TYRONE HAVE WON another All-Ireland U20 title, manager Paul Devlin adding another underage bauble for the county as they climb to third in the roll of honour behind Cork (12) and Kerry (10), now with seven.
1-18 of their 1-20 came from play and their style and panache was a brilliant glimpse of how Gaelic football might look in the future.
The two sides settled into a positive opening period, Eoin McElholm opening the scoring for Tyrone, and Kerry responding through Colm Dillon and Daniel Kirby.
In his pre-game briefings, Kerry manager Tomás ÓSé had cautioned against the pace of the Tyrone attack and they certainly got their teeth into the Kingdom for the rest of the half.
Cormac Devlin – son of Derry coach Gavin, along with Ruairí McCullagh and Eoin McElholm were enough of a handful to begin with but Kerry had to contend with Tyrone committing bodies forward from defence.
With Callum Daly, wearing number 15 on his back, holding the fort, corner back Joey Clarke was able to push forward and on 13 minutes he had a half-sight of goal. He let fly, and a partial block by Kerry defender Charlie Keating left goalkeeper Michael Tansley with little chance to react to the deflection and Tyrone had the first goal of the day.
Joey Clarke celebrates his goal. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
While Kerry were keeping in touch with two points from Dillon, Tyrone had a rampant mini-spell and hit the post and sent a few efforts wide.
Three points in a row, with McElholm being involved in them all, gave Tyrone a five-point gap, forcing ÓSe into remedial surgery on his backline and sending in Laune Rangers’ Ryan Diggin to get a handle on McElholm, a prospect in Aussie Rules football with Geelong interested.
It would be a massive surprise if McElholm, along with one or two others, were not on the travelling panel of the watching Brian Dooher’s senior side for the trip to face Donegal next Saturday.
The half-time stats told of Paul Devlin’s sides’ dominance. Tyrone 1-8, Kerry 0-7, but the Red Hands had room to tidy up their finishing having taken just nine of their 17 chances.
Fiachra Nelis, just on for Conor Devlin, was presented with a serious goal chance after an incredible run and pas by Shea O’Hare, but hadn’t the space and time to convert on 40 minutes.
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Ronan Cassidy had a goal chance saved by Tansley and while Gavin Potter was there for the follow up, Kerry’s Cian Lynch was there to boot off the line.
It was damaging for Tyrone as Dillon then ended that play with a Kerry point.
While chances came and went and Tyrone were guilty of butchering their own good work, five consecutive points as the game went down the last ten minutes seemed to be guiding them home.
Luke Crowley then produced a serious few minutes. He had a shot saved by Tyrone goalkeeper Conor McAneney, and when he gathered the rebound, was pulled back by Michael Rafferty for a penalty, that Crowley himself dispatched to the net.
With Tyrone needing a settler, they found it in McElholm. Scorer of 0-7 overall, Tyrone were able to isolate him in the second half as Kerry went pushing for goals. His final score featured a Clifford-esque gather, dummy and shot over the bar.
A poignant moment after the game came when captain Michael Rafferty’s late brother, John – a victim of the treacherous A5 road – was remembered by GAA President Jarlath Burns.
Fiachra Nelis for Conor Devlin (39m), Caolan Donnelly for Brolly (44m), Nathan Grimes for Potter (54m), Conor Owens for McCullagh (59m), Ronan Donnelly for Cassidy (62m)
Luke Crowley (Glenflesk), Aidan Crowley (Templenoe), Cormac Dillon (Duagh)
Subs:
Ryan Diggin for O’Callaghan (30m), Paddy Lane for Aidan Crowley (HT), Fionn Murphy for Kirby (45m), Evan Boyle for Stack (47m), Adam Segal for Evans (49m)
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Geelong AFL prospect McElholm with 0-7 as Tyrone grab another U20 title
Tyrone 1-20
Kerry 1-14
TYRONE HAVE WON another All-Ireland U20 title, manager Paul Devlin adding another underage bauble for the county as they climb to third in the roll of honour behind Cork (12) and Kerry (10), now with seven.
1-18 of their 1-20 came from play and their style and panache was a brilliant glimpse of how Gaelic football might look in the future.
The two sides settled into a positive opening period, Eoin McElholm opening the scoring for Tyrone, and Kerry responding through Colm Dillon and Daniel Kirby.
In his pre-game briefings, Kerry manager Tomás ÓSé had cautioned against the pace of the Tyrone attack and they certainly got their teeth into the Kingdom for the rest of the half.
Cormac Devlin – son of Derry coach Gavin, along with Ruairí McCullagh and Eoin McElholm were enough of a handful to begin with but Kerry had to contend with Tyrone committing bodies forward from defence.
