McElholm’s second-half heroics clinch U-20 crown for Red Hand

A masterclass of point-scoring guided Tyrone to their second All-Ireland U-20 title in three years with this six-point win over a Kerry team chasing their first title at this grade in 16 years.

Joey Clarke’s 14th-minute goal helped Tyrone to a four-point, 1-8 to 0-7, half-time lead, but the Ulster champions took control in the second half with an exhibition of scoring from centre-forward Eoin McElholm in particular, backed up by Ruairí McCullagh and Ronan Cassidy.

By the three-quarter mark Tyrone had both hands firmly on the cup, leading 1-16 to 0-11.

And while Luke Crowley’s goal from the penalty spot – followed by a point from the dual player – brought Kerry back to within four points, there would be no denying the Red Hand county its seventh All-Ireland title at the Under-20 or Under-21 grade.

Even

The first quarter was pretty even, both teams scoring three points before Clarke cut through the Kerry defence and planted the ball beyond Kerry goalkeeper Michael Tansley with the help of a slight deflection and the post.

Tyrone sensed a frailty in the Kerry rearguard and went for it. Thrice more in the half they knocked sparks off the Kerry posts, with wing-back Shea O’Hare pinging a shot back off the upright in the 17th minute and then Cormac Devlin rattling the woodwork on the other side.

Kerry were just about hanging on at that stage, with midfielder Eddie Healy and corner-forward Cormac Dillon kicking scores to get a floundering Kingdom to the break lucky to be just four behind.

Three passes and 15 seconds into the second half and Tyrone scored again, McCullagh applying the finish.

By the 39th minute there was just the goal between them, 1-10 to 0-10, but in the next 10 minutes McElholm, McCullagh and Cassidy scored a brace each to open up an eight-point lead.

Crowley bulldozed his way into the Tyrone square and won a penalty, which he dispatched past Conor McAnemy, and followed up with a point to make it 1-16 to 1-12, but there would be no Kingdom comeback.

McElholm reeled off another three scores, Crowley was black-carded in additional time, and the Clarke Cup was on its way to Tyrone for the first time since 2022.

SCORERS – Tyrone: E McElholm 0-7; R Cassidy (1f), R McCullagh (1f) 0-5 each; J Clarke 1-0; O Brolly, C Devlin, C Owens 0-1 each. Kerry: C Dillon 0-8 (3f, 1m); L Crowley 1-1 (1-0 pen); E Healy 0-2; D Kirby, E Boyle, P Lane 0-1 each. TYRONE: C McAneny; J Clarke, B Hughes, C Devlin; S O’Hare, M Rafferty, Ó Brolly; R Fox, C O’Neill; C Devlin, E McElholm, G Potter; R McCullagh, R Cassidy, C Daly.

Subs: F Nelis for Devlin (38), R McHugh for Brolly (44), N Grimes for Potter (54), C Owens for McCullagh (58), R Donnelly for Cassidy (62).

KERRY: M Tansley; M Lynch, D O’Callaghan, G Evans; C Keating, D O’Connor, C Lynch; R Stack, E Healy; D Kirby, O Ferris, TKennedy; L Crowley, A Crowley, C Dillon. Subs: E Boyle for Stack (temp, 22-23), R Diggin for O’Callaghan (30), P Lane for A Crowley (h-t), E Boyle for Stack (46), A Segal for Evans (49).

REF: P Neilan (Roscommon)