Winning Start For Tyrone In Super 8s

Saturday 13.07.2019

All Ireland Series

Roscommon 0-13 Tyrone 0-17

Tyrone made a winning start to their super 8s campaign when they had four points to spare over Connaught champions Roscommon at Hyde Park on Saturday afternoon.

It was a contest that was played in a superb atmosphere in front of 14, 465 supports with the home faithful doing all that they could to try and encourage their side to create an upset. Tyrone led 0-8 to 0-6 at the break although they had keeper Niall Morgan to thank for two fine saves in the opening half. During the game any time that Roscommon closed the gap to a point Tyrone were able to come straight down the field and respond in kind and when the visitors hit six points in a row from the 13^th to the 27^th minute in the second half it was all over bar the shouting. Cathal McShane top scored with eight points while Niall Sludden hit three tremendous scores in the first half as overall Tyrone’s game management came to the fore.

It was Tyrone who opened the scoring in the 6^th minute with a brilliant score from out on the right wing from midfielder Brian Kennedy before centre half back Frank Burns got forward to double their advantage. Roscommon wing half back Niall Daly opened his side’s account in the 9^th minute with an eye catching point but they were never able to get on level terms. McShane knocked over a 13m free before Enda Smith first timed the ball over the bar at the other end of the field following a strong run through the middle.

Sludden then got his first of the afternoon before Roscommon dangerman Conor Cox replied with his only score from play after sixteen minutes. Sludden then split the posts with his weaker left foot and that was followed by another free from McShane as they moved ahead by double scores, 0-6 to 0-3. Diarmuid Murtagh knocked over a Roscommon free but back came Tyrone with the inform Sludden racing through to fist a point. Cathal Cregg and Brian Stack helped closed the gap to the minimum but it was Tyrone who had the final say of the opening period through another McShane point from a placed ball.

Within fifteen seconds of the restart Roscommon corner forward Murtagh scored again to open the second half scoring which was greeted by one of the biggest cheers of the day. McShane knocked over a free before Darren McCurry got in on the act with a quality effort with his weaker right boot. Cox knocked over a free for the hosts but that scored was cancelled out by an effort from play from McShane after he had received a pass from Sludden. A Murtagh free was followed by a point from Stack as Roscommon reduced the deficit to 0-11 to 0-10 but that was as good as it got for them as Tyrone then hit their purple patch.

Mattie Donnelly and McShane had points and after the latter had an effort for a goal saved by keeper Darren O’Malley the rebound came to Peter Harte who calmly fired over. Moments later Harte almost grabbed a goal but his well struck shot cannoned off the bar after a move involving Donnelly, Ronan McNamee and Rory Brennan. Donnelly then pointed with his left boot while McShane added a point from a free as the Red Hands upped the tempo.

Roscommon keeper O’Malley converted a long range free before McShane weighed in with his third point from play and his eighth overall. In injury time Roscommon had points from Murtagh and Andrew Glennon but it was only academic at that stage as Tyrone took the spoils ahead of next weekend’s trip to Croke Park to take on Cork.

Roscommon: Darren O’Malley (0-1, 1F), David Murray, Sean Mullooly, Conor Daly, Niall Daly (0-1), Conor Hussey, Ronan Daly, Tadhag O’Rourke, Shane Killoran, Hubert Darcy, Cathal Cregg (0-1), Niall Kilroy, Diarmuid Murtagh (0-4, 3F), Conor Cox (0-2, 1F), Enda Smith (0-1). Subs: Brian Stack (0-2) for Darcy, Colin Compton for Hussey, Donie Smith for Cregg, Fintan Cregg for Killoran, Andrew Glennon (0-1) for Cox

Tyrone: Niall Morgan, Hugh Pat McGeary, Ronan McNamee, Rory Brennan, Michael Cassidy, Frank Burns (0-1), Michael McKernan, Colm Cavanagh, Brian Kennedy (0-1), Mattie Donnelly (0-2), Niall Sludden (0-3), Peter Harte (0-1), Darren McCurry (0-1), Cathal McShane (0-8, 5F), Conor Meyler. Subs: Ben McDonnell for Kennedy, Kieran McGeary for HP McGeary, Richard Donnelly for Cassidy, Padraig Hampsey for O’Donnell, Connor McAliskey for Sludden, Aidan McCrory for Meyler

Referee: David Coldrick, Meath