A brace of goals either side of the break proved decisive as Tyrone retained their Ulster minor football championship title at Derry's expense in Clones this afternoon.

Played as a curtain-raiser to the senior decider between Derry and Donegal at St Tiernach's Park, the Red Hands were 2-3 to 0-5 to the good at half-time and, after their opponents finished stronger to narrow the gap to a single point, captain Eoin McElholm's injury-time goal ensured a 4-8 to 0-16 victory for Gerard Donnelly's side.

McElholm led by example, scoring 2-2 over the hour, with his opening goal handing Tyrone a 1-2 to 0-2 lead in the 14th minute after Odhran Murphy and Ciaran Chambers picked off points for Derry.

Ronan Molloy smashed home the Reds Hands' second goal on 18 minutes, but frees from Eoin Higgins kept Derry in touch.

A third green flag by Caolan Donnelly gave Tyrone a four-point lead (3-6 to 0-11) with 12 minutes of normal-time remaining and looked to have killed off the Oak Leaf County's challenge, but Marty Boyle's young guns fought to the bitter end.

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