Great On The Road Win For Tyrone

Sunday 24.05.2026

Football

Tyrone produced a performance of guts, determination, heart and spirit to see off the Connacht champions Roscommon in their own backyard winning narrowly 3-16 to 2-18 in the All Ireland Championship Round 1.

A superb first half where the Red Hands attacked at ever opportunity enabled them to establish a five point lead at the break but that lead look precarious enough in the second hall as the Yellow and Blues chased down the gap..

This was a game of high energy and high press with both teams going at it from the start. Tyrone began well with points from Peter Teague and Ethan Jordan but they were rocked back when Darragh Heneghan burst through to hit the net for Roscommon.

Tyrone responded well working the ball forward and playing with pace. Both teams were on the front foot but the intense heat was taking a toll on the players.

The sides swapped scores and three points without reply from Ciaran Daly, Eoin Mc Elholm and Niall Devlin put Tyrone one in front before Diarmuid Murtagh tied the scores once more. Back came Tyrone on the attack and this time Mc Elholm found the net for his team’s first goal.

Roscommon replied with points from Murtagh and Enda Smyth but Tyrone hit the net again when Ronan Cassidy burst through to finish to the net for Tyrone’s second goal of the game.

Tyrone were playing excellent football and as the game ticked towards half time it seemed they would go in at the break leading by three. However the lead was stretched to five at the break with some late scores from Mattie Donnelly and Ethan Jordan  (2)  with a two pointer.

Half Tine Score: Tyrone 2-11, Roscommon 1-0.

The pace of the second half slowed somewhat but was still laced with skill and  determination and heat. Ethan Jordan landed a fine forty five to put five between the sides as the Tyrone defence stood strong. A soft free led to a two point conversion from goalkeeper Conor Carrol reduced the deficit as the decibels rose again and Roscommon went for broke.

A brace of Conor Hand points reduced the gap to two and Tyrone were now under the cosh.  When Enda Smyth hit the net to put the home side in front Roscommon seemed set for victory and a score from Diarmuid Murtagh seemed to confirm that. However team leader Mattie Donnelly stepped up when was most required and Tyrone’s third goal  fired to the net to put the visitors ahead again with time running out.

Mc Elholm made it a two point game with less than ten to go and once more the noise rose. Diarmuid Murtagh converted a free to leave one in it, Ethan Jordan, who finished with  seven points converted a late point that proved to be highly important in the final analysis.

Final Score : Roscommon 2-18 ,    Tyrone 3-16

Scorers :  Tyrone : Ethan Jordan 0-7, Eoin Mc Elholm 1-3, Mattie Donnelly 1-1-, Ronan Cassidy 1-0,

Peter Teague 0-2, Niall Devlin 0-1, Conn Kilpatrick 0-1, Seanie O’Donnell 0-1, Ciaran Daly 0-1