Tyrone Start League Campaign With A Draw

Saturday 24.01.2026

County

Tyrone 2-16 Kildare 1-19

A last minute two pointer from Brian McLoughlin earned Kildare a deserved draw in their opening Division Two  league game against Tyrone.  The home side  looked set for a win but left too many gaps at the back in the closing minutes and the lily whites capitalised on the space provided.

Tyrone began the game reasonably well and with league debutant Ethan Jordan in fine form they moved into a 0-7 to 0-3 lead sixteen minutes into the opening half. However that was as good as it got for the Red Hands in the first half. The visitors outscored their opponents throughout the remainder of the first half with Alex Beirne and Brian Mc Laughlin causing all sorts of problems for the Tyrone defence. A late goalmouth scramble just before half time resulted in a Kildare goal as Darragh Swords pounced on a breaking ball and finished it to the net.

Half Times score: Tyrone 0-8, Kildare 1-8.

The second half began with Tyrone on the front foot having made several switches including the introduction of Eoin Mc Elholm, Brian Kennedy and Darragh Canavan.

The change was immediate as Tyrone found their feet with Darragh Canavan pointing  and Joe Oguz finding the net after a superb run and finish. Jordan and Canavan added further points as Tyrone opened up a four point lead.

However back came Kildare with four unanswered points of their own to level the scores and with the help of the elements they looked set for a win.

Fortunately for the Red Hands a well crafted goal from Ethan Jordan put Tyrone three clear with the clock ticking but once again Kildare responded and Brian Mc Laughlin to tied the scores and earn a draw for his side.

Tyrone: N Morgan, C Quinn, A Clarke, J Clarke, B Cullen, M McKernan, R Cassidy (0-1), J Oguz (1-0), C Kilpatrick, C Donaghy, C Bogue (0-1), C Daly (0-1), M Conroy (0-1, f), M Donnelly, E Jordan (1-9, 2 x 2ptf, 1 x 2pt, 1f). Subs: B Kennedy for Bogue, E McElholm (0-1) for Conroy, D Canavan (0-2) for Donaghy, F Burns for Cassidy

Kildare: C Burke, D Swords (1-0), P Spillane, R Burke, J Harris, E Lawlor, B Byrne, C Bolton (0-2, 2pt), B Gibbons, B McLoughlin (0-9, 2 x 2pt), 3f), A Beirne 0-5, 1 x 2ptf, 1f), L Kelly, B Loakman, K Feely (0-1), E Cully (0-2) Subs: R Sinkey for Swords, C Moran for Harris, S Doran for Cully

Referee:  N Cullen,