EIRGRID ULSTER U20 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP.
Tyrone 0-17, Monaghan 2-8. 
A week previously Healy Park in Omagh had been a happy hunting ground for Monaghan’s minor and senior footballers, but it proved the opposite for the under 20 team when they made their exit from the Ulster U 20 championship at the hands of Tyrone on Friday evening last.
Monaghan can a few complaints though, on the night as over the 60 plus minutes Tyrone proved the better side, particularly in the second-half as they recovered from a disastrous start when they conceded 2 goals inside 5 minutes but gradually grew into the contest and then imposed themselves to increasing effect in the 2nd half where they restricted Monaghan to just 4 points while scoring 12 themselves, Mattie McGleenan, Emmett McNabb and Paul Donaghy leading the charge.
Monaghan got off to a flying start with 2 goals and a point in the opening 5 minutes, but that was the strongest position they were to be in, adding just 3 further points in the entire 1st half at the end of which they led by 5 points against a Tyrone team that had been somewhat wasteful, although the difficult breeze in Healy Park definitely had an effect on some of their scoring efforts.
In the second half Tyrone became increasingly effective as Monaghan struggled in midfield and found it increasingly difficult to penetrate a massed Tyrone defence and they were caught repeatedly on counter attacks, although they also spurned a couple of clear cut scoring chances..
Tyrone drew level for the 1st time in the game with 10 minutes of normal time remaining and took the lead a minute later to go on in the final stages to outscore Monaghan by 3 points to 1 to clinch what was overall a deserved victory.
Scorers – Tyrone: Paul Donaghy 0-5 (3f) Emmett McNabb 0-3, Tiarnan Drayne 0-3,Matthew McGleenan 0-2, Ryan Gray, Cahir Goodwin, Peter Og McCartan, Benny Gallen (f) 0-1 each Monaghan: David Garland 1-1 (1f), Dean McDonnell 1-0, Micheal Bannigan 0-3 (2f), Fergal Hanratty, Frank Connolly, Conor Doyle, Ryan Mohan 0-1 each
Tyrone: Benny Gallen, Antoin Fox, Connor Quinn, Conor Shields; Mark McKearney, Ryan McCusker, Cahir Goodwin; Ruairi Gormley, Tom Loughran; Matthew Murnaghan, Emmett McNabb, Ryan Gray; James Garrity, Matthew McGleenan, Paul Donaghy. Subs: Conal Grimes for M McKearney (42), Peter Og McCartan for M Murnaghan (45), Tiarnan Drayne for T Loughran (49), Dalaigh Jones for E McNabb, Peadar Mullan for C Quinn (61)
Monaghan: Jack Kirk, Ryan Mohan, Colm Lennon, Dean Connolly; Conor Doyle, Frabk Connolly, Dean McDonnell; Liam Og Murray, Ryan O’Toole; David Hanley, Micheal Bannigan, Fergal Hanratty; Conor Leonard, David Garland, Oran McElligott. Subs: Shane Monaghan for O McElligot (18), Fabien Beggan for D Hanley (51), Ciaran Burns for R O’Toole (72). Referee: Paul Faloon (Down).
By Majella Boyd Sun 27th May
