In an action-filled afternoon of All-Ireland minor football quarter-finals, Derry dislodged Dublin in a close showdown, ultimately becoming victorious with a scoreline of 0-18 to 2-10, at Breffni Park. Derry’s win proved to be the only competitive contest of the day as Armagh, Mayo, and Kerry breezed into the semi-finals, joining Derry in the next round of the tournament.
For Derry, contributors towards their victory included Turlough McHugh, Eamonn Young, James Sargent and Dylan Rocks, who collectively comprised 15 of the 18-points scored. The team, celebrating this victory, tallied all but one point from open play. Although the match started briskly with Sargent, Rocks and Young scoring the initial three points, it was Dublin’s Senan Bolger who reversed the trend, making it a more evenly fought match by half-time with Derry marginally ahead at 0-8 to 1-4.
In the second half of the game, despite Donach Magee’s 1-1 (1-3 overall), which momentarily thrust Dublin a point ahead in the last quarter, Derry’s outside shooting game secured them four out of the final five points, solidifying their win.
The other game of the doubleheader saw Longford, the Leinster champions, taking on Armagh. Longford put up a fight initially, matching up with Armagh’s early points with Luke Donnelly’s goal and point. However, Shea Loughran’s 1-4 in continuation for Armagh shifted the momentum in their favour. The team led by five points at half-time and then went on to dominate the remaining duration, winning comfortably by 1-16 to 1-3.
In Ennis, Mayo’s compelling 3-15 to 0-6 triumph over Cork was marked by the prolific scoring of Oisín Dean and his Crossmolina fellow club member, Kobe McDonald. The team’s aggressive kickouts against Cork and sharp attacking play, embracing Dean’s opening goal, took them to an advantage of 11 by half-time.
In a somewhat one-sided second half, wing back Mark Sheeran caught attention by scoring a point off each foot. The last slot in the semi-finals was secured by a formidable Kerry team who dominated Roscommon with a massive 3-18 to 2-3 victory, showcasing a commanding performance in the first half. Kerry’s powerful performance ensures Munster’s representation in the semi-finals.
Dean Casey kicked off the scoring for Roscommon with a free, but failed to add any additional points for the rest of the first half. Sean Ó Cuinn and Gavin O’Keeffe, the wing backs, scored three points during the first half. Killian Dennehy showcased his dominance in the midfield while the forward duo from Tralee CBS, Gearóid White and Ronan Carroll, also put on stellar performances.
The first half concluded with a scoreline of 1-11 to 0-1, thanks to Joey McCarthy’s goal. In spite of Kerry making substitutions, their efforts were futile as Ryan O’Driscoll came off the bench to score an impressive 2-1. Keelan Kelly and Eoin Collins of Roscommon managed to score goals as a form of consolation.
In the forthcoming line-up, Kerry will challenge Derry for a spot in the finals. Meanwhile, Armagh and Mayo are set to face each other in their next clash.