FROM THE ARCHIVES: Tyrone and Derry engage in melee as Benny Coulter hits a hat-trick

10 YEARS AGO…

NEIGHBOURLY love was in short supply as Tyrone defeated Derry in a fractious McKenna Cup final.

The Red Hands may have finished with 13 men, but they enjoyed their 1-22 to 1-17 win in Armagh in front of a vocal crowd.

Oakleaf boss Damian Barton was shoved to the ground by Cathal McCarron in the middle of a melee while Enda Lynn was stretchered off with a suspected broken ankle just before extra-time. Brendan Rogers also had to go off in the opening seconds.

Ryan Bell’s goal had given Derry a 1-5 to 0-4 interval lead and they led by two heading into the final quarter when all hell broke loose.

Ronan McNamee was sent off and a brawl followed, involving Barton, with McCarron and Derry’s Daniel McKinless also dismissed.

Tyrone kicked three late scores to force extra-time and the Red Hands pulled away with Connor McAliskey nailing a penalty.

Loughinisland suffered a five-point loss in the All-Ireland Intermediate Club semi-final, the Down side losing 0-15 to 0-10 to Hollymount-Carramore.

Rory Mason brought the fight with five points but the Blues were second best.

Rockcorry’s All-Ireland Junior Club hopes came to an end at the semi-final stage following a 0-11 to 0-6 loss to Ardnaree.

The Monaghan side finished with 13 players in a feisty encounter but in truth it was their shooting that let them down.

20 YEARS AGO…Benny Coulter hit the net three times against St Mary’s

20 YEARS AGO…

GAA and AFL officials were set to meet to decide on the future of the International Series between Ireland and Australia.

The meeting in Melbourne was to see if there was a future for the competition after the 2005 series saw a number of violent incidents.

In the McKenna Cup, Armagh were 0-13 to 1-7 winners over Cavan to set up a semi-final clash with Tyrone.

Stevie McDonnell hit five points while Tony McEntee, Paddy McKeever and Paul Keenan all took a brace.

Down were on the goal trail as they defeated St Mary’s 6-10 to 0-6.

Benny Coulter helped himself to a hat-trick while Danny Hughes, Ronan Sexton and Conor Gribben all raised green flags.

Queen’s put in a much better display against Monaghan, but Eoin Duffy’s last score saw them lose out by the minimum while Tyrone were two-point victors against Donegal with Stevie O’Neill and Seán Cavanagh dragging them to a win after a slow start in Ballyshannon.

30 YEARS AGO…Peter Canavan was too elusive for the Armagh defence

30 YEARS AGO…

TYRONE and Derry set up an O’Fiaich Cup final date after semi-final victories.

Peter Canavan’s accuracy proved decisive as the Red Hand defeated Armagh 1-13 to 2-6 in Crossmaglen.

Goals either side of the break from Cathal O’Rourke and Martin Toye had the hosts in a good position, but Canavan led the Tyrone charge as he finished with eight points with Stephen Conway grabbing their goal.

Derry were more comfortable in a 0-14 to 1-8 win over Louth.

The Wee County had led at the break thanks to Colin Kelly’s free-taking, but Derry took over from there with Louth’s goal coming in the final moments.

Geoffrey McGonigle scored four points for the Oakleafers with Enda Gormley hitting three.

Those two combined managed more than Monaghan combined in a 0-7 to 0-6 National Football League loss to Mayo.

Played in Scotstown, the hosts only scored two points in the second half in what was their first Division Three loss of the season.