Galway reach final after fending off Derry fightback

Galway are through to their fourth All-Ireland Minor Football Championship final in seven seasons following a 2-09 to 1-11 win over Derry at Parnell Park.

Goals at the start of either half, along with some heroic defending across the hour, saw Alan Glynn's side into the decider with Derry left chasing the game from start to finish – although the Ulster side did produce a brilliant fightback in the final moments despite being a man down.

The Oakleafers looked like they would finish the first half with just a point to their name, but their fortunes improved in the final stages having been on the backfoot from early on.

Derry had enjoyed most of the ball in the early moments, but it was Galway who made the perfect start with Jack Lonergan profiting from some fine work by Tomás Farthing. The defender broke up the right-hand side and along the touchline in the fourth minute before finding Lonergan, whose goal-bound strike took a big deflection on its way past Ben O’Connor.

Éanna Monaghan, who was looking as sharp as ever early on, clipped over with his left after Galway worked a clever short free before Derry got off the mark in the 10th minute through Ciaran Chambers after a fine run by Johnny McGuckian.

McGuckian was alive moments later to snag on a dropped ball in the Galway backline but although his shot had plenty of power, it was straight at Kyle Gilmore who was able to palm it away.

Galway had their own goal chance at the other end, but Stephen Curley screwed his effort high and wide.

The Connacht side did stretch their advantage in the 17th minute though as a classy dummy from Colm Costello gave him the space to split the posts.

It was 1-03 to 0-01 in the 22nd minute as Owen Morgan was pulled down right on the edge of the