Paddy McLarnon-Premier Electrics U21 Ulster club football tournament

Liam Tunney

St Eunan’s (Donegal) 1-16

An Charraig Mhór (Tyrone) 0-11

St Eunan’s were explosive from the throw-in at Creggan this afternoon and brushed Carrickmore aside on their way to an Ulster U21 Paddy McLarnon Cup semi final.

The Donegal side were three points up inside two minutes as the strong Loughshore breeze sucked the ball back towards Niall McKenna’s goal on each kick out.

Despite Carmen settling towards the end of the half, the Tír Chonaill men led by double scores at the break and continued in the same vein without wind advantage to seal an 8-point win.

A blistering start saw Conor O’Donnell, Brian MacIntyre and Sean Breen all register points before Stephen Grogan could get Carrickmore off the mark in the 5^th minute.

That score didn’t stem the Donegal men’s attacking tide as points from Oisín Toal, Shane O’Donnell and a further Conor O’Donnell free stretched the lead to five points.

The lively Conor O’Donnell then found the net after an audacious through ball from Cormac Finn landed perfectly in his arms, allowing him to roll it past Niall McKenna and into the net.

Grogan hit back for Carrickmore, twisting into space and tapping over, but Conor O’Donnell slotted a 45 to restore the gap before Ciaran Daly and Aaron Deeney traded scores.

With the game entering the final ten minutes of the first half, the Tyrone side began to find some rhythm and registered 0-3 without reply with a brace from Daly and Grogan’s third of the day.

As the game entered first-half stoppage time, Conor O’Donnell had another chance to effectively end the contest, but dragged his shot wide, before Aaron Deeney concluded the half’s scoring with his side leading by six points.

The Tyrone champions played with a second-half breeze but were labouring to clear the ball within minutes, coughing up a free which Conor O’Donnell converted on 33 minutes.

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Stephen Grogan hit back in the 36^th minute, but a brace from opposite number Eoghan McGeehin immediately overturned any momentum gained.

Eoin O’Boyle then had to be alert to parry a driven Ciaran Cuddy shot over the bar as Carrickmore attempted to force the issue, but the slaloming McGeehin replied immediately before rattling the woodwork with a goal effort of his own.

Second-half substitute Pádraig McGettigan tipped over a Conor O’Donnell 45 to stretch the gap to nine points, but Carrickmore continued to snipe with scores from Grogan and Darragh Loughran on 54 minutes.

Michael McCallan and Eoghan McGeehin swapped scores before Peter McEniff fisted over late on to conclude the scoring, but the end of the game was dampened by a serious-looking injury to Carmen’s Rory McElroy.

The Donegal men await the winners of tomorrow night’s quarter final clash between Dungiven and Enniskillen at neighbouring Ahoghill.

After bowing out in last season’s preliminary round, St Eunan’s will be content to have reached this year’s semi final and on today’s evidence, installed themselves as a leading contender.

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St Eunan’s: Eoin O’Boyle, Sean Halvey, Darragh Toal, Aaron Deeney (0-02), Anthony Gallagher, Sean Ryan, Cormac Finn, Sean McGettigan, Oisín Toal (0-01), Brian MacIntyre (0-01), Shane O’Donnell (0-01), Kevin Kealy, Conor O’Donnell (1-04 – 0-02f, 0-01 – 45), Sean Breen (0-01), Eoghan McGeehin (0-04).

Subs: Pádraig McGettigan (0-01) for Anthony Gallagher (HT), Peter McEniff (0-01) for Cormac Finn (48)

Yellow cards: Oisín Toal, Peter McEniff.

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An Charraig Mhór: Niall McKenna, Pauric Mullan, Jarlath Kerr, Rory Donnelly, Sean Donnelly, Cormac Munroe, Ruairí Slane, Lorcan McBride, Paddy McCallan, Ciaran Daly (0-03f), Tiarnan Murray, Darragh Casey, Conor Loughran, Ciaran Cuddy (0-01), Stephen Grogan (0-05, 0-01f).

Subs: Oran McKee for Sean Donnelly (24), Michael McCallan (0-01) for Darragh Casey (39), Darragh Loughran (0-01) for Conor Loughran (50), Rory McElroy for Tiarnan Murray (50), James McGurk for Ciaran Cuddy (55).

Yellow cards: Ciaran Daly, Conor Loughran, Ciaran Cuddy, Stephen Grogan, Michael McCallan.

