Tyrone U20s surge to impressive win over Down

Tyrone 4-23 Down 1-14

By Niall Gartland

AFTER their disappointing opening day defeat to Cavan, Tyrone U20s produced a performance far more in alignment with the All-Ireland winning exploits of recent years in a thumping victory over Down on Wednesday under lights at O’Neill Park, Dungannon

The manner of performance couldn’t have been more contrasting really; against Cavan, Shea McDermott carried a heavy scoring burden as the only member of the forward division to make the scoresheet. This time around, all six starting forwards scored at least once from play in a slick and purposeful showing against a limited-looking Down team that to be fair kept on going to the bitter end.

Half-back Brian Gallagher ghosted forward for two first-half goals and he played a crucial role assisting in Shea McDermott’s first of two majors as Tyrone surged into a unassailable 3-13 to 0-5 lead.

As for what it all means, Tyrone are in a decent position heading into next Wednesday night’s trip to the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds against Armagh, four days before their respective senior intercounty footballers lock swords in the preliminary round of the Ulster Championship.

Wednesday night’s match will be the final group stage outing for the Tyrone U20s who can still feasibly top the group, though that outcome will very much depend on how Cavan fare against Down – it could be a three-way tie at the top so scoring difference would come into play.

Even if Tyrone lose, Paul Devlin’s side should still finish second or third and book their spot in the quarter-finals barring another extremely unlikely set of circumstances. As for Down, they can advance to the quarters if they get the better of Cavan.

From early doors against Down, it was evident that Tyrone were in the mood. An exquisite pass from Ruairi McCullagh teed up Adrian McGurren for the game’s opening score after 30 seconds of play, and while Down responded with a free from their main man Eoghan Travers, it was virtually all one-way traffic for the opening quarter.

Turlough Muldoon, so influential for Eglish in last year’s Intermediate Championship, and Jamie Concannon (a booming two-pointer) pushed Tyrone into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead and the scores kept on coming with McDermott tagging on a free and Adrian McCurren splitting the posts.

All-Ireland minor winner James Mulgrew and Leo Hughes, neither of whom started against Cavan, were making a big impression in the middle sector, picking up breaks and primary possession, and it wasn’t long before a total rout was on the cards.

Brian Gallagher burst forward, exchanging passes with his clubmate McGurren, before cleverly picking his spot with the opening goal of the game.

Down looked too reliant at this stage on their enterprising full-forward Travers, who knocked over his second free, and the floodgates opened completely at the other end in the final 10 minutes or so of the half.

A succession of points from Mulgrew, Conall Sheehy, Ruairi McCullagh preceded Gallagher’s second goal in the 22nd minute. On this occasion, McGurren showed outstanding presence of mind when surrounded to play the ball across goal to Gallagher, who palmed to the net. 2-9 to 0-2, the game was as good as over.

A lovely two-pointer from captain Conor Devlin and two frees from McCullagh compounded Down’s misery, though they did well to register a few late points in the half. Still, their late efforts were negated by a 28th minute goal from Shea McDermott, who unleashed an unstoppable shot after superb build-up play from Gallagher.

Tyrone held a 3-13 to 0-5 lead at the interval so the only question at that stage was the ultimate margin of victory. It was a useful second-half, though – subs like Peter Colton and Aodhan Quinn showed very well, and complacency didn’t seep into the ranks either.

The lightning fast Concannon blitzed forward for his second score before newly introduced sub Quinn found the target. Down had the wind advantage at this stage and Travers floated over a nice two-point free, but Tyrone were in their element and Muldoon, Colton and Quinn extended their lead to 3-20 to 0-8 heading into the final ten minutes. The build-up play was really good – lots of tidy passing and well-taken scores – and it would’ve been even worse from a Down perspective only for a few smart saves from their goalkeeper Callum Travers.

The Mournemen did have their moments late in proceedings – two-pointers from Taidgh O’Hanlon and Ruairi Madine, a superb goal from Jack McConville, and a few other late points added a bit of respectability to the scoreline.

Tyrone had the final say though, with a skyscraper point deep in injury time from Leo Hughes and the coup de grace, Shea McDermott’s second goal of the game, bringing his personal tally to 2-4. That was that as Tyrone secured their first win of the campaign in style.

Scorers

Tyrone: Shea McDermott (2-4, 0-3f), Brian Gallagher (2-0), Ruairi McCullagh (0-4, 2f), Jamie Concannon (0-3, 1 2pt), Turlough Muldoon, Leo Hughes and Aodhan Quinn (0-2 each), Conor Devlin (2pt), Adrian McGurren, James Mulgew, Conall Sheehy and Peter Colton (0-1 each)

Down:Eoghan Travers (0-8, 2 2pt f, 3f), Jack McConville (1-0), Ruairi Madine and Taidgh O’Hanlon (2pt each), Liam Blaney and Luke Quinn (0-1 each)

Teams

Tyrone: Oisin Watson, Sean Broderick, James Rafferty, Luke Neeson, Jamie Concannon, Conor Devlin, Brian Gallagher, James Mulgrew, Conor O’Neill, Conall Sheehy, Turlough Muldoon, Leo Hughes, Adrian McGurren, Ruairi McCullagh, Shea McDermott. Subs: Aodhan Quinn for Rafferty, Darragh Donaghy for McGurren, Peter Colton for McCullagh, Michael McNamee for Sheehy, Liam Lawn for Concannon

Down

Callum Travers, Liam Grant, Oisin Murphy, Taidgh O’Hanlon, Lorcan Lynch, Joe O’Hagan, Luke Quinn, Bobby Magowan, Dara McAleenan, Danny Doyle, Liam Blaney, Daire O’Keefe, Corey Clerkin, Eoghan Travers, Ruairi Madine. Subs: Jack McConville for Doyle, Conor Ward for Clerkin