Derry and Armagh will contest the Nicky Rackard Cup final at Croke Park on June 10 following their respective semi-final victories over Monaghan and Tyrone today.

Dual star Brendan Rogers scored his second hat-trick of goals in as many games as competition favourites Derry romped to a 6-17 to 1-12 win in Inniskeen. The sides were level at 0-3 apiece before goals from Brian Cassidy and Mehaul McGrath (penalty) helped the Oak Leafers to a 2-7 to 0-5 interval lead.

Rogers grabbed his first goal in the 41st minute before Tadhg Campbell got one back for Monaghan. However, two more Rogers strikes - either side of a Ruairi Convery major from a 20-metre free - made it easy for Derry in the end.

In the other penultimate round tie at Carrickmore, Armagh were always in control as they defeated Tyrone on a 2-25 to 1-14 scoreline.

The winners never looked back after David Carvill's long-range free went all the way to the net in the third minute. Carvill had posted 1-5 by the 15th minute, while Nathan Curry and Fiachra Bradley were also on the mark as the winners took a 1-13 to 0-5 advantage into the break.

With Damian Casey - who accounted for 0-12 of their tally - to the fore, Tyrone rallied after the restart before a Curry penalty ended their comeback. Bryan McGurk did manage to pull a goal back, but the Orchardmen weren't be denied.

Derry - D McDermott; S McCullagh, S Cassidy, D McCloskey; P Cleary, O McCloskey, L Og Hinphey (0-1); C McAllister, K Hinphey; G Bradley (0-2), M McGrath (1-0pen), A Grant (0-4, 2f); A Kelly (0-1), B Cassidy (1-0), D Cartin (0-2). Subs: C McKaigue (0-1) for K Hinphey, B Rogers (3-3) for B Cassidy, R Convery (1-2f) for A Grant, N Waldron for P Cleary, B Og McGilligan (0-1) for M McGrath.

Monaghan - P Bermingham; J Guinan, P Treanor (0-1), B Flanagan; C Meegan, M Murphy, N Garland; M Treanor (0-1), E MacSuibhne (0-1); C Boyle, S Leonard, S Lambe (0-4, 1f); D Meegan (0-3, 2f), B McGuigan, T Campbell (1-0). Subs: PJ Boyle (0-1) for E MacSuibhne, P Garland for C Boyle, J Dooley (0-1) for D Meegan, B O'Connor for B Flanagan, S McNally for T Campbell.

Referee - P Murphy.

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Armagh - S Doherty; C Clifford, A McGuinness, O Curry; J Corvan, P Gaffney, C Devlin; F Bradley (0-1), N Curry (1-4, 1-0pen, 0-2f); C Carvill, D Carvill (1-11, 0-6f), D McKenna (0-1); C Corvan (0-3, 1f), R Gaffney (0-3), D Magee (0-1). Subs: E McGuinness for D Magee, C Gorman for F Bradley, D Bridges for O Curry, P McKearney for D McKenna, D Gaffney (0-1) for C Carvill.

Tyrone - C McElhattton; P McHugh, R Devlin, S Muldoon; L Devlin, S Donnelly, T Morgan; D Begley, A Kelly; C Grogan (0-1), S Og Grogan, J Kelly; P Daly, D Casey (0-12, 8f, 1'65), B McGurk (1-0). Subs: C Cross for A Kelly, R McKernan (0-1) for J Kelly, P O'Kelly for T Morgan.

Referee - J Connors.

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