Referee: Conall James Roberts (Antrim)

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Paddy McLarnon-Premier Electrics U21 Football club championship

Liam Tunney

St Brigid’s (Antrim) 0-11

Carryduff GAC (Down) 1-09

Carryduff repeated last year’s one-point victory over local rivals St Brigid’s to seal a place in the quarter final of the Paddy McLarnon Cup.

If last year’s encounter was a rollercoaster, this one had more of a dodgems feel to it as the sides engaged in a battle of wills amid unforgiving conditions on the Loughshore.

Michael Lawson and John Blaney traded scores before Ronan Beatty’s 3^rd minute point wrestled the initiative back east of the Bann, but Carryduff would not score for another 12 minutes.

The Antrim side’s intensity in the tackle caused difficulties for last year’s semi-finalists and after goalkeeper Stephen Magennis turned away a low Owen McCabe drive, they took control.

Former Carryduff man Ryan Tweedy added 0-2 to full-forward Peter Henvey’s hattrick of points to see St Brigid’s open up a four point gap but the Malone Road men were rocked by a 15^th minute goal.

Ryan Anderson shaped to shoot from 35 yards, and a miscued effort caused chaos in the St Brigid’s 6-yard box, the ball cannoning off Shay Campbell’s arm and past Stephen Magennis to the net.

Points from Anderson and Ronan Beatty followed before Carryduff were denied a penalty when Daniel Guinness tumbled in the box under pressure from goalkeeper Stephen Magennis.

Peter Henvey and Owen McCabe ended the half with traded scores to leave the Mourne men leading by one at the break.

St Brigid’s almost made an immediate impact in the second half as half-time substitute Paul Bradley flashed a half-chance past the post in the opening seconds, but points in a frantic start to the half were hard to come by.

Ronan Beatty notched the half’s first score on 38 minutes, holding off his man to double Carryduff’s lead, but a 43^rd minute Peter Henvey free reduced the deficit again.

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James Smith’s attacking intent had been sacrificed for him to track Daniel Guinness, but the attacker swung over a 46^th minute effort to level matters and set up a tense final quarter.

Guinness slipped his man just minutes later, only for his shot to be cleared off the line by an alert Oran Boyle, but having gone close, the Down champions retook the lead on 51 minutes.

Goalkeeper Darren Ross had to brave the wrath of a baying St Brigid’s support that had congregated around their dugout since half time, but with nine minutes remaining, he stepped up and nailed a 45 to give his side the lead.

Rory Anderson then fed Daniel Guinness for his first of the day to double their lead, but Ryan Tweedy’s determination quickly cancelled out the Down star’s strike.

Substitute Ronan Lavery restored the two-point gap with a high hanging effort, but Peter Henvey immediately hit back for the Malone Road men to leave the result in the balance as the game entered stoppage time.

Carryduff were canny in their retention of the ball, but were almost caught when St Brigid’s were awarded a 64^th minute free 48 yards from goal.

Henvey stepped up to take but dragged his effort wide and Sean Hurson’s whistle saw Carryduff’s passage to the semi final secured.

The Down champions have proved they approach a dogfight and a tango with equal relish and will be confident of reaching a second final in a row at Creggan.

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St Brigid’s: Stephen Magennis, Shay Campbell, Dan Foster, John Morgan, John Toner, Peter King, Oran Boyle, Joseph Finnegan, Patrick Finnegan, John Blaney (0-01), James Smith (0-01), Ryan Tweedie (0-03), Rory Brolly, Peter Henvey (0-06, 0-04f), Ethan Carleton.

Subs: Paul Bradley for Rory Brolly (HT), Daire McGarvey for Shay Campbell (59).

Yellow cards: Oran Boyle (24)

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Carryduff: Darren Ross (0-01 -45), Caolan Cunningham, Gareth Henderson, Lorcan Toal, John McGeough, Daniel Coogan, Donal Óg Rooney, Josh Connery, Owen McCabe (0-01), Michael Lawson (0-01), Rory Anderson (0-01), Rory Reilly, Daniel Guinness (0-01), Peter Loughran, Ronan Beatty (0-03, 0-01f).

Subs: Eoin Rooney for Ciaran Sherry (54), Ronan Lavery (0-01) for Peter Loughran (54).

Yellow cards: Michael Lawson (19)

Red cards: Michael Lawson (61)

Referee: Sean Hurson (Tyrone)

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Paddy McLarnon-Premier Electrics U21 club championship

By Liam Tunney

O’Rahilly’s GAC Latton (Monaghan) 0-05

Clann Éireann (Armagh) 1-13

Clann Éireann recorded a comfortable victory over Latton to reach the semi final of the Ulster U21 Paddy McLarnon Cup at a windswept Kickham’s Creggan on Sunday.

