Ulster Under-20 Football Championship: Armagh 2-22 Tyrone 0-24

Rian O'Neill hit a late point to help Armagh to victory over Tyrone

Armagh beat Tyrone after two periods of extra time to reach the Ulster Under-20 final in dramatic fashion.

Late scores from Conor Maginness, Rian O'Neill and Kevin McAlinden gave the Orchardmen a 2-22 to 0-24 semi-final win at the Athletic Grounds.

Eoghan McDonnell and Jason Duffy scored Armagh's goals, with the teams level at 2-16 to 0-22 at full-time.

It took two additional five-minute spells to separate the sides and send the home team through to the decider.

Eased ahead

Paul Donaghy started in fine form up front for Tyrone, hitting his side's first three points as they eased ahead.

Armagh had a couple of scores from Rian O'Neill to go level at the end of the opening quarter, but the Red Hands replied with four successive scores, two of them from Emmet McNabb.

With Conor O'Neill driving from deep and Rian O'Neill in the thick of the action, the Orchardmen came strong again, and got in for McDonnell's goal in the 25th minute.

Ross McQuillan was denied a second goal by Benny Gallen's excellent save, and Tyrone, with Brian Kennedy fielding in spectacular fashion in midfield, went in at the break with a narrow 0-8 to 1-4 lead.

Ugly melee

Conor O'Neill and Ross McQuillan were on target for Armagh, but Tyrone had scores from McNabb, Peadar Og McCartan and Tiernan Drayne, with Donaghy's stoppage time equaliser levelling it at 1-11 to 0-14 and sending the game into extra-time.

Duffy grabbed an early goal, but his side were pegged back again by Tyrone, who were level halfway through extra time at 2-13 to 0-19.

The second period was marred by an ugly melee which saw two players from each side red-carded - Armagh's Ryan Owens and goalscorer McDonnell for Tyrone, along with Red Hands pair Tiarnan Drayne and Jude Campbell.

Armagh equalised through sub Justin Kearns to leave the score deadlocked at 2-16 to 0-22.

Then came the late scores from Maginness, O'Neill and McAlinden to win it for Armagh.