Tyrone see off Derry

Tyrone's Gerard Cavlan celebrates his first half goal

Bank of Ireland Ulster Football Semi-Final:
Tyrone 3-7 0-14 Derry

Tyrone withstood a late Derry fightback to claim a deserved place in the Bank of Ireland Ulster Final against either Monaghan or Cavan on 8 July.

The game was effectively decided by a crucial three-minute period midway through the second half when Tyrone snatched two goals and a point.

Suddenly from being level three minutes earlier, Derry were now seven points down.

While some excellent free-taking from Paddy Bradley managed to chip away at Tyrone's lead in the closing stages, the Red Hand county always looked as though they were going to hang on.

Derry manager Eamon Coleman summed up the match afterwards when he said:"Goals wins matches".

The Oak Leafers had looked marginally the better side for much of the first half.

Anthony Tohill jumps with Kevin Hughes

However, Derry's early superiority was shattered by Gerard Cavlan's 28th minute goal which put Tyrone a point ahead at 1-2 to 0-4.

The second half goals from Brian Dooher and Stephen O'Neill were absolutely pivotal to the eventual outcome.

Cavlan set the tone for a niggly content by picking up a booking in the opening 20 seconds.

By the end, 11 yellow-cards had been handed out and it was a surprise that the red mist hadn't descended on at least one player.

Flying elbow

Peter Canavan and Anthony Tohill were a mite fortunate not to be dismissed.

Canavan directed a bad side-on challenge at Paul McFlynn in the first half which saw elbow connecting with chest.

Tohill's challenge looked even worse with the Derry midfielder catching Colin Holmes in the face with a flying elbow.

In the frenetic second half, Eamon Coleman even got involved in some unnecessary exchanges with Tyrone players which culminated in the Derry boss being ordered back to the dug-out.

The struggles of the Tyrone forward line with Sean Marty Lockhart and Fergal Crossan especially impressing early on helped Derry to a 0-3 to 0-1 lead by the 21st minute.

The lead could have been greater as Enda Muldoon has struck a great goal chance inches wide in the fifth minute after a great Derry move.

Eamon Coleman alleges foul play

Tyrone half-back Ryan McMenamin showed his forwards the way to score in the 23rd minute by storming up the field to rattle over a great point.

Gavin Diamond quickly restored Derry's two point advantage but Tyrone were starting to come more into the contest.

Gerard Cavlan squandered two great points scoring chances and looked a likely candidate for an early substitution.

However, the Dungannon player emphatically atoned for those misses in the 28th minute by slamming home a goal after a pinpoint ball from Kevin Hughes.

Glorious finish

Suddenly Tyrone were a point ahead and in truth from then on, the confidence which Derry had exhibited in the early stages never really returned.

Tyrone maintained that one point advantage to half-time with O'Neill hitting the final score of the first half from an acute angle in injury-time.

Eoin Mulligan edged Tyrone two clear in the 37th minute but by the 49th minute the sides were level after Derry substitute Paul Murphy had scored from long-range.

However within four minutes the contest was effectively over as Tyrone scored 2-1 without reply.

Tohill beats Cormac McAnallen to possession

A brilliant ball from Stephen O'Neill found Brian Dooher in yards of space in the 50th minute and he delivered a glorious finish to the roof of the Derry net.

Cormac McAnallen immediately hit another point and the incredible three-minute spell was rounded off by O'Neill hitting the net after a brilliant Cavlan ball.

Tyrone then seemed to make the mistake of attempting to sit on their lead and it enabled Bradley to pick off four points from frees.

Peter Canavan chose an opportune moment to hit his first and only score of the day in the 65th minute to edge Tyrone four clear again.

Derry had four minutes of injury-time to try and rescue the match but they could only manage two Enda Muldoon points.

Muldoon's closing score came after Paddy Bradley's goal attempt from 14 yards had been beaten away by Tyrone goalkeeper Finbarr McConnell.

It was a well-struck effort but it was a good height for the goalkeeper.

Bank of Ireland Ulster SFC:
Tyrone 3-7 0-14 Derry
Leinster SFC:
Dublin 1-12 0-13 Offaly
Munster SFC:
Kerry 1-15 0-10 Limerick
Ulster Minor FC:
Tyrone 2-15 1-7 Derry