Ulster U20 football round-up: Donegal defeat Derry to book semi-final spot

Elsewhere Armagh made it two wins from two with a 2-26 to 0-10 rout of Cavan at the Box-It Athletic Grounds.

Donegal are the first team through to the Ulster U20 Football Championship semi-final after triumphing in the Group A top-of-the-table clash with Derry at Celtic Park. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile.

Donegal are the first team through to the Ulster U20 Football Championship semi-final after triumphing in the Group A top-of-the-table clash with Derry at Celtic Park.

A first win of the series for All-Ireland champions Tyrone keeps the on course for a quarter-final spot, with Group B leaders Armagh in prime position to go straight through to the last four.

The second and third placed finishers in both groups will progress to the quarter-finals, with just three of the province’s nine counties failing to make it to the knock-out stage.

Shane Callaghan’s last-minute winner gave Donegal the narrowest of 1-12 to 1-11 wins over the Oak Leafers, at the end of a tense and tight encounter in Derry city.

The game was just seconds old when Donegal’s Max Campbell found the net, but Derry hit back with scores from Johnny McGuckian, Ger Dillon and Cahit Spiers, before Cody Rocks fired in a goal.

Donegal points from Tomas Carr and Shane Callaghan kept it close, and the sides were deadlocked on 1-6 each at the break.

A tight second half saw the visitors ease clear in the closing stages, before a Ger Dillon two-pointer brought Derry level, but there was still time for Callaghan to win it with the last kick of the game.

Armagh made it two wins from two with a 2-26 to 0-10 rout of Cavan at the Box-It Athletic Grounds.

A flurry of two-pointers early on from Eoin Duffy, Aaron Haughey and Diarmuid O’Rourke helped the Orchard lads take control, and they stretched the advantage through Michael McSorley, Liam McGeary and Duffy, before Fergal Boylan smashed home a goal.

Cavan managed a couple of scores through Jack Dobson and Darragh Noonan, but the home side was in control at the break, ahead by 1-17 to 0-4.

They kept the scoreboard ticking through Dobson, Duffy and McGeary, and while Cavan had points from Jack Dobson and Noonan, they were never in contention, and Sean Burke sealed it with a late goal.

Tyrone were too strong for Down at Dungannon, where they chalked up a 4-23 to 1-14 success.

Two goals from wing back Brian Gallagher and a Shea McDermott strike helped the Red Hands to a 3-13 to 0-5 interval lead.

They stretched the advantage to 21 points, before Down came strongly in the final quarter, with Eoghan Travers leading the way with a couple of two-pointers, while substitute Conor Ward pulled back a goal.

But the home side finished strongly, with McDermott netting his second goal to set up a group decider against Armagh next week.

Monaghan defeated Antrim by 1-16 to 0-10 at Dunsilly to remain in with a chance of a quarter-final spot.

Monaghan led by 0-6 to 0-5 at half-time, with Killian Kierans, Tom Doherty and Matthew Finn on target, while Daire Higgins hit a couple of Saffron scores.

The visitors added to their tally through Shane O’Connor, Caolan Clerkin and Tom Doherty, before Max McGinnity put the outcome beyond doubt with a late goal.