Tyrone Into Semis

Saturday 20.07.2019

 

Tyrone 2-15 Cork 2-12

Tyrone made history at Croke Park on Saturday evening when they came from seven points down in the first half to defeat Cork and in so doing book their place in the semi finals with a game to spare.

 

It’s the first time ever that the Red Hands have reached three All Ireland semi finals in succession but it was a result that didn’t look likely after only twenty minutes as they trailed 2-4 to 0-3. Three substitutions at the break as well as putting Captain Mattie Donnelly into the full forward line helped to change things around dramatically as they came from five down at the interval to win by three. The Rebels couldn’t have wished for a better start as with only fifteen seconds gone on the clock they sliced open the Tyrone defence for midfielder Ian Maguire to off load to Luke Connolly who fired to the net past Niall Morgan.

 

Tyrone came straight down the field to open their account with a fine point from full forward Cathal McShane but that score was cancelled out in the 3^rd minute with a free from the boot of Mark Collins. Peter Harte knocked over a Tyrone free but Cork were already posing problems for the Red Hands with wing half back Mattie Taylor taking a quality point from out on the left wing.

 

In the 18^th minute Cork rocked Tyrone again with another well crafted goal. Tomas Clancy, Liam O’Donovan and Ruairi Deane were all involved in the build up with substitute James Loughrey finishing with aplomb. Conor Meyler and Connolly traded points before a Peter Harte brace helped Tyrone reduce the deficit at the interval.

 

Sean White burst through in the first attack of the second half to increase Cork’s lead but then Tyrone began to get to grips with the game. McShane knocked over a free before the same player palmed the ball to the net in the 43^rd minute after good work from Mattie Donnelly and Michael McKernan.

 

Harte converted a free and in the 46^th minute he made no mistake from the penalty spot after Niall Sludden had been fouled. All of a sudden Tyrone were in front and they pushed on from there. Connolly and Donnelly exchanged points before impressive Cork substitute Michael Hurley closed the gap.

 

Twice Hurley levelled matters but each time Donnelly and Harte edged the winners back in front before Tyrone substitute Tiarnan McCann drove over. McShane and Donnelly kept the scoreboard ticking over for Tyrone as they moved four clear and it could have been more as they squandered a couple of goal chances. Hurley took his personal haul to five as Cork closed the gap to two deep into injury time but Tyrone had the final say with a free from full forward McShane.

 

 

Tyrone: N Morgan, HP McGeary, R McNamee, R Brennan, M McKernan, K McGeary, F Burns, C Cavanagh, B Kennedy, M Donnelly (0-3), N Sludden, P Harte (1-5, 3F, 1-0 pen), D McCurry, C McShane (1-5, 4F), C Meyler (0-1). Subs: P Hampsey for Kennedy (HT), M Cassidy for HP McGeary (HT), R Donnelly for McCurry (HT), T McCann (0-1) for McKernan (52), C McAliskey for Sludden (55)

 

Cork: M White, S Cronin, Thomas Clancy, K Flahive, L O’Donovan, Tomas Clancy, M Taylor (0-1), I Maguire, K O’Hanlon, K O’Driscoll, S White (0-1), R Deane, M Collins (0-2, 2F), B Hurley, L Connolly (1-3, 2F). Subs: J Loughrey (1-0) for Tomas Clancy (12), P Kerrigan for Hurley (48), M Hurley (0-5) for Collins (52), S Powter for White (59), J O’Rourke for O’Driscoll (59), S Sherlock for Cronin (66)

 

 

Referee: M Deegan, Laois