with a point by Jamie Brennan and he along with Stephen McBrearty and John Campbell had the measure of the Armagh full backline for the entire half. . Points by Lorcan Connor from a free and Stephen McBrearty edged Donegal three in front by the 9th minute. . Donegal struck a decisive blow in the 14th minute when another sweeping move saw Michael Carroll release John Campbell and he crashed to the Armagh net to put his side six in front. Donegal continued to pile on the pressure and they added appoints by Michael Carroll, Caolan McGonagle from a '45, Stephen McBrearty and John Campbell to put Donegal ten points in front and Armagh yet to score. They eventually ended their drought in the 21st minute with a point by Oisin O'Neill but there was little respite from the Donegal onslaught with Lorcan Connor converting a free to keep the margin in double figures. Oisin O'Neill scored Armagh's second point in the 29th minute but Donegal finished as they had started with a point by Lorcan Connor to leave the half time score, Donegal 1-9, Armagh 0-2.
Armagh came out for the second half with renewed purpose and Ryan Hughes was on target for the Orchard lads after just 30 seconds. He converted a free in the seventh minute but only after Armagh sub keeper Colm Rafferty had saved a penalty after keeper Ryan Kearney had taken down Jamie Brennan which earned him a black card. Donegal struck for a point from a free by Lorcan Connor which helped settle them and they added points apiece by Stephen McBrearty and Jamie Brennan to open an eleven points gap entering the final quarter. Armagh though refused to throw in the towel and they continued to fight back to the extent that they had reduced the deficit to five points with three minutes of normal time remaining with scores by substitute Conor Cullen, two, Oisin O'Neill from a free, two by Ryan Hughes and Conor Cullen again to leave five between the sides. That though was as close as they were to get as Donegal rallied and put the icing on the cake with an opportunist goal in stoppage time when Jamie Brennan got a fist to a centre by substitute Gavin McBride to leave them winners by eight points at the final whistle. "It's great to win it and it means we now have completed the double of league and championship which is a great reward for the efforts that these boys have put in. We were comfortable at half-time but we warned the lads that Armagh would come back in the second-half because every team gets their period of dominance in every match and I have to compliment Armagh that they didn't let their heads drop and they might have even had a few more scores but we won it in the end and we can now look forward with confidence to the quarter-finals".
Teams and Scorers: Donegal: D Rodgers, D McMonagle, C Gillespie, C Kelly, C Mulligan, T McClenaghan, A McClean, N Harley, C McGonigle 0-1 ('45), E Ban Gallagher, L Connor 0-4 (3f), M Carroll 0-1, J Brennan 1-2, J Campbell 1-1, S McBrearty 0-3. Subs: N Friel for C Mulligan, E O'Donnell for J Campbell, C Doherty for N Harley, C O'Boyle for E O'Donnell (Black Card), G McBride for L Connor.
Armagh: R Kearney, F Quinn, A Rushe, C Donnelly, C Boylan, C McKinney, C McNicholl, J Og Burns, S Conlon, J Rafferty, O O'Neill 0-3 (1f), K Mallon, R Hughes 0-4 (1f), C Grimley, C McConville. Subs: C Cullen 0-3 for C Boylan (Black card), C Rafferty for R Kearney (Black Card), R McKeown for C Grimley, C Murphy for S Conlon. Referee: R Barry (Down). Tweet
