Tyrone Suffer Disappointing League Defeat To Galway

Sunday 19.02.2023

 

Galway 0-16 Tyrone 0-13

Galway recorded their first league win of the season when they had three points to spare against a disappointed Tyrone side in Tuam on Sunday afternoon.

The westerners led from the start and although Tyrone managed to get to within a point of the hosts they were unable to bridge that psychological gap and Galway made them pay in the end.

Tyrone looked sharp and on form after the break but three missed chances of goals proved costly. Galway weathered that storm and then hit a purple patch of six points in a row between the 53rd and 66th minutes to win comfortably.

With wind assistance Galway went in at the break leading by four points 0-7 to 0-3. The hosts opened the scoring in the 2nd minute with a well taken score from impressive half forward Matthew Tierney.

In spite of enjoying lots of possession it took Tyrone until the 14th minute to open their account with a free from Darragh Canavan 13m after Conor Meyler had been fouled. Captain Paudie Hampsey almost put them in front in the next attack but his shot struck the post.

A free from Paul Conroy put Galway back in front and the home side followed up with a quality team score from centre half forward Peter Cooke. Galway used the weather conditions to pin Tyrone inside their own defence and they moved 0-4 to 0-1 ahead thanks to a brilliantly struck free from Conroy from all of 48m out.

Tierney stretched the lead with another converted free but Tyrone’s response was more positive this time around when Cormac Quinn broke through and took a much needed point. Tierney then added his third score of the half but almost immediately Tyrone educed the deficit with a superbly struck effort from Darren McCurry. However Galway had the final say of the half with a well taken point from out on the left wing from corner back Jack Glynn.

Tyrone began the second half in a more determined mood and they put pressure on Galway keeper Connor Gleeson”s kickouts. They were winning more possession and creating chances. Cathal McShane landed a superb point before McCurry pointed from play as well as a free.

The Red Hands also created and spurned a number of goal chances and they were punished when Conroy lifted the siege for Galway with a point. That score however was quickly cancelled out at the other end of the field by a superb left foot strike from full back Cormac Munroe.

Halftime substitute Cathal Sweeney replied for Galway as the home side began to drive at Tyrone and find holes that they exploited. McShane took a fine mark after a good delivery in from Michael McKernan but Ian Burke got on the end of a fine move to fist over a well taken point for the westerners.

The highly impressive Tierney kicked three of the next four points with full back Sean Kelly pushing forward to land an inspirational point as well.

Tyrone were struggling throughout the field and Sweeney popped up once more to fist over the bar. A Canavan free temporarily stopped the rot for Tyrone with their first score for a quarter of an hour but time was against them. Tyrone spurned several good chances and the home side capitalised as Sweeney scored again to keep Galway in control.

Tyrone did finish on the front foot landing points from substitute Richard Donnelly, McCurry, Peter Harte and Paudie Hampsey but it was only academic at that stage as they slumped to their second defeat of the campaign.

 

Galway: C Gleeson, E Kelly, S Kelly (0-1) J Glynn (0-1), D McHugh, J Daly, D O Flaherty, P Conroy (0-3, 2F), C McDaid, M Tierney (0-6, 3F), P Cooke (0-1), J Heaney, P Kelly, E Finnerty, I Burke (0-1). Subs: J McGrath for O Flaherty (HT), C Sweeney (0-3) for Finnerty (HT), J Maher for P Kelly 69 min, R Finnerty for McDaid 71 mins

Tyrone: N Morgan, M McKernan, C Munroe (0-1), P Hampsey (0-1), C Quinn (0-1), P Harte (0-1), N Devlin, B Kennedy, F Burns, C Meyler, C Kilpatrick, N Sludden, D McCurry (0-4, 2F), C McShane (0-2, 1M), D Canavan (0-2, 2F). Subs: J Oguz for Devlin 50 min, R Canavan for Sludden 56 min, R Donnelly  (0-1) for Quinn 58 min, M Donnelly for Burns 64 min