Hurlers Find Yeatsmen Too Hot To Handle

Saturday 18.05.2019

County

It seems the old adage that a week is a long time in politics can also apply to the followers of the Tyrone senior hurling team. Last week they enjoyed the high that resulted from their victory over Mayo before they were brought crashing back to earth on Saturday in an eleven point defeat at the hands of Sligo.

Such was the quality of performance last Sunday that Mattie Lennon and his troops headed west in confident mood on Saturday for their second fixture of the Nicky Rackard Cup. Unfortunately when the dust settled at the end reality also set in and Tyrone were left to lick their wounds and mull over a disappointing outcome to their trip to the west.

Tyrone won the toss and opted to play with the wind. However it was Sligo who made the better start with a goal and a point inside the opening three minutes. When Keith Raymond pointed midway through the half to put his team 1-4 to 0-3 up things were looking bleak for Tyrone.

The Red Hands responded positively to that setback and added nine points to their tally before the break to go in at half time three clear 0-12 to 1-6. Tyrone’s first half points came courtesy of Damian Casey (6), Brian Mc Gurk (2), Tiernan Morgan (2), Chris Kearns (1) and Lorcan Devlin (1).

Mattie Lennon’s troops produced a superb second half last week and something similar was expected when they took to the field after the break.

Unfortunately for Tyrone it was their opponents who produced a highly charged second half as they blew the visitors away in style. Shane Crowley netted inside the opening two minutes and Sligo grew in confidence from then. Points from Banks, Starr, Raymond, O’Kelly Lynch, Crowley and Cadden had Sligo 2-15 to 0-12 in front before Casey broke his team’s second half duck with two converted frees.

The Yeats men were immediately on the front foot again. Midfielder Joe Starr pointed and Conor Griffin added his team’s third goal before Keith Raymond added his seventh and eighth points of the game. Casey hit the net with a goal from a free for Tyrone but substitute Niall Mc Dermott finished the scoring with a late point to leave the final score Sligo 3-19, Tyrone 1-14