Ulster SFC: Tyrone cruise through
June 21, 2009

Sean Marty Lockhart tries to keep tabs on Stephen O'Neill
Tyrone are through to the 2009 Ulster SFC final following a routine 0-15 to 0-7 defeat of neighbours Derry at Casement Park.
The All-Ireland champions had no difficulty seeing off a very poor Oak Leaf side, who managed just two points in the second half as they totally ran out of ideas.
Kevin Hughes, Martin Penrose and Conor Gormley were the top performers for the winners, while Eoin Bradley notched four of Derry's seven points. Though it was far from a vintage performance from Tyrone, they didn't have to be anywhere near their best to see off a lacklustre Derry team.
Derry have now lost five successive Ulster semi-finals to five different opponents.
Tyrone led by three points at the break, with midfielder Hughes the most influential player on show. It was a low quality opening period and Derry managed just a point from play during those 35 minutes. They could have been further adrift than 0-8 to 0-5.
The throw-in was deferred for ten minutes due to crowd congestion in Belfast and the teams were slow to settle. Tommy McGuigan dropped a feeble early free into Barry Gillis' arms and Stephen O'Neill hit the post from another Tyrone free on four minutes.
With five and a half minutes played, it was Barry McGoldrick who opened the scoring from a Derry free after Joe McMahon was harshly punished. Martin Penrose fired wide in response. McGuigan got the O'Neill County off the mark with an eighth-minute free after the raiding Philip Jordan was grounded.
Hughes sent a left-footed effort wide and McGuigan put Mickey Harte's team in front from a nice free on ten minutes. A minute later, McGuigan registered the first point from play after excellent work from the strong-running Hughes: 0-3 to 0-1.
Eoin Brown and McGoldrick missed the target before Paddy Bradley stroked over a Derry free in the 15th minute. Bradley was then wide from open play after taking a quick free and McGuigan's free made it double scores in Tyrone's favour at the end of the first quarter.
With the All-Ireland champions lording it at midfield, Penrose swivelled to drive over Tyrone's fifth point after good approach play from the influential Hughes and O'Neill. On 19 minutes, Penrose clipped over his second successive point and the favourites led by 0-6 to 0-2.
Jordan kicked a shot wide under pressure from Joe Diver and Bradley got to Mark Lynch's high delivery first but his first-time fisted goal attempt went wide. Eoin Bradley stroked a 45 between the posts following purposeful play from Barry McGoldrick but Paddy Bradley hit the post from a free after Davy Harte was harshly penalised.
Substitute Seamus Bradley kicked Derry's first score from play in the 29th minute and that super point was sandwiched by wides from Gerard O'Kane and Penrose at either side. O'Neill's fisted point on the half hour made it 0-7 to 0-4, with Enda McGinley providing the spadework and delivering an excellent pass.
Eoin Bradley and the very impressive Hughes swapped great points at the end of the first half and the short whistle sounded with the O'Neill County three points in front, 0-8 to 0-5.
Enda Lynn and Seamus Bradley both struck Derry wides inside the first two minutes of the second half, while O'Neill and the uncharacteristically-quiet Sean Cavanagh could have made more of openings at the other end. Eoin Bradley also kicked a 45 wide in the 46th minute, just after Brian Dooher had entered the fray in place of Owen Mulligan.
On 49 minutes, Dooher floated over the first point of the second half to stretch the gap to four. Stephen O'Neill hurt his hand and was replaced by Brian McGuigan, while Sean O'Neill came in for Joe McMahon, who was stretchered off after shipping a knock to the ribs.
Tyrone carved the Derry defence open in the 53rd minute, but Tommy McGuigan drove his low shot straight at Gillis after taking a pass from Ryan McMenamin, whose run was magnificent. At the other end, Eoin Bradley contributed Derry's first point of the second half (their first score in 20 minutes), but Harte replied with an excellent score off the outsideof his foot - 0-10 to 0-6 with 56 minutes played.
Penrose tapped over a close-range free after Sean Marty Lockhart fouled Tommy McGuigan. Cavanagh belatedly opened his account with a fisted point on the hour to make it double scores - 0-12 to 0-6 - and Derry lost their discipline in the aftermath of that score and Kevin McGuckin was sent off for his part in the afters.
Hughes and Sean O'Neill followed up with quickfire points and Eoin Bradley blasted over a long-range point before Brian McGuigan closed the scoring with a precise finish in the fourth of five added minutes.
Tyrone - J Devine, PJ Quinn, Justin McMahon, R McMenamin, D Harte (0-1), C Gormley, P Jordan, K Hughes (0-2), E McGinley, M Penrose (0-3, 1f), T McGuigan (0-4, 3f), Joe McMahon, S O'Neill (0-1), S Cavanagh (0-1), O Mulligan. Subs - B Dooher (0-1) for Mulligan (45), B McGuigan (0-1) for O'Neill (48), Sean O'Neill (0-1) for Joe McMahon (50), C McCullagh for T McGuigan (66).
Derry - B Gillis, K McGuckin, SM Lockhart, G O'Kane, C McKaigue, B McGuigan, SL McGoldrick, B McGoldrick (0-1, 1f), J Diver, E Browne, P Murphy, E Lynn, E Bradley (0-4, 1f, 1'45), P Bradley (0-1, 1f), M Lynch. Subs - S Bradley (0-1) for Murphy (20), N McCusker for SL McGoldrick (52), C O'Boyle for Lynch (56).
Ref - G O Conamha (Galway)
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