Tyrone are through to yet another Dr McKenna Cup final after crushing Armagh in front of 7,552 spectators at the Athletic Grounds, 3-10 to 1-8.

The winners, who remain on course for four titles in a row, will face Cavan in the decider back at this venue on Saturday night.

Goals from PJ Lavery, Shay McGuigan and Sean Cavanagh propelled Mickey Harte's men into an unassailable 3-5 to 1-4 interval advantage, with Stefan Campbell firing the Orchard County's first-half major.

Lavery had the Red Hands off to a dream start when he slotted the ball to the net in the fifth minute after Cavanagh had opened the scoring with a close-range point from play.

After Miceal McKenna had opened Armagh's account, Cavanagh converted a free. We than had 14 minutes without a score before Conal McCann provided a third Tyrone point.

Moments later, McGuigan fired the winners' second major to give them a massive 2-3 to 0-1 lead with eleven minutes left in the first half.

In the 28th minute, midfielder Campbell gave the home team hope when he booted the ball to the roof of the net to pare the deficit to five but Cavanagh quickly responded with a precisely-struck free from distance: 2-4 to 1-1.

Either side of points from Tony Kernan and Jamie Clarke, Cavanagh rifled the ball to the roof of the Armagh net and Campbell's point for the home team before the short whistle ensured that the holders led by double scores at the interval.

Connor McAliskey, who had been a late addition to the Tyrone starting XV after Cathal McShane got injured during the warm-up, hit the first two scores of the second half, the second of which was goalbound until Philip McEvoy's fingertips intervened.

It wasn't until the 50th minute that the hosts opened their second-half account courtesy of Miceal McKenna but McAliskey responded with his third point since the restart. After an exchange of points between Ciaran O'Hanlon and Lavery, Darren McCurry and substitute Aidan Forker traded frees. Sean Connell clipped over a late consolation point for the losers, who will have the weekend off.

Tyrone - M O'Neill; D Quinn, R McNamee, R McKenna; R Brennan, M Donnelly, P Harte; C Cavanagh, C McCann (0-1); PJ Lavery (1-1), R O'Neill, P Hughes (0-1); S McGuigan (1-0), S Cavanagh (1-3, 0-2f), C McAliskey (0-3). Subs: Joe McMahon for P Hughes, R McNabb for R Brennan, D McCurry (0-1f) for C McAliskey, T McCann for D Quinn, P McNulty for C Cavanagh, Justin McMahon for R McKenna.

Armagh - P McEvoy; M Shields, B Donaghy, M Murray; J Clarke (0-1), F Moriarty, C McKeever; A Findon, S Campbell (1-1); S Forker, M McKenna (0-2), E McVerry; T Kernan (0-1), O MacIomhair, N McConville. Subs: S Connell (0-1) for O MacIomhair, C O'Hanlon (0-1) for N McConville, A Forker (0-1f) for S Forker, S Harold for T Kernan, C Vernon for M Murray (BC).

Referee - C Branagan.

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