With Callum Daly, wearing number 15 on his back, holding the fort, corner back Joey Clarke was able to push forward and on 13 minutes he had a half-sight of goal. He let fly, and a partial block by Kerry defender Charlie Keating left goalkeeper Michael Tansley with little chance to react to the deflection and Tyrone had the first goal of the day.
While Kerry were keeping in touch with two points from Dillon, Tyrone had a rampant mini-spell and hit the post and sent a few efforts wide.
Three points in a row, with McElholm being involved in them all, gave Tyrone a five-point gap, forcing ÓSe into remedial surgery on his backline and sending in Laune Rangers’ Ryan Diggin to get a handle on McElholm, a prospect in Aussie Rules football with Geelong interested.
It would be a massive surprise if McElholm, along with one or two others, were not on the travelling panel of the watching Brian Dooher’s senior side for the trip to face Donegal next Saturday.
The half-time stats told of Paul Devlin’s sides’ dominance. Tyrone 1-8, Kerry 0-7, but the Red Hands had room to tidy up their finishing having taken just nine of their 17 chances.
Fiachra Nelis, just on for Conor Devlin, was presented with a serious goal chance after an incredible run and pas by Shea O’Hare, but hadn’t the space and time to convert on 40 minutes.
Ronan Cassidy had a goal chance saved by Tansley and while Gavin Potter was there for the follow up, Kerry’s Cian Lynch was there to boot off the line.
It was damaging for Tyrone as Dillon then ended that play with a Kerry point.
While chances came and went and Tyrone were guilty of butchering their own good work, five consecutive points as the game went down the last ten minutes seemed to be guiding them home.
Luke Crowley then produced a serious few minutes. He had a shot saved by Tyrone goalkeeper Conor McAneney, and when he gathered the rebound, was pulled back by Michael Rafferty for a penalty, that Crowley himself dispatched to the net.
With Tyrone needing a settler, they found it in McElholm. Scorer of 0-7 overall, Tyrone were able to isolate him in the second half as Kerry went pushing for goals. His final score featured a Clifford-esque gather, dummy and shot over the bar.
A poignant moment after the game came when captain Michael Rafferty’s late brother, John – a victim of the treacherous A5 road – was remembered by GAA President Jarlath Burns.
Scorers for Tyrone: Eoin McElholm 0-7, Ruairí McCullagh 0-5 (1f), Ronan Cassidy 0-5 (1f), Joey Clarke 1-0, Cormac Devlin 0-1, Conor Owens 0-1
Scorers for Kerry: Cormac Dillon 0-8 (4f), Luke Crowley 1-1, (1-0 pen), Eddie Healy 0-2, Daniel Kirby 0-1, Evan Boyle 0-1, Paddy Lane 0-1.
Tyrone
Conor McAneney (Glenelly)
Conor Devlin (Ardboe), Ben Hughes (Donaghmore), Joey Clarke (Donaghmore)
Shea O’Hare (Ardboe), Michael Rafferty (Killyclogher – captain), Ódhrán Brolly (Gortin)
Ronan Fox (Loughmacrory), Conor O’Neill (Donaghmore)
Cormac Devlin (Ardboe), Eoin McElholm (Loughmacrory), Gavin Potter (Killyclogher)
Ronan Cassidy (Donaghmore), Ruairí McCullagh (Loughmacrory), Callum Daly (Omagh)
Subs:
Fiachra Nelis for Conor Devlin (39m), Caolan Donnelly for Brolly (44m), Nathan Grimes for Potter (54m), Conor Owens for McCullagh (59m), Ronan Donnelly for Cassidy (62m)
Kerry
Michael Tansley (Austin Stacks)
Maidhcí Lynch (Dr Crokes), Maidhcí Lynch (Dr Crokes), Gearóid Evans (Keel)
Charlie Keating (Dr Crokes), Darragh O’Connor (Kenmare Shamrocks), Cian Lynch (Glenflesk)
Rob Stack (Beale – captain), Eddie Healy (Listowel Emmets)
Daniel Kirby (Austin Stacks), Odhran Ferris (Ardfert), Tomás Kennedy (Kerins O’Rahillys),
Luke Crowley (Glenflesk), Aidan Crowley (Templenoe), Cormac Dillon (Duagh)
Subs:
Ryan Diggin for O’Callaghan (30m), Paddy Lane for Aidan Crowley (HT), Fionn Murphy for Kirby (45m), Evan Boyle for Stack (47m), Adam Segal for Evans (49m)
Referee: Paddy Neilan (Roscommon)
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GAA Kerry RED HANDS RISE Tyrone U20