DEFENDING CONNACHT U20 football champions Roscommon have returned to the provincial final after a narrow victory over Sligo.
Roscommon will now put their title on the line against Mayo in the final next Wednesday.
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The sides played out a five-goal battle with Roscommon hitting the net three times in the first half. After falling six points behind in the opening 10 minutes, Roscommon lifted their first green flag through Rory Carthy. Eoin Collins added a second moments later to bring the sides back level after 13 minutes.
Sligo hit the next three points as Connor Flynn, Michael Sheridan and Ronan Niland all found their range.
John McGuiness then gave Roscommon a two-point lead with their third goal of the half, as the holders took a 3-3 to 0-11 lead into the break. McGuinness and Collins were among the scorers as Roscommon built up a five-point lead in the early stages of the second half.
Sligo cut the lead to just one point through a Dara Mostyn goal, but Roscommon’s fourth goal then arrived courtesy of Conor Grogan to leave the scoreline reading 4-9 to 1-13 after 52 minutes. Sligo tried to summon a final charge but could only bring the difference back to two as Niland and Eli Rooney landed two-point frees shortly before the final whistle.
In the Ulster U20 championship, Tyrone and Donegal progressed to the final after respective wins over Derry and Cavan.
Defending All-Ireland champions Tyrone grabbed three second-half goals to help seal a two-point win but Derry made them sweat for the victory. Derry were 0-9 0-8 ahead at half-time, but a goal from Conan Devlin pushed Tyrone into the ascendancy within a minute of the restart.
Their second goal arrived on 44 minutes as Conor O’Neill gave Tyrone a four-point advantage while their third three-pointer came just before the hour mark with Eoin McElholm putting them seven clear. However, Derry rallied with a Ruairi Forbes two-pointer and further scores from Conall Higgins and Conleth McGrogan to leave just two between them in the end.
Donegal stormed into the final with a comprehensive 4-19 to 2-7 win over Cavan. A Niall McGee goal gave Cavan the early advantage but three first-half goals from Conor McCahill, Cian McMenamin and a Seanan Carr penalty propelled Donegal into a 3-9 to 1-2 half-time lead.
Dylan Mullholland added Donegal’s fourth goal in the second half while Conor Sharpe rattled the net for Cavan in the closing stages by which stage Donegal were out of sight.
There was also action in the Leinster U20 hurling championship as Dublin and Laois won their respective preliminary quarter-finals against Antrim and Kildare.
Dublin will progress to face Offaly at the quarter-final stage on 5 May while Laois will move on to face Wexford.
Dublin looked to be on course for a comfortable win against Antrim, but the Saffrons rallied from 11 points down to lose by just three.
Early goals from Fiontán Bradley and Jack McCloskey gave Antrim a 2-4 to 0-8 lead after 22 minutes.
Dublin responded through Dan O’Kelly, who scored the first of his two goals, finishing with an impressive tally of 2-5 as the Dubs finished strongly to lead 1-11 to 2-4 at half-time.
O’Kelly added his second goal in the 38th minute as Dublin built up an 11-point lead after a Joe Shepard score on 42 minutes. But Antrim produced a huge fightback as substitute Cormac McKeown and McCloskey struck goals to help push Dublin to the wire.
After losses to Offaly and Galway, Laois booked their place in the quarter-finals at Kildare’s expense.
Laois were eight points clear at half-time and were 12 in front before substitute Alex Bell gave Kildare a glimmer of hope with the first of his two goals in the 50th minute.
Cormac Byrne lifted a green flag less than 10 minutes later to push the Laois lead out to 10. Bell’s second goal reduced the gap to seven but Laois were able to see out the game comfortably.
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Connacht U20 champions Roscommon book final date with Mayo as Tyrone and Donegal advance
Results
Dalata Hotel Group U20 football championship
Connacht semi-final
Ulster semi-finals
O’Neills Leinster U20 hurling preliminary quarter-finals
******
DEFENDING CONNACHT U20 football champions Roscommon have returned to the provincial final after a narrow victory over Sligo.
Roscommon will now put their title on the line against Mayo in the final next Wednesday.
The sides played out a five-goal battle with Roscommon hitting the net three times in the first half. After falling six points behind in the opening 10 minutes, Roscommon lifted their first green flag through Rory Carthy. Eoin Collins added a second moments later to bring the sides back level after 13 minutes.
Sligo hit the next three points as Connor Flynn, Michael Sheridan and Ronan Niland all found their range.
John McGuiness then gave Roscommon a two-point lead with their third goal of the half, as the holders took a 3-3 to 0-11 lead into the break. McGuinness and Collins were among the scorers as Roscommon built up a five-point lead in the early stages of the second half.
Sligo cut the lead to just one point through a Dara Mostyn goal, but Roscommon’s fourth goal then arrived courtesy of Conor Grogan to leave the scoreline reading 4-9 to 1-13 after 52 minutes. Sligo tried to summon a final charge but could only bring the difference back to two as Niland and Eli Rooney landed two-point frees shortly before the final whistle.
In the Ulster U20 championship, Tyrone and Donegal progressed to the final after respective wins over Derry and Cavan.
Defending All-Ireland champions Tyrone grabbed three second-half goals to help seal a two-point win but Derry made them sweat for the victory. Derry were 0-9 0-8 ahead at half-time, but a goal from Conan Devlin pushed Tyrone into the ascendancy within a minute of the restart.
Their second goal arrived on 44 minutes as Conor O’Neill gave Tyrone a four-point advantage while their third three-pointer came just before the hour mark with Eoin McElholm putting them seven clear. However, Derry rallied with a Ruairi Forbes two-pointer and further scores from Conall Higgins and Conleth McGrogan to leave just two between them in the end.
Donegal stormed into the final with a comprehensive 4-19 to 2-7 win over Cavan. A Niall McGee goal gave Cavan the early advantage but three first-half goals from Conor McCahill, Cian McMenamin and a Seanan Carr penalty propelled Donegal into a 3-9 to 1-2 half-time lead.
Dylan Mullholland added Donegal’s fourth goal in the second half while Conor Sharpe rattled the net for Cavan in the closing stages by which stage Donegal were out of sight.
There was also action in the Leinster U20 hurling championship as Dublin and Laois won their respective preliminary quarter-finals against Antrim and Kildare.
Dublin will progress to face Offaly at the quarter-final stage on 5 May while Laois will move on to face Wexford.
Dublin looked to be on course for a comfortable win against Antrim, but the Saffrons rallied from 11 points down to lose by just three.
Early goals from Fiontán Bradley and Jack McCloskey gave Antrim a 2-4 to 0-8 lead after 22 minutes.
Dublin responded through Dan O’Kelly, who scored the first of his two goals, finishing with an impressive tally of 2-5 as the Dubs finished strongly to lead 1-11 to 2-4 at half-time.
O’Kelly added his second goal in the 38th minute as Dublin built up an 11-point lead after a Joe Shepard score on 42 minutes. But Antrim produced a huge fightback as substitute Cormac McKeown and McCloskey struck goals to help push Dublin to the wire.
After losses to Offaly and Galway, Laois booked their place in the quarter-finals at Kildare’s expense.
Laois were eight points clear at half-time and were 12 in front before substitute Alex Bell gave Kildare a glimmer of hope with the first of his two goals in the 50th minute.
Cormac Byrne lifted a green flag less than 10 minutes later to push the Laois lead out to 10. Bell’s second goal reduced the gap to seven but Laois were able to see out the game comfortably.
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