The path to All-Ireland minor glory is becoming increasingly steep. Like its senior counterpart, the Minor Football Championship has become a long drawn-out affair writes Brendan Cummins. The path to All-Ireland minor glory is becoming increasingly steep. Like its senior counterpart, the Minor Championship has become a long drawn-out affair ... Kerry played their first game as far back as March 31st, while Tyrone have played no fewer than seven games to reach the final. The seven games included three against Down, they met in the Ulster final ... a replay ... and again in the All-Ireland semi-final. It remains to be seen if those games have helped or hindered Tyrone's prospects of All-Ireland success. Tyrone and Laois have been the dominant teams at minor level over the past ten years. Laois have won three All-Ireland titles in that period, while Tyrone have won two. And they both lost a final. Kerry have not won the Tom Markham Cup since 1994 and they were beaten in the final by Laois two years later. Derry, Mayo ad Dublin have also appeared in two finals in the same period, but of the three, only Derry, in 2002, got their hands on the Cup. The statistics indicate that Tyrone appear to have the conveyor belt ... that their underage system is working best of all although Laois have similar, if not more impressive claims. There's little doubt that Laois were somewhat unlucky in their semi-final meeting with Kerry. The fall-out from their controversial quarter-final clash with Cork took it's toll. Two of the players suspended would have been in the starting line-up. Worse was to follow. The sending off of wing back Niall Donagher by Donegal referee Jimmy White was debatable to say the least, while star forward Donie Brennan sustained a broken collar bone and had to be replaced. And still Kerry won by only two points The Munster champions got away to a flying start and looked as if they would enjoy the easiest of passages to the final. Paul O'Connor, Rory Keating, Mark Evans and Brian Moran were tearing the Laois defence to shreds before the impressive Darren O'Sullivan grabbed their goal at the end of the first quarter. Laois eventually settled and reduced an eight point deficit to two in the closing stages. But the effort proved too much for fourteen men and their tactic of kicking in high ball failed to yield the necessary scores. It was tough luck on Laois who paid the ultimate penalty for the Pairc Ui Chaoimh fracas. Additional salt was rubbed into their wounds by the fact that Kerry finished with a full compliment of players despite receiving six yellow cards. Laois received just two yellow's plus Donagher's extremely harsh red. Kerry's campaign began with a trip to Ennis to play Clare. Sean Geaney's team included five of the team that had won the Munster title in 2003 and they were always favourites to get the better of the Banner boys. Kieran O'Leary's goal midway through the first half was of the lucky variety but it provided a platform for the visitors who went on to win comfortably, 1-10 to 0-4. There was a long wait for the next game ... against Tipperary in Limerick and the team was changed quite dramatically from the one that started out against Clare. There were seven changes in personnel and numerous positional switches; indications that the management team had been less than happy with the performance in Ennis. Billy Dennehy, a sub against Clare, was top scorer against Tipp with five points, while converted wing back and captain Shane Murphy scored 1-1 form the full-forward position. Although Tipperary rallied well on the run-in to half-time, they managed only one point for the entire second half and Kerry won without exerting themselves on a 1-13 to 1-5 scoreline. Cork provided the opposition in the provincial final at Limerick and with only three minutes remaining the young Rebels led by two points and appeared to have one hand on the provincial trophy. But Kerry substitute Mark Evans from Dingle had other ideas. He reduced the arrears to the minimum with a fine point from play before keeping a cool head to slot over the equaliser from a free with the last kick of the game. Kerry had survived despite a disappointing performance. The replay took place four days later in Pairc Ui Chaoimh where the boys from the Kingdom won their fourth successive Munster title on a 0-13 to 1-7 scoreline. The champions took full advantage of their narrow escape in Limerick and led by five points in the closing minutes. Cork scored a goal from a penalty but Brian Moran, son of the legendary Ogie, kicked a marvellous point from a 50 metre free on the left wing to clinch victory for his team. The forward line only managed two points from play but this was about the only negative aspect of a much improved display. The Gaelic Grounds in Limerick was the odd choice of venue for the All-Ireland quarter-final against beaten Leinster finalists Kildare. The Lilywhites were hit by suspensions and injuries following their defeat by Laois but there