UNDER-21 FOOTBALL

Brown points Derry to victory A SCINTILLATING display from corner forward Eoghan Brown that yielded nine points - eight from play - helped Derry defeat Fermanagh 1-20 and 2-9 to qualify for a semi-final meeting with Donegal this Wednesday night.

Having played with the wind, a 0-13 to 2-4 half-time lead looked scant consolation for Paddy Crozier's side, but Derry dominated the second half.

SCORERS

DERRY: E Brown 0-9 (one free); P McWilliams 1-1; J Kielt (two frees), SL McGoldrick 0-3 each; R Kealey, C McKaigue, M Craig, E Lynn 0-1 each.

FERMANAGH: C Leonard 1-5 (0-2 from frees); D McQuaid 1-1; E Ferris 0-2 (frees); B Mulrone 0-1.

Tipperary reach decider again

TIPPERARY WILL meet Kerry in the Munster final in two weeks' time after a 2-7 to 1-6 victory over Waterford at Ardfinnan. First-half goals from Darrel Darcy and Richard Ryan proved decisive in overcoming a spirited Waterford.

SCORERS

TIPPERARY: S Carey 0-4 (all frees); R Ryan, D Darcy 1-0 each; P Donnellan, C Dillon, D Keogh 0-1 each. WATERFORD: M Scanlan 1-1; M Ferncombe 0-2 (both frees); T Prendergast, T Connors, C McGrath 0-1 each.

Kildare have more in reserve

KILDARE SURVIVED a late Dublin rally to record a 1-8 to 1-7 win and reach the Leinster semi-final and a date with Carlow. Kildare edged clear in the second half, Mark O'Sullivan's brilliant point sealing the win late in the game.

SCORERS

KILDARE: A Smith 0-4 (three frees); M Waters 1-0; G White (45), E O'Flatherty (free), G Smullen, M O'Sullivan 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: K Nolan 1-1; P Andrews, B O'Rourke 0-2 each; T Furman, S Ryan 0-1 each.

Mayo ease to final

MAYO POWERED their way to a 1-16 to 1-5 win over Leitrim in the provincial semi-final at McHale Park, Castlebar.

Leitrim led by 1-4 to 0-5 at the break, but the home side took over in the second half.

SCORERS

MAYO: J Doherty 1-2; T Gavin (two frees), A Campbell (two frees) 0-4 each; C Barrett 0-2; D Vaughan, B Gallagher, J Burke, M Sweeney 0-1 each.

LEITRIM: E Mulligan 1-3 (0-1 from free); R Mulvey, R Kennedy 0-1 each.

Kerry get one over on Cork

A SUPERB second-half performance by Kerry ended five years of playing second fiddle to Cork with a 0-15 to 0-10 home win in the semi- final at Austin Stack Park.

"I am delighted with the win, as a win against Cork any day is a great win," said Kerry boss Seán Geaney. "The Munster title is up for grabs in two weeks' time."

SCORERS

KERRY: P Curran, P O'Connor (three frees), K O'Leary (three frees) 0-4 each; T Walsh 0-2; Alan O'Sullivan 0-1.

CORK: C O'Neill 0-5 (two frees); S Cahalane 0-3 (two frees); Conor O'Driscoll, L Shorten 0-1 each.

Sligo go through

STEPHEN COEN kicked Sligo to a 0-15 to 0-12 victory over Galway side in the first round of the Connacht championship at Tubbercurry. Sligo led 0-10 to 0-6 at the interval.

SCORERS

SLIGO: S Coen 0-7 (five frees); D O'Grady (both frees), D Kelly 0-2 each; D McDonagh, S Gilmartin, E McHugh, G Gaughan 0-1 each.

GALWAY: P Conroy (all frees), J Ryan (one free) 0-3 each; M Martin 0-2 (both frees); C Kenny, G O'Donnell, E Hoare 0-1 each.

Wexford's final opportunity

A SIXTH-MINUTE goal by Wexford's Seán Neill provided his team with the platform to defeat Wicklow by two points (1-9 to 0-10) at Aughrim and qualify for the Leinster final. Wexford led 1-6 to 0-4 at the break.

SCORERS

WEXFORD: B Brosnan 0-5 (three frees); S O'Neill 1-1; S Roche, P Hughes, D Waters 0-1 each.

WICKLOW: C Walsh 0-3; J McGrath, S Furlong 0-2 each; R Nolan, D Hayden, D Fitzgerald 0-1 each.

Title holders are beaten

DONEGAL DUMPED the defending Ulster Champions Armagh out of the provincial race with a 1-11 to 0-10 victory in Ballybofey.

The sides were level at half-time, 1-4 to 0-7.

However, after Kyle Carragher put Armagh a point up early in the second half, Donegal rattled over seven points to take control.

SCORERS

DONEGAL: S Griffin 0-5 (two frees); G McFadden 0-3; C Murrin 1-0; B Faherty, L McLoone, E Wade 0-1 each.

ARMAGH: S Forker 0-4 (all frees); K O'Rourke, K Carragher 0-2 each; D McKenna, J Feeney 0-1 each.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times