A personal haul of 1-3 for Man of the Match Tiernan Kelly did the damage for the Armagh side, who, despite a nervy first half with the breeze, underlined their superiority in the second half without it.

The Monaghan U19 champions struggled to make an impact after a bright opening period and failed to register a score in the final 20 minutes of the game.

Latton’s Aaron Mulligan opened the scoring in the 2^nd minute and doubled his tally before Pauric Hughes saw his low drive tipped over by Clann Éireann goalkeeper Eoghan Mulholland.

The Lurgan men were struggling to make inroads against a sharp Latton defence and when Ruairí McDonald did find a way through, Shane Black stood firm to deny him with an outstanding save in the 10^th minute.

McDonald did register Clann Éireann’s first score, ending a counter attack in the 16^th minute before Tiernan Kelly’s long-range effort dropped short and bounced over to cut the gap to one.

The lively Ruairí McDonald levelled matters with five minutes remaining until half-time and the impressive Kelly flashed a low effort over the bar to give his side a slender lead at the break.

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Playing into a stiff Loughshore breeze, Clann Éireann needed a convincing start to the second period and got it through their inspirational centre forward.

Kelly collected from the throw-in and powered his way through the Latton defence, hammering to the net to open a four-point gap on the Farney side.

Points followed from Ruairí McDonald and Aodhan McConville before Aaron Mulligan hit back with his third of the afternoon.

The Monaghan attacker’s free on 40 minutes proved to be Latton’s final score as Clann Éireann confidently controlled the final quarter.

Tiernan Kelly brought his tally to 1-3 with another surging run and finish before Ruairí McDonald tacked on another.

Jack Conlon then wrote his name on the score sheet after patient play from the Lurgan side, before a 0-3 salvo from Aodhan McConville brought his final tally to 0-5.

Clann Éireann have gone a step further than last year’s quarter final exit to eventual champions Dromore and there is a feeling around Armagh that this is a special group.

Their strength in depth is such that even with Ríoghan Meehan and Conor Turbitt yet to return from injury, they have a real chance of making an impact on this tournament.

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O’Rahilly’s: Shane Black, Thomas McPhillips, Dylan Quinn, Shane Slevin, Conor Corrigan, Shane Duffy, Eoin Duffy, Pauric Hughes (0-01), James Hughes, Aaron Mulligan (0-04, 0-01f), Conor McCabe, Darragh Dempsey, Enda McPhillips, Darren Quinn, Gavin West.

SUBS: Michael Coyle for Gavin West (HT)

YELLOW CARDS: Pauric Hughes (51)

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CLANN ÉIREANN: Eoghan Mulholland, Mícheál O’Shea, Oscar McKeagney, Rory Shine, Conan O’Carroll, Barry McCambridge, Ryan Owens, Conor McConville, Sean McCarthy, Aodhan McConville (0-05, 0-01f), Tiernan Kelly (1-03), Jack Conlon (0-01), Ruairí McDonald (0-04, 0-02f), Callum Magee, Ruairí McConville.

YELLOW CARDS: Sean McCarthy (12), Tiernan Kelly (56)

REFEREE: Sean Laverty (Antrim)

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The big talking point at the launch of tonight’s Paddy McLarnon-Premier Electrics U21 football tournament in Creggan was the pairing of neighbours St. Brigid’s, Antrim and Carryduff, Down. These clubs are just a stone throw apart in South Belfast and they will meet in the 4^th quarter final on the weekend of 7^th/8^th March. This draw see the sides meet for the second time in the tournament with Carryduff edging out St. Brigid’s in a thrilling semi-final last year.

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The full draw is as follows:

Preliminary Round:

Date: TBC

Latton O’Rahilly GAA (Monaghan) V St Canice’s GAC Dungiven (Derry)

Quarter Final 1:

Date: 7th/8th March

An Charraig Mhór Naomh Colmcille CLG (Tyrone) V St Eunans GAC, Letterkenny (Donegal)

Quarter Final 2:

Date: 7th/8th March

Enniskillen Gaels (Fermanagh) V Ramor United GFC (Cavan)

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Quarter Final 3:

Date: 7th/8th March

Preliminary Winner V Clann Éireann GAC, Lurgan (Armagh)

Quarter Final 4:

Date: 7th/8th March

St Brigids GAC Belfast (Antrim) V Carryduff GAC (Down)

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