was only a goal (1-10 to 0-10) separating the teams at the three-quarter stage. Kerry's first goal, from Mark Evans, came on the stroke of half-time and their second, which effectively killed off the Kildare challenge, came with nine minutes remaining when Darren O'Sullivan created the opportunity for Andrew Kennelly who found the net from lose range. O'Sullivan was by some distance, the best player on the field, while Evans finished up with a fine personal tally of 1-7. The final score was 2-18 to 1-10. Tyrone's campaign began with a satisfactory eight point win over Derry ... it was with a sense of relief that joint managers Liam Donnelly and Martin Coyle greeted the final whistle ... Derry invariably produce strong minor teams and this year's squad was no exception. having won the Minor League and having won last year's provincial championship, Tyrone were favourites to retain their crown but they were less than impressive in their opening game. They produced a better display against Fermanagh when Colm Cavanagh's early goal from a penalty provided a match-winning boost. Cavanagh, younger brother of senior star Sean, also scored two points from centre-field and his partner Ray Mulgrew accounted for three points in the team's 1-13 to 0-8 victory. Donegal stood between the Red Hands and a place in the provincial final but the Donegal challenge never materialised and the champions swept to an emphatic sixteen point victory 3-13 to 1-3. Difficult to now if it was unsuitable preparation for the Ulster final against Down, but a decent score generates a degree of confidence. Croke Park was the unique setting for the final and Down looked to have done enough as the game went into injury time. Then Ray Mulgrew calmly slotted over the equaliser to give his team a second chance to hold on to their title. They just about deserved it having played impressively in the first half when building up a commanding seven point lead. But they subsequently allowed Down to dominate and lived dangerously in the closing minutes. Down were outplayed for most of the replay at Casement Park as the champions retained their title with a 0-15 to 0-8 win. With Colm Cavanagh scoring five points from the full-forward position and both Ray Mulgrew and Cathal O'Neill showing great accuracy from frees, the Red Hands sent out a clear signal that it would take a good team to prevent them from going all the way. Connacht runners-up Roscommon provided feeble opposition in the All-Ireland quarter-final at Breffni Park. Colm Cavanagh scored 2-3 as Tyrone romped to a 2-15 to 0-2 win. On the same day, Down knocked out the Connacht champions Galway to set up a third meeting of the teams. The ludicrous scheduling of the Tommy Murphy Cup final as curtain-raiser to the Mayo-Fermanagh senior semi-final denied the minors of Tyrone and Down another trip to Croke Park ... lucky that the Ulster final was played there. Casement Park was the setting and Tyrone just held on to maintain their unbeaten run against the Mournemen. With only a point separating the teams, corner back Noel Mifinn made a vital clearance on the stroke of full-time and Tyrone held out for a one-point victory, 1-8 to 1-7. Colm Cavanagh scored a superb goal at the three-quarter stage, ironically after his switch to centre-field while Ray Mulgrew's accuracy from placed balls was also vital. Cavanagh's goal and Mifinn's clearance turned out to be the two decisive moments in the game. Both teams were lucky to force late equalisers in their provincial finals ... Kerry against Cork and Tyrone against Down, and both teams have struggled in some of their games. Tyrone have probably had the tougher path to the final having faced Ulster opposition in six of their seven games. They appear unsure about their best centre-field pairing ... Ray Mulgrew has been partnered by Colm Cavanagh, Shane O'Hagan and Gerard McCaughey. The bulk of their scores have come from Mulgrew's frees and Cavanagh's opportunism. They've had a long campaign and it requires a huge effort to win the Ulster League, Championship and All-Ireland. There's a suspicion that they may not be as fresh as Kerry. Darren o'Sullivan has caught the eye for Kerry. A player in the Mickey 'Ned' mould he will cause problems for the Tyrone defence as will wing forward Mark Evans. Still, has Laois gone into their All-Ireland semi-final clash with all players available, I think they would have won ... and the sending off was a further handicap. Tyrone's long campaign may have some disadvantages but it may also have helped the selectors to finally arrive at their best fifteen in their optimum positions. Five of the team were also on the St. Patrick's Dungannon team that qualified for the All-Ireland Colleges final. The team that beat them, St. Patricks of Navan, were unable, or deemed unable, to provide inspiration for the Meath minor team that failed to put up a show in Leinster. Still, Tyrone might just shade it. Tweet

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