Tyrone Bow Out Of Ulster Championship

Sunday 16.04.2023

All Ireland Series

Tyrone 1-18 Monaghan 2-17

Tyrone exited the Ulster championship in disappointing fashion at Healy Park on Sunday afternoon when they lost out to a Monaghan goal deep into injury time at the end of a titanic struggle.

It was a contest that Tyrone looked to be in control off in the first half as 1-4 from the boot of Darragh Canavan enabled them to lead by five points at the interval. The second half proved to be a different story as wind assisted Monaghan fought back with former Allstar Conor McManus in imperious form from frees. Tyrone trailed by a point going into the allotted six minutes of injury time but the drama was far from finished. Substitute Niall Sludden equalised and after a 9^th McManus point had put Monaghan back in front up popped Darren McCurry with a brace. It looked as though Tyrone had just about done enough until left half back Ryan O’Toole burst through for Monaghan to blast the ball to the net past Niall Morgan to win the day and set up an Ulster semi final with holders Derry. A disappointing afternoon for the Red Hands but they have five weeks to regroup and go again ahead of the group stages of the All Ireland series when there is still plenty to play for.

McCurry and O’Toole swapped early points before Canavan pointed from play as well as from a free. Conor McManus opened his account from a free before Mattie Donnelly hit a superb point. Tyrone were working hard on putting pressure on the Monaghan kick out and they got their reward in the 11th minute when Canavan collected a breaking ball to combine with McCurry before finishing in style to the net past keeper Rory Beggan. Jack McCarron and McManus replied for Monaghan but those two scores were cancelled out by Conor Meyler and Canavan. McManus and Canavan traded points as did McCurry and McManus from frees. Tyrone finished the half strongly with excellent scores from Meyler and Donnelly to stretch the lead to six before McManus had the final say of the half with his 6th point and fifth from a free.

Monaghan began the second half on fire and a Kieran Duffy point was followed by one from a McCarron free. Michael Bannigan then cut in from the right wing to hit a beauty and it was very much game on at that stage. McManus knocked over another free before Donnelly got a much needed Tyrone point when he fisted over. Conor McCarthy and Conn Kilpatrick exchanged points before Stephen O Hanlon cut in from the left wing to blast past Niall Morgan in thev57th minute to put the visitors in front.

Substitute Shane Carey then made it a two point game with an effort from forty metres out and questions were now being asked of Tyrone. The Red Hands then put together a flowing move to carve open a goal chance but Ronan McNamee’s shot was well saved by Beggan at the expense of a 45 which Morgan converted. With seven minutes to go Canavan curled over a brilliant equaliser only for Monaghan to come straight down the field for McManus to point a free. McCurry and McCarthy swapped points as the game slipped into injury time. Substitute Niall Sludden levelled matters only for a 9th of the day from McManus to put the visitors back in front. A McCurry free brought the sides level before a point from play from the same player edged them in front before O’Toole had the final say with that killer goal.

Tyrone: N Morgan (0-1, 45),  M McKernan, R McNamee, P Hampsey, C Meyler (0-2), P Harte, C Quinn, B Kennedy, C Kilpatrick (0-1), F Burns, M O Neill, K McGeary, D McCurry (0-5, 3F), M Donnelly (0-3), D Canavan 1-5 (1F). Subs: J Oguz for O Neill, R Canavan for Donnelly, N Sludden (0-1) for McGeary, M McGleenan for Burns, C Munroe for McKernan

Monaghan: R Beggan, T McPhillips, K Duffy (0-1), R Wylie, C Boyle, Karl O Connell, R O’Toole (1-1), D Hughes, K Lavelle, S O Hanlon (1-0), M Bannigan (0-1), C McCarthy (0-2), J McCarron (0-2, 2F), K Gallagher, C McManus (0-9, 8F). Subs: S Carey (0-1) for McPhillips, K Hughes for D Hughes, S Jones for McCarron, D Ward for O Connell, F Kelly for O’Toole

Referee: N Cullen, Fermanagh