Kerry dig deep but deadly Tyrone outfit prove too strong
TYRONE ON TOP: The Tyrone team celebrate with the cup. Pic: Ben Brady, Inpho
Tyrone were crowned U20 All-Ireland champions for the seventh time in Laois Hire O'Moore Park after an impressive six-point triumph over Kerry.
It is their second title at this grade in three years and a worthy prize for an awesome outfit. They swept past Roscommon by ten points in the semi-final and were ahead from the tenth minute on in the decider.
The sensational Eoin McElholm led the way with seven points from play from ten shots.
Their lofty total included a remarkable 1-18 from play. A tad more precision in the final quarter and the margin could have been greater. In total they had 34 shots.
Those misses never rattled them. Their manager Paul Devlin was determined to make sure they kept endeavouring.
“No negativity. It is all positive stuff,” he explained post-match. “I tell the lads; I am the one who put you in that position. I picked you in the panel. I put you in today. If you make a mistake, no one on my management or anyone around will I let condemn you. Just keep encouraging them.”
Both sides started with successive wides before Eoin McElholm delivered the day’s opening white flag. Tyrone’s top scorer was marked by Cian Lynch, while captain Michael Rafferty made for Luke Crowley at the other end.
They dropped corner-forward Callum Daly back as a sweeper and often conceded goalkeeper Michael Tansley’s kickout in a bid to stifle Kerry’s kicking game.
Duagh club man Cormac Dillon kicked Kerry off the mark with his first of four first-half points. After an early wide, Eddie Healy powered through the middle to slot over his first point in the tenth minute.
Ronan Cassidy responded to draw the Ulster champions level and then linked up expertly with an onrushing Joey Clarke who unleashed at goal. The ball crashed off an outreaching Charlie Keating and hit the net.
Cassidy and Dillon exchanged points but in truth, Tyrone should have extended their advantage more. In one play, Gavin Potter clipped the post with a goal chance. Shea O’Hare hit it again with a point effort, McElholm dropped the next chance short, Cormac Devlin hit the woodwork once more and Cassidy eventually fired it wide.
At the turnaround, it was 1-8 to 0-7. Devlin put an end to a string of misses, but Healy and a Dillon mark kept the underdogs in touch. The terms were set for the contest. One side on top while wasteful, the other just about staying in touch.
Shea O’Hare and Odhrán Brolly’s rampaging runs from wing-back ensured a steady supply of possession for the Tyrone inside line. Brolly pointed after the break.
Kerry’s own driving force battled hard in response, Charlie Keating drawing a free that led to a Paddy Lane score and assisting Dillon soon after.
By the 42 minute only three separated them. Still Tyrone continued to carve open the Kingdom’s rearguard. A terrific Michael Tansley save denied Ronan Cassidy a goal and Lynch stopped a second attempt from Potter.
The writing was on the wall. Tyrone pushed eight clear over the next ten minutes. Once more Kerry refused to go quietly. Luke Crowley went searching for his first score and drew a fine save from Conor McAneny.
He went again and was fouled after regaining possession. The son of Kerry’s three-time All-Ireland SFC winner Johnny rifled the penalty high, Fionn Murphy won the break on the subsequent kickout and Crowley curled over another to draw within four.
A classy Tyrone never panicked in the face of that fightback. Within 30 seconds, the ball was back in AFL prospect McElholm’s hands. He turned past Maidhci Lynch and tapped over to stifle any potential comeback.
The number 11 swung over three of their final four points. Rafferty climbed the steps to accept the cup from GAA chief Jarlath Burns.
“We deserve this, lads. We put in some work over the past seven months. The group sessions in Garvaghey have paid off,” declared the captain.
“Now we can call ourselves the best U20 team in Ireland. Let’s enjoy this.”
C Dillon 0-8 (1 mark, 3 frees), L Crowley 1-1 (pen), E Healy 0-2, D Kirby 0-1, E Boyle 0-1, P Lane 0-1.
E McElholm 0-7, R Cassidy 0-5 (1 free), R McCullagh 0-5 (1 free), J Clarke 1-0, C Devlin 0-1, C Owens 0-1, O Brolly 0-1.
M Tansley; M Lynch, D O’Callaghan, G Evans; C Keating, D’Connor, C Lynch; R Stack (C), E Healy; D Kirby, T Kennedy, O Ferris; C Dillon, A Crowley, L Crowley.
E Boyle for O’Connor (temp, 21-23), R Diggin for O’Callaghan (29), P Lane for Crowley (half-time), F Murphy for Kirby (46), Boyle for Stack (47), A Segal for Evans (49).
L Crowley (63).
C McAneny; J Clarke, B Hughes, C Devlin; S O’Hare, M Rafferty (C), O Brolly; R Fox, C O’Neill; C Devlin, E McElholm, G Potter; R McCullagh, R Cassidy, C Daly.
F Nelis for Devlin (38), C Donnelly for Brolly (45), N Grimes for Potter (54), C Owens for McCullagh (58), R Donnelly for Cassidy (62).
P Neilan (Roscommon)
