Winning Start For Tyrone

Sunday 26.01.2020

Club

Allianz League Division 1
Tyrone 1-14 Meath 1-9

Tyrone got their 2020 Allianz National league campaign off to the perfect start on Sunday afternoon with a win over Meath at Healy Park which was more comfortable than the final score line would suggest.

The home side were full value for their win against a Meath side who faded in the second half as Tyrone took control. Meath could have got off to a sensational start inside the first minute but Cillian O’Sullivan was denied a goal by a fine Niall Morgan save.

A Darren McCurry free opened the scoring before Meath coughed up another goal chance when Ben Brennan fumbled the ball when in the clear. Eamon Wallace levelled matters before a brilliant Ronan O’Neill pass picked out McCurry and the Edendork attacker did the rest with a sublime finish to the roof of the net in the 10th minute.

Five minutes later though the sides were level when Brennan played a great ball to Bryan McMahon in acres of space and the centre half forward shot low past Morgan. Full forward Thomas O’Reilly then finished off a counter attack to put Meath in front but that proved to be the only time that they would lead.

A McCurry free levelled matters and after the same player had hit an outstanding point with his right his club colleague Morgan converted a 45. Points from Joe Wallace and midfielder Bryan Menton brought the sides level but it was Tyrone who had the final say of the half through Liam Rafferty to lead 1-5 to 1-4.

A well taken O’Neill point opened the second half scoring before McCurry added to his growing tally from play and a free. It took Meath twenty two minutes to open their second half account from a McMahon free but at that stage Tyrone were in control with Colm Cavanagh on top in midfield.

Kyle Coney scored with his first touch after coming on before fellow substitute Mark Bradley found the range in his first appearance for the Red Hands since the 2018 All Ireland final. O’Reilly and McCurry traded points before Rafferty capped a strong run with a well taken score.

Bradley and Niall Sludden had points either side of a Meath one from O’Sullivan and while the visitors had the final say from O’Reilly and McMahon the result was a foregone conclusion by then.

Tyrone: Niall Morgan (0-1, 45), Hugh Pat McGeary, Ronan McNamee, Liam Rafferty (0-2), Michael Cassidy, Rory Brennan, Tiernan McCann, Colm Cavanagh, Conn Kilpatrick, Conor Meyler, Niall Sludden (0-1), Darren McCurry (1-6, 4F), Kieran McGeary, Frank Burns, Ronan O’Neill (0-1). Subs: Subs: Mark Bradley (0-2) for Burns 47 mins, Ben McDonnell for Kilpatrick 47 mins, David Mulgrew for McCann 54 mins, Kyle Coney (0-1) for O’Neill 57 mins, Niall Kelly for McNamee 71 mins

Meath: Dominic Yorke, Robin Clarke, Conor McGill, David Toner, James McEntee, Ronan Ryan, Donal Keogan, Bryan Menton (0-1), Brian Conlon, Ben Brennan, Bryan McMahon (1-2, 2F), Eamon Wallace (0-1), Cillian O’Sullivan (0-1), Thomas O’Reilly (0-3), Joey Wallace (0-1). Subs: Subs: Barry Dardis for Yorke HT, Matthew Costello for Brennan 44 mins, Ronan Jones for Conlon 47 mins, Jack O’Connor for J Wallace 58 mins, Sean Tobin for E Wallace 62 mins

Referee: Joe McQuillan, Cavan