Ulster Minor Football Championship final: Derry 0-12 Armagh 1-7

Derry retained the Ulster MFC title, but they were pushed all the way by a gallant Armagh side in a tight, low-scoring provincial final in O’Neills Healy Park.

The Oak Leafers defeated the Orchard by 17 points three weeks prior to the final in Owenbeg. Yet, the early exchanges hinted that Armagh had absorbed the lessons of that heavy defeat.

A well-organised Armagh defence proved very difficult to break down with both teams mirroring each other.

Each time Derry moved ahead, Armagh responded with Eamon Young and Ger Dillon doing the damage for the holders while Eoin Duffy (free) Sean Woods and Keelan Woods on target for the Orchard.

Derry moved 0-4 to 0-3 ahead after Dillon converted a stunning long-range free before Armagh struck for what proved to be the game’s only goal. Ross Marsden’s high delivery was superbly fielded by Jack Loughran, who set up Duffy for a well-taken finish.

Yet, Derry forged their way back into the lead before half-time with Young, Dillon and captain James Sargent landing points.

Armagh were also reduced to 14 players before the break with Marsden shown a black card for a hand trip on Caoimhin Hargan.

Dillon and Young moved Derry into a three-point lead early in the second half before Aaron Garvey ended a 22-minute spell without a score for Armagh.

Derry looked to have done enough to put the game beyond doubt when Dillon and the equally-impressive Lule Grant landed back-to-back points while Michael Finnegan made a stunning save to deny Ruairi Biggs.

Armagh were fortunate to avoid a second black card when Diarmaid O’Rourke hauled Grant to the ground with Barry McMenamin showing the Orchard wing-back a yellow card instead.

Young’s fifth point moved Derry into a four-point lead and Armagh were forced to go for broke in the final few minutes of the game.

They cut the gap to two with back-to-back frees from Duffy and Derry were relieved when the Armagh full-forward played the ball on the ground in the final passage of the game when he was just metres from the Derry goal.

Derry scorers: Eamon Young 0-5 (0-2fs), Ger Dillon 0-5 (0-3fs), Luke Grant 0-1, James Sargent 0-1.

Armagh scorers: Eoin Duffy 1-3 (0-3fs), Keelan McEntee 0-1, Sean Woods 0-1, Aaron Garvey 0-1, Fionn Toale 0-1.