Ulster SFC: rampant Red Hands brush ordinary Oak Leafers aside

May 28, 2017

Tyrone's Mattie Donnelly and Derry's Niall Loughlin.
©INPHO/Presseye/Lorcan Doherty.

Tyrone eased to a facile 0-22 to 0-11 victory over a disappointing Derry side at warm, overcast Celtic Park this afternoon.

This game was a complete non-contest as - with eleven different men on target - the Anglo Celt Cup holders recorded a third successive championship win over their neighbours for the first time to seal an Ulster semi-final derby date with Donegal next month.

With Mark Bradley pulling the strings, the Red Hands bossed the first half to take a commanding double-scores advantage into the interval, 0-10 to 0-5. Starting as they meant to go on, the visitors slotted five unanswered points inside the first 15 minutes courtesy of the impressive Sean Cavanagh (two frees), Conall McCann, Peter Harte and Bradley and the Oak Leaf County didn't register until the 16th minute through a long-range Niall McLoughlin free.

Cavanagh grabbed two more scores either side of another McLoughlin free and centre back Rory Brennan made it 8-2 before Ciaran McFaul and Danny Heavron closed the gap to four. Tiernan McCann and Cavanagh (free - his fifth point) scored for the victors and the last score of a lacklustre opening period was registered by Derry's McLoughlin (free).

With Damian Barton's words ringing in their ears, the hosts started the second half with intent and registered three points to one inside the opening five minutes after the resumption: corner back Niall Keenan, Enda Lynn and Benny Heron (free) pulled back those three points with Cavanagh on target with a terrific effort at the other end.

The game became niggly and fractious and Tyrone's Aidan McCrory was twice denied a goal, but Mickey Harte's men now rose to the challenge with a run of scores from Peter Harte ('45'), Cavanagh (free), substitutes (Darren McCurry (2) and David Mulgrew to lead by double scores again with an hour played, 0-16 to 0-8.

McLoughlin knocked over a routine consolation point from a free from the hands but debutant Conall McCann replied by dropping a shot onto the roof of the net 20 seconds later. Sub Declan McClure made it 0-18 to 0-9 on 63 minutes as he stroked over a simple point with his left foot, completely unopposed.

McCurry's third score was an absolute peach off the outside of the boot and Colm Cavanagh traded points with Shane McGuigan (free). Substitute Lee Brennan's brace closed the scoring after Carlus McWilliams had speared over a Derry consolation.

Tyrone - N Morgan; A McCrory, R McNamee, P Hampsey; T McCann (0-1), R Brennan (0-1), P Harte (0-2, 1f, 1'45); C Cavanagh (0-1), C McCann (0-2); K McGeary, N Sludden, C Meyler; M Bradley (0-1), S Cavanagh (0-7, 6f), M Donnelly. Subs: F Burns for K McGeary, R McNabb for C Meyler, D McCurry (0-3) for M Bradley, D Mulgrew (0-1) for F Burns (BC), D McClure (0-1) for N Sludden, L Brennan (0-2, 1f) for S Cavanagh.

Derry - B McKinless; N Keenan (0-1), B Rogers, K McKaigue; C McFaul (0-1), C McKaigue, C McWilliams; C McAtamney, D Heavron (0-1); R Bell, N Loughlin (0-4, 3f), E Lynn (0-1); D Tallon, E McGuckin, B Heron (0-1f). Subs: M Lynch for R Bell, S McGuigan (0-1f) for D Tallon, M McEvoy (0-1) for B Heron, G O'Neill for E McGuckin, C Nevin for C McAtamney.

Referee - M Deegan.


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