Ulster U20 football quarter-finals: Tyrone march past Derry as Monaghan overcome Cavan

A late Conor O’Neill goal capped off a fine second-half performance in a dramatic finish for Tyrone.

ONTO THE SEMIS: Conor O'Neill in action for Tyrone against Derry. Pic: Oliver McVeigh/Sportsfile.

Tyrone remain on course for another Ulster U-20 title after their 1-11 to 0-12 victory over Derry on their own soil on Wednesday night at Find Insurance Celtic Park.

A late Conor O’Neill goal capped off a fine second-half performance in a dramatic finish.

Tyrone played with the wind in the first half but Derry won the throw-in and played the opening spell on their own terms.

After a series of slow attacks, a Ger Dillon free opened the scoring and when Derry controlled the Red Hands’ kick-out, it helped them settle.

Cody Rocks and Dillon added points before Jamie Concannon fired over a first Tyrone score after 11 minutes.

Playmaker Johnny McGuckian started and finished a neat team score for a 0-4 to 0-1 lead before Ger Dillon fired the ball over the bar again.

Derry goalkeeper Jack McCloy made a breathtaking save from Shea McDermott after Tyrone made a breakaway.

Concannon went off injured but not before he landed a two-pointer that was cancelled out when Dillon curled over a free off the ground.

Peter Colton kicked the final score of the half, another two-pointer, leaving Tyrone three down at the break, 0-8 to 0-5.

Rogers hit two points before a sharp visiting side pulled the game into their grasp.

Derry went 14 minutes without a score and Tyrone staged a comeback as points from Muldoon, Colton and substitute Aodan Devlin had them level.

Then further points from McGuckian and Conall Higgins looked to have won the game for Derry until O’Neill hit the winner.

Tyrone will play Donegal in next Wednesday’s semi-finals with Monaghan travelling to Armagh.

Elsewhere a strong second half performance saw Monaghan through against Cavan with a 1-17 to 0-16 win in the other quarter final.

Cavan were three points up early on before Monaghan rallied to get back on level terms, thanks to points from Matthew Finn and Max Maguire, The Breffni Blues then had another spell of scoring, with Ben Tully on target along with a Jack Dobson two-pointer.

A Maguire goal left Monaghan in touch at half-time, tailing 0-11 to 1-5 but they pulled clear in the second half.

The Oriel county will now face a semi-final against an Armagh team who topped their group.