Ulster MFC Final: Armagh 0-10 2-12 Donegal

Caolan McConville and Eoghan Ban Gallagher contend for possessio

Donegal captured a first Ulster minor football title since 2006 with a comfortable victory over Armagh.

The winners scored 1-7 without reply in the first half, full-forward John Campbell scoring a 14th-minute goal.

Oisin O'Neill scored Armagh's first point in the 21st minute, but defender Cathal Boylan received a black card.

Donegal led by 1-9 to 0-2 at half-time at Clones and a late Jamie Brennnan goal put the victors through to the All-Ireland quarter-finals.

Ryan Hughes and Conor Cullen scored 0-7 between them for the Orchard county.

Donegal were hot favourites and that tag didn't faze this young minor team who did all the damage in the opening 19 minutes.

Full-forward Campbell brilliantly finished the only goal of the half, taking a pass from Stephen McBrearty and blasting the ball left-footed high into the roof of the net in the 14th minute.

Kyle Mallon, Jamie Brennan and Micael Carroll in action at Clones

McBrearty, a younger brother of senior star Paddy, hit two long-range points as Donegal raced away with the opening 1-7 of the game..

Donegal only hit two wides compared to Armagh's seven in the opening half, but they hit the post and missed two or three other decent goal chances.

Almost all their points were spectacular long-range efforts, Miceal Carroll possibly scoring the best of them from the near sideline from a really difficult angle.

Armagh could not get their hands on the ball around midfield and when they had possession, turned it over too easily.

They had to wait until the 21st minute to register their first score from O'Neill, the hero of their semi-final win over Monaghan.

The same player scored again after 29 minutes, just after Armagh defender Boylan was black-carded for a high tackle on Lorcan Connor.

Armagh goalkeeper Ryan Kearney was black-carded for bringing down Brennan five minutes into the second half but his replacement, Colm Rafferty, saved Lorcan Connor's penalty.

Armagh outscored Donegal by 0-8 to 1-6 in the second half but the closest they got was to within five points of Donegal.

Corner forward Ryan Hughes kicked four points with substitute Conor Cullen hitting 0-3 as Armagh mounted a spirited resistance.

Despite taking some wrong options in the second half and losing their way slightly, Donegal were the better side and livewire forward Jamie Brennan fisted a late goal to wrap up a minor league and Ulster title double for the county.

Armagh: R Kearney; F Quinn, A Rushe, C Donnelly; C Boylan, C McKinney, C McNicholl; J Og Burns, S Conlon; J Rafferty, O O'Neill (0-3, 1f), K Mallon; R Hughes (0-4, 1f), C Grimley, C McConville

Subs: C Cullen (0-3) for Boylan (BC, 28), C Rafferty for Kearney (BC, 36), R McKeown for Grimley (44), C Murphy for Conlon (48)

Donegal: D Rodgers; D McMonagle, C Gillespie, C Kelly; C Mulligan, T McClenaghan, A McClean; N Harley, C McGonigle (0-1, '45'); E Ban Gallagher, L Connor (0-4, 3f), M Carroll (0-1); J Brennan (1+-2), J Campbell (1-1), S McBrearty (0-3)

Subs: N Friel for Mulligan (HT), E O'Donnell for Campbell (43), C Doherty for Harley (52), C Bonner for McClean (54), C O'Boyle for O'Donnell (BC, 58), G McBride for Connor (59)

Referee: Ronan Barry (Down)