Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor Football Championship final: Tyrone 1-16 Kerry 1-15
TYRONE don’t come to lose. When the chips were down, when they were four down with 12 minutes left and Kerry had a hand on the cup… That’s when that Red Hand character kicked in and the boys became men.
You could sense a gear changing as Gerard Donnelly’s team dug their heels in and attacked with relentless pace and skill to grab victory from the jaws of defeat and win a first All-Ireland title at this grade for 15 years.
When Tyrone hit the post in a frenetic final passage some feared their chance had gone but they would not be denied and as the tension grew Peter Colton was the coolest man in Newbridge. On dead-ball duties because Eoin Long had been forced off with injury, he stroked home a penalty and followed it with a nerveless free off the turf to level it.
Diarmuid Martin – who started the final because luckless Joel Kerr wasn’t allowed to play after signing for West Ham – kicked the winner and the joy came tumbling out when they final whistle blew. An hour later the Tyrone lads were still celebrating an unforgettable on the field with the fans who followed them to Kildare in their droves.
“I just don’t know how we won that All-Ireland,” said Tyrone manager Gerard Donnelly.
“Seriously, I really don’t know.
“We were four down and playing against the wind, 12 minutes to go and then we just went into power play and we got the scores…
“Our lads always just seem to bounce back but I just, I really, I just can’t believe it.
“They just refused to lose and look, we’ve won the All-Ireland by a point, we could have easily lost by a point but there is some difference between winning and losing.”
Peter Colton (right) netted a penalty and then converted a nerveless free to level the final. Picture: Oliver McVeigh
With the All-Ireland U20 trophy already safely stashed in the Garvaghy trophy cabinet, Donnelly’s youngsters have now brought home number two. Next weekend the Red Hand seniors continue the quest for a treble when they face Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-finals.
“Hopefully next week the seniors can do it but I’ll think about next Saturday in a day or two,” said a delighted Donnelly.
His opposite number, Kerry manager Wayne Quillinan, was understandably devastated to lose. His team came so close to winning and could arguably have been awarded a late free to send the game into extra-time when Dr Croke’s forward Ben Keliher, scorer of Kerry’s first half goal, appeared to have been pulled back.
Quillinan said awarding a free was a “no brainer” but they referee didn’t blow his whistle. The Kerry boss said he didn’t want the issue to be “a talking point”.
“I want our talking point to be about those minors and what pride they brought to our county,” he said.
“For guys so young, they put on the green and gold jersey and, Jesus, did they represent the green and gold jersey and the county of Kerry with such distinction.
“They’ve proven what they are as footballers, but they’re just such wonderful young fellas to deal with but there is no tomorrow and that’s the hard one.
“I’ve no doubt in the world that these young fellas will learn and they’ll grow. They’ll develop and they’ll definitely bounce back from that because that’s what Kerry people do.”