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Tyrone Win In Longford
Saturday 22.06.2019
Longford 1-14 Tyrone 2-15
As expected Tyrone made it through to the third round of the All Ireland qualifiers when they proved too strong for Longford at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Saturday evening.
Going into injury time at the end of the game the visitors were coasting as they held a ten point lead and while the home side hit the last 1-3 of the contest it only served to put a better look on the final scoreboard. The only downside on the day for the Red Hands was that they lost Peter Harte to a black card offence late in the game. It looked a harsh decision and it means that he has been blacked carded two games in a row and is only another similar caution away from a suspension.
Before his dismissal Harte had hit an impressive nine points, seven from frees, while Cathal McShane weighed in with 2-2 in the first half. Tyrone dominated the opening half and were well on their way to victory at the break having established a healthy 2-7 to 0-5 advantage. It was Longford who opened the scoring inside sixty seconds through corner forward Daniel Mimnagh but that was as good as it got for the hosts. In fact that proved to be their only score from play in the first half.
A good move that began with keeper Niall Morgan ended in a superb equaliser from out on the ring wing from Michael Cassidy before a long range Peter Harte free gave Tyrone a lead that they were never to lose in the 9th minute.
The next kick out from Longford keeper Paddy Collum was poor as it went straight to Niall Sludden who transferred it to Cathal McShane and while the full forward had a shot blocked by Donal McElligott and then a follow up saved by Collum he found the net at the third attempt.
Harte and David McGivney exchanged points from frees before the elusive McShane once again got away from the attentions of his marker to take a point. Midfielder McGivney converted another Longford free but in the 17th minute the game was as good as over as a contest.
The rampaging Cassidy sent in a dangerous high ball from out on the right wing which McShane got on the end of to flick to the net past keeper Collum to leave the visitors well in control. Harte added a point from play with corner back Hugh Pat McGeary landing a real beauty from out on the wing with a McGivney free all that Longford had to show for their efforts.
Barry McKeon knocked over a Longford free but it was Tyrone who had the final say of the opening period when a superb pass from Mattie Donnelly picked out McShane who turned sharply to split the posts to bring his personal haul to 2-2.
Tyrone almost grabbed a third goal in the opening attack of the second half when McShane cut in along the end line but his fisted pass across the goalmouth was just too high for the inrushing Ben McDonnell.
McGivney then landed a brilliant long range free to open the second half scoring but that was soon cancelled out at the other end of the field by a placed ball from Harte. Harte then took a superb point with the outside of the boot from out on the wing as the Red Hands comfortable kept their opponents at arms length.
Colm P Smyth, who was Longford’s best player in the second half, kicked the first of his three points but the accurate Harte responded from two close frees. Joseph Hagan and Harte traded points as did Smyth and Harte before substitute O’Donnell charged through to fist the ball over the bar.
Tyrone were then reduced to fourteen men when Harte, who had kicked nine points, picked up a back card for the second game running. McDonnell got his second point since his introduction before Longford finished strongly. Shane Kenny, McKeon and Michael Quinn had points while a shot from substitute Iarla O’Sullivan took a deflection on its way to the net but that proved to be the last kick of the game as Tyrone eased through.
Longford: P Collum, P Fox, D McElligott, B O’Farrell, C Smyth (0-3), P McCormack, D Quinn, J Keegan, D McGivney (0-4, 4F), G Rogers, B McKeon (0-2, 1f), M Quinn (0-2), D Mimnagh (0-1), J McGivney, J Hagan (0-1). Subs: A McElligott for Rogers, D Doherty for O’Farrell, A Farrell for Keegan, M Hughes for J McGivney, S Kenny (0-1) for Mimnagh, I O’Sullivan (1-0) for Hagan
Tyrone: N Morgan, HP McGeary (0-1), R McNamee, M McKernan, M Cassidy (0-1), K McGeary, F Burns, C Cavanagh, B Kennedy, M Donnelly, N Sludden, P Harte (0-9, 7F), D McCurry, C McShane (2-2), D McClure. Subs: B McDonnell (0-2) for Kennedy, C Meyler for K McGeary, R Brennan for McKernan, K Coney for McClure, C McAliskey for McCurry, C McCann for Sludden
Referee: D O’Mahoney, Tipperary
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