Tyrone End League Campaign On A High

Sunday 24.03.2019

County

Tyrone 3-15 Galway 1-14

A fourth win on the trot may not have been enough to secure Tyrone a place in the Allianz National league division one final but they will take plenty of positives from an outstanding second half display as they accounted for Galway at Healy Park.

Trailing by seven points at the break Tyrone were in serious trouble despite the fact that they would have the elements in their favour for the second period but they turned on the style with a powerhouse display of attacking football to outscore their opponents 3-8 to 0-3 to turn a seven point deficit into a seven point winning margin. The second half showcased all that is good about this current Tyrone side with everyone doing their bit on the day although special mention has to go to a few players.

Michael Cassidy was a late inclusion into the starting fifteen but he produced a brilliant display from start to finish giving little away at the back and getting forward to hit two outstanding points into the bargain. Colm Cavanagh was immense making his first start of the season while up front Cathal McShane destroyed Galway full back Sean Andy O’Ceallaigh, team Captain Mattie Donnelly weighed in with 1-4 from play, Peter Harte notched 1-3 while Kieran McGeary done a superb marking job on Shane Walsh who had run the show in the opening thirty five minutes.

A Peter Harte free opened the scoring but by the 10^th minute Galway had hit fine scores from Johnny Heaney, Michael Daly and Shane Walsh. Harte and Michael Cassidy brought Tyrone level but in the 17^th minute Danny Cummins outjumped Tyrone keeper Niall Morgan to punch to the net. Walsh kicked a couple of frees before fine efforts from Donnelly and McGeary appeared to leave Tyrone well placed only two adrift. Galway though exerted huge pressure on Morgan’s kickouts as they pushed up and they huge rewards from doing so. Walsh went past two challenges before guiding over an outstanding point before Heaney fisted over the bar. At this stage everything that Galway touched was turning to gold as Daly fired over from distance with Heaney and half back Gareth Bradshaw on target as well. Tyrone Captain Donnelly weighed in with a point but it was all Galway with Heaney completing the first half scoring with another fisted score.

Tyrone had a mountain to climb but not the most ardent Red Hands supporter could have foreseen what was to happen in the second half. Harte and McShane set the ball rolling when converting frees apiece before Tyrone got right back into contention when Harte converted a 44^th minute penalty after McShane had been fouled inside the area. Four minutes later Galway full back Sean Andy O’Ceallaigh was caught out trying to find keeper Ruairi Lavelle and Donnelly scored an opportunist soccer style goal from thirty metres out with the Galway netminder marooned in no man’s land.

Tyrone now had the momentum and they made it count with Donnelly and McShane (2) on target as Galway lost Eoghan Kerin to the sinbin for ten minutes. Michael Cassidy hit an outstanding point before Galway lost Gary O’Donnell to a second yellow card offence. Heaney blasted over for one of only three second half Galway scores but a rampant Tyrone closed the game out with a late goal from substitute Conall McCann, a score that came either side of points from Darren McCurry and man of the match Donnelly.

Tyrone: N Morgan, P Hampsey, R McNamee, HP McGeary, M Cassidy (0-2), C Cavanagh, B McDonnell, C McShane (0-4, 2F, 1M), R Donnelly, M Donnelly (1-4), N Sludden, C Meyler, B Kennedy, P Harte (1-3, 2F, 1-0 pen), K McGeary (0-1). Subs: M McKernan for HP McGeary, K Coney for McDonnell, D McCurry (0-1) for Sludden, C McCann (1-0) for R Donnelly

Galway: R Lavelle, E Kerin, S A O’Ceallaigh, D Wynne, G O’Donnell, J Daly, G Bradshaw (0-1), T Flynn, C Duggan, F O’Laoi, S Walsh (0-6, 4F), J Heaney (0-4), D Cummins (1-0), M Daly (0-2), A O’Laoi (0-1, 1F). Subs: C D’Arcy for Duggan, S Kelly for F O’Laoi, E Brannigan for Cummins, K Molloy for Bradshaw

Referee: C Reilly, Meath