Armagh 1-16 Donegal 1-21
Donegal minors battled hard and came back from the brink of defeat as Odhran Ryan’s late goal helped them beat Armagh in the Athletic Grounds to reach the Ulster Minor semi-finals.
It was a dream start for the hosts as Oran Donnelly caught Daithi Ó Callaghan’s ’45 and found the net inside two minutes.
But Donegal got back into the game and two pointers from Shane Sweeney (free) and Kalvin McLaughlin gave them an 0-8 to 1-4 lead at the break.
It was point-for-point the whole way through the second half as Jamie Gavigan, Jack Gallagher, Sweeney, Cathal Doherty and Danny McCready all pointed for Donegal but it ended level as extra-time approached.
Armagh went clear early in the third period with two two-pointers from Odhran Reel and they led by four at half-time in extra-time.
But Donegal hit back through Doherty, Gavigan and McCready (free) and a super two-pointer from Tomas Carr levelled the game with three minutes to play.
Donegal won the kick out and Gavigan found Odhran Ryan who hit the net, with Conor Gallagher and McCready putting gloss on the score line with two late points.
Donegal will now have a home semi-final to come in two weeks.
Armagh: Pádraig Finn; Donnacha Aherne, Gavin O’Rourke, Conal Wilson (0-1); Brendan Ferreira (0-1), Cormac Murphy, Ryan Dynes (0-1); Oran Donnelly (1-0), Keelan McEntee; Thomas Orlate, Daithí O Callaghan (0-3), Harry Fearon (0-1); Odhrán Reel (0-8, 1tp, 1tpf, 3fs), Pádraic Toal, Ronan Martin.
Subs: Tiernan O’Neill (0-1) for Toal (44 mins), Peter Keegan for Fearon (50 mins), Austin McAreavey for Martin (56 mins), Fergal Conlon for O’Rourke (74 mins), O’Rourke for Murphy (80 mins)
Donegal: Ronan O’Donnell; Christopher O’Donnell, Jamie Gavigan (0-2), Daithí Molloy; Cathal Doherty (0-2), Peter McLaughlin, Mark Wilkinson; Kalvin McLaughlin (0-2, 1tp), Cathal Mac Aoidh (0-1); Joe Doherty (0-1), Tomas Carr (0-3, 1tp1f), Jack Gallagher (0-1); Shane Sweeney (0-4, 1tpf, 2fs), Matthew Enright, Thomas Lenehan (0-1f).
Subs: Conor Farrell and Callum McGilloway for P McLaughlin and Enright (half-time), Danny McCready (0-3, 1f) for J Doherty (39 mins), Odhran Ryan (1-0) for Lenehan (53 mins), Conor Gallagher (0-1) and Evan Hickey for J Gallagher and Wilkinson (66 mins), Joe Doherty for C Doherty (75 mins).
Referee: Barry McMenamin.
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