The Easter weekend proved to be a big one for both the county under 16s and minors as the Ulster championship campaigns continued.

Kevin Bogles minors put in a battling display to earn a draw with a fancied Monaghan while the under 16s eased to an Easter Monday win over neighbours Donegal to maintain their unbeaten run.
Ulster Minor Football Championship
Tyrone 3-12
Monaghan 4-9

It ended all square in the Ulster Championship Rd 3 game between Tyrone and Monaghan played in Donaghmore on Saturday afternoon. It was a game that the Red Hand girls on one hand will have been disappointed not to win but on the other relieved not to have been beaten.

Tyrone opened strongly with a Shannon Monaghan goal followed by points from Emma Smyth (2) and Niamh O'Neill to open up a 6 point lead after five minutes of play. Monaghan then showed their attacking threat when they pulled themselves back into the game with a goal. Tyrone responded with points from Siobhan Sheerin and Melissa McCann and were dominating possession but failed to capitalise recording several wides and dropping the ball short into the keeper's hands. Once again Monaghan took advantage of a defensive lapse and dispatched the ball into the Tyrone net to keep themselves in the game. As the Red Hands struggled to make a mark on the score board the Farney girls racked up another six points and restricted Tyrone to only two points in the second quarter of the first period to lead by two points at the break.

Whatever was said in the Tyrone changing room at half-time worked wonders for Tyrone as Siobhan Sheerin rattled the Monaghan net twice in the opening minute to once again give Tyrone the lead. Monaghan kept them selves in touch with a goal and a point from play to keep things level. Tyrone were again struggling to make scores recording several wides and easily losing possession in attacking positions. Siobhan Sheerin and Emma Smyth slotted over points from play while Sheerin added another from a free to give Tyrone a three point advantage with 15 minutes left to play. The teams then traded two points each with Emma Smyth and Niamh O'Neill scoring for Tyrone. However, just as it looked as if the Red Hands would see this game out for a win in the dying seconds of the game Monaghan took advantage of a defensive error and put the ball in the Tyrone net to make it all square just as the referee reached for his whistle to blow full-time.

Following the game manager Kevin Bogle said "I'm happy enough to come away with a point today. This very tough game will stand to us and we know we have a lot of things to work on and improve. I'm glad that the girls are gutted not to have to have won but we remain unbeaten after 3 games and have two weeks now to prepare for our next game against Cavan".

Team: Laura Kane, Ciara Fox, Joanne Barrett, Aileen Tuohy, Hannah Ward, Cailin McCann, Deirdre McCarroll, Meabh Mallon, Niamh O'Neill (0-2), Aimee Arnold, Emma Smyth (0-4), Grainne Rafferty, Melissa McCann (0-2), Siobhan Sheerin (2-4) Shannon Monaghan (1-0): Subs Emma Quinn


Tyrone 3-16 Donegal 3-3

Tyrone U16 Ladies maintained their 100% record defeating neighbours Donegal in Pairc Mhíc Sioghair, Strabane on Easter Monday. The Red Hand girls opened the scoring with a point from Dearbhala McDonald but found themselves 4 points behind after 12 minutes as Donegal scored a goal and two points without reply. Despite gaining plenty of possession early on Tyrone struggled to make scoring opportunities and found themselves under intense pressure from a crowded Donegal back line. Shannon Stevenson and Slaine McCarroll scored points to steady the Tyrone ship and as the team settled and started to come to grips with the robust Donegal defense further points were added from Roisin Devlin, Aoibhinn McHugh, Derbhala McDonald and Sasha Byrne to send the teams in at the break with Tyrone leading by two points.

The second-half started with a superb solo run from Slaine McCarroll which ended up in the Donegal net to extend Tyrone's lead. Aimee Coyle added two more points from play and then as she was bearing down on goal she was upended by the Donegal full-back to win a penalty which Dearbhala McDonald coolly stepped up and converted to add to the Red Hand's lead. It was all Tyrone at this stage and McDonald, Sasha Byrne, Aimee Coyle and Aoibhinn McHugh all added points from play. Donegal responded with a goal and a point as the game entered its final stages. Dearbhala McDonald then wrapped up a fantastic performance with a point from a free and Josephine Quinn set Sasha Byrne for a goal to complete the Tyrone scores for the day. The final score of the game came from Donegal when the Tyrone backs lost their concentration briefly after conceding a 13m free which a Donegal forward quickly dispatched into the back of the net.

Team: Eimear McCullagh, Aoife McConnell, Megan McMenamin (Capt), Rebecca Coyle, Emma Brennan, Slaine McCarroll (1-1), Caoileann Conway, Aoibhinn McHugh (0-2), Sinead Donnelly, Shannon Stevenson (0-1), Sasha Byrne (1-2), Aimee Coyle (0-4), Chloe McCaffrey, Roisin Devlin (0-1), Dearbhala McDonald (1-5). Subs: Louise McCarney, Shauna Stevenson, Josephine Quinn.

ADULT CLUB ACTION BEGINS
The new adult season begins on Saturday with two sections of the new non county league penciled in with a full fixture list in both. The concept of the non county league is to offer club footballers plenty of football over the season and after two years is now a more formal 13 aside competition with all but only a couple of teams in the top two divisions taking part.
County chairman Martin Conway welcomed the development of the non county league
" It is so much easier for clubs to be playing football in a league like this than trying to organise challenge games, we have worked hard over the past couple of years to try and evolve the competition, I am confident in this new two section concept will be workable for players and clubs alike"
No county players are permitted to play in the league until their county side are finished in their respective competitions and at 13 a side its hoped that clubs will fully support it, Four games are down for decision on Saturday night and it's the perfect build up to the start of the all county league on May 10th.

Ladies Non County Senior League Group 1
Round 1 - 26-04-2014 (Sat) 7pm
Aodh Ruadh V Ardboe O'Donovan Rossa
Kildress Wolfe Tones V Killeeshil St Mary's

Group 2
Round 1 - 26-04-2014 (Sat) 7pm
Omagh St Enda's V Glenelly St Joseph's
St Macartans V Strabane Sigersons
Sperrin Óg V BYE

CHAMPIONSHIP DRAWS
The adult championship which will have a new sponsor this season will be drawn on Monday night. The draws will be made at the official launch of the sponsorship deal and the announcement of new sponsors of inter county teams at the Time Bar in Cookstown. Tweet

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