FL1: Cork and Tyrone produce epic draw

March 30, 2014

Cork's Mark Collins and Niall McKenna of Tyrone.
©INPHO/Ryan Byrne.
On the weekend of thrilling draws, it finished Cork 2-14, Tyrone 0-20 at Páirc Uí Rinn.

Despite being reeled in by substitute Ronan O'Neill's injury-time free, the Rebels are still guaranteed a place in the semi-finals on the back of this hard-earned point.

Both teams played some great attacking football and a draw was probably a fair result, although Cork must have thought they were on course for victory when substitute Colm O'Neill's goal fired them into a three-point lead at the end of the third quarter.

A wonderful six-point haul from Kyle Coney propelled the O'Neill County into a 0-12 to 1-5 interval lead.

In a late change to the Rebels' starting team, dual star Aidan Walsh was ruled out, with Andrew O'Sullivan drafted in to replace him at centrefield. The visitors started as selected and they got off to a dream start when full forward Coney, wing back Peter Harte and corner man Darren McCurry lashed over three fabulous long-range points off their left pegs inside the opening three minutes.

However, in the fifth minute, the Leesiders drew level when centre forward Paul Kerrigan breached the O'Neill County rearguard to send a low shot past Niall Morgan to the back of the net despite the best efforts of corner back Ryan McKenna on the line.

McCurry's free from in front of the posts restored the Red Hands' advantage on eight minutes and the No.13 drilled over his third point of the match off the outside of that magical left foot in the tenth minute: 0-5 to 1-0.

At the other end, it was Cork full forward Brian Hurley's turn to show the quality of his left foot as he fired over a fine score; the equaliser from Hayes was also off his left. As was Coney's lead point in the 15th minute: 0-6 to 1-2.

But the sides were level again when Hurley stroked over a free towards the end of the opening quarter. Seconds later, the Cork No.14 turned McKenna and sprinted through for a fine solo point to edge the home team in front for the first time. Brian Cuthbert's men could have been further ahead but Morgan plucked a couple of attempted points from above his crossbar.

Coney equalised at the end of a flowing move and it was noticeable that every Cork player was afraid to effect a tackle as the visitors literally ran straight through them.

John O'Rourke arrowed the hosts back in front with a fabulous score on the run on 24 minutes. Ten minutes from the break, Cork's Tomas Clancy received a black card for (perhaps inadvertently) dragging Harte to ground and McCurry lofted the resultant free between the posts to level the scores for the fifth time.

Coney's fourth point - from the left sideline off the outside of his mercurial left boot - was real Roy of the Rovers stuff and Connor McAliskey doubled the Ulster county's lead from a free. Coney was producing a supreme first-half display and his fifth point of the match extended the gap to three on the stroke of 35 minutes.

Fittingly, Coney had the last say of the opening period and his sixth point assured Mickey Harte's men of a four-point interval cushion, 0-12 to 1-5.

Fifteen seconds after the