Ulster U20 final: Down dominate Oak Leafers to win title

Mourne captain Ryan Magill lifts the Ulster U20 trophy after the impressive win over Derry

Down produced a scintillating second-half performance to beat Derry 2-11 to 0-9 and secure a second Ulster U20 title in three years.

A strong wind helped Derry to a 0-6 to 0-4 lead at the interval in Wednesday night's Athletic Grounds final.

But it was all change in the second half as Down hit goals through Odhran Murdock and substitute Jamie Doran.

Man-of-the-match Oisin Savage helped himself to an eight points haul.

The wind advantage was not enough to help Derry to the comfortable lead they needed with just three points scored in the opening quarter by Charlie Diamond, Jody McDermott and Niall O'Donnell, with a spectacular effort.

Savage kept it close with his accuracy and at the turnaround it was the Oak Leafers who led by two, with Diamond tagging on another two points, one of them a free.

Down started the second half with a flourish - Savage sent over a couple of frees to bring his side level and they could have had a goal when keeper Ben O'Connor was caught 35 metres from his line, but Jamie Doran's attempted lob drifted wide.

Derry's response was defiant as they countered again to shoot three points in the space of two minutes with Peter McCullagh, Mark Doherty and Matthew Downey on target.

But with Doran injecting pace into their attack, the Mourne men ran at their opponents, winning another handful of frees which Savage converted.

And they varied the approach with the long ball to devastating effect. Callum Rodgers delivered from distance for senior star Odhran Murdock to field on the edge of the square and bury his shot to the net in the 51st minute.

Six minutes later midfielder Murdock turned provider as he provided the assist for the impressive Doran to sidestep his marker and finish in style for a second goal.

There was no way back for Derry, as a sound defence superbly marshalled by Patrick McCarthy and Finn Murdock stood firm, and Down finished the job with a delightful Doran score late on.

Derry: B O'Connor; J Murray, J McDermott (0-1), L Brady; P McGurk, D Gilmore, R Forbes; D Higgins, P O'Kane; P McCullagh (0-1), C Diamond (0-3, 2f), M Doherty (0-2); M Downey (0-1, f), N O'Donnell (0-1), R O Mianain.

Subs: C Downey for O Mianan, S Deehan for O'Kane, N McGonigle for Doherty

Down: O Treacy; F McAvoy, P McCarthy, F Murdock; T Hardy, R Magill, J Kelly; O Murdock (1-1), T McCarroll; T Ryan, O Cunningham, H Magill; O Savage (0-8, 5f, 1m), J Morgan, C Rodgers (0-1).

Subs: J Doran (1-1) for Ryan, C Cunningham for Magill, C Greene for McCarroll, E Loughran for Savage, S Carr for Cunningham

Referee: P Clarke (Cavan).