Tyrone edged out neighbours Derry in a feisty and at times ill-tempered game at Anderson Park. The game threatened to spill over on numerous occasions with heavy challenges reigning in from both sides.
Tyrone had a chance in the opening seconds of the game with Corey Lindsay breaking through, unfortunately for him he was unable to get the ball out of feet and was challenged.
Derry got their first chance of the game in the fifth minute Ryan McIntyre striking with his weaker foot, the shot tailing just to the right and wide of the post as it seemed destined for the top corner.
With ten minutes on the clock the Foylesiders had their best spell number ten Evan McLaughlin showing excellent feet, keeping the ball and setting up attacks.
The deadlock would be broken in the fourteenth minute, the fast feet of Ben Gallagher affording him the space to rifle a shot from range.
The effort was spilled into the net by goalkeeper Ben Ryan who really should have dealt easily with the effort.
The local men wasted no time, in going in search of an equaliser shooting from the half way from the restart, Fintan Coney easily catching the effort.
The pressure continued with a series of corners in search of an equaliser. One set piece breaking to Evan McLaughlin on the edge of the box, McLaughlin’s half volley cannoning off the crossbar.
The two main attractions in the first half being Derry number ten, Evan McLaughlin and Tyrone’s number seven, Ben Gallagher have the crowd enthralled with their great touches. The former would shoot over in the last action of the half.
HALF TIME: CO.TYRONE 1-0 CO.DERRY
The Walled City men began the second half as they ended the first pinning Tyrone in their own half.
A series of half chances followed with no one getting on the end to get the goal they longed for to tie proceedings.
The Red Hand County were reduced to ten men in the fortieth minute, Conor Williamson seeing red after using his head for none footballing activities.
From then on tempers began to fray, heavy challenges coming in as side lines became very animated. Minutes later Derry would be forced to play the remainder of the game with ten men as they had no subs remaining to replace an injury.
A powerful direct run from Ben Gallagher resulted in him forcing a save from Ben Ryan in his side’s first real attack of the half, ten minutes from time. In injury time Lee McCullagh slammed the post with an inspired effort from thirty five yards.
The referee’s whistle would soon confirm a win for Tyrone who now meet Chivas Guadalajara in the Globe Semi-Final. Derry now face Plymouth Argyle in the Salver Semi-Final.
Teams;
Co.Derry: Ben Ryan, Matty Pajack, Cormac McGinley, Nathan McCrudden, Jack Devenney, Ryan McIntyre, Evan McLaughlin, Blake Morrison, Ryan Kennedy, Caolan McCloone, Ryan McCaul. Subs Used: Euen Price, Tiernan Devine, Scott McDonald, Daylan Farren.
Co.Tyrone: Fintan Coney, Oran McGrath, Cameron Faulkner, Peter Bell, Conor Williamson, Ben Gallagher, Matthew T Smith, Corey Lindsay, Callum McGregor, Matthew Doherty. Subs Used: Lee McCullagh
Credit, Odhrán Crumley @odhranc14