Tyrone Come Up Short

Sunday 15.03.2026

County

Tyrone 2-22 3-24 Meath

Tyrone fell short in Croke Park as Meath maintained their promotion push, after a thrilling tussle.

Ethan Jordan was in exceptional form and must have created a record as four of Tyrone’s opening five points came from the Eglish sharp shooter converting four 45’s, as Meath keeper Sean Brennan denied Jordan and Cormac Quinn goals.

Tyrone dominated the opening fifteen minutes but were rocked back on their heels when Jordan Morris’s perfect pass found Aaron Lynch to give Meath an early goal. Tyrone got their first goal in the 13th minute, Mattie Donnelly who was excellent as the target man, set up Ethan Jordan who curled the ball into the roof of the net as the Red Hands were full value for their five point advantage.

Caulfield and Ronan Cassidy exchanged points before man of the match Jack O’Connor took control of the game. The Tyrone defence failed to heed the warnings as O’Connor struck four two pointers from virtually the same spot and then he fired past Oisin O’Kane to give Meath a six point lead.

Ruairi Canavan who got on the scoresheet was forced to leave the field through injury, his replacement Darren McCurry struck the last two scores of the half as a breathtaking first half ended 2-12 1-11.

Seanie O’Donnell and McCurry were both on target early in the half but Eoghan Frayne responded with a point and soon after a two pointer. With 42 minutes played Meath had their third goal.

Lynch confidently struck his second of the evening and when Ruairi Kinsella left twelve between the teams it looked game set and match to the Royals.

To their credit Tyrone fought back. Joey Clarke scored, and a two pointer from Jordan and a free from the Eglish man reduced the deficit further. Tyrone continued to push forward and with seventeen minutes remaining got a lifeline. Peter Teague’s attempted two pointer hit the post, but fell kindly to Niall Devlin to hit the net.

Darren McCurry pointed and when the recently introduced Darragh Canavan split the posts for two the gap was down to two with fourteen remaining. A first score in fifteen minutes from Coffey left 3 in it. Michael McKernan nearly levelled his shot beat the keeper but not the defender on the line.

Menton pointed for Meath and O’Kane made an important save to keep Tyrone in it. The Red Hands were finding it increasing difficult to get frees, and Darren McCurry picked up a rather cheap black card, but Ethan Jordan halved the deficit with another two pointer with three minutes remaining. Tyrone poured forward but fell foul to a Morris free and two point free after a breach which was converted in the last action of the match.

Tyrone finish their campaign at home to promotion chasing Cork, next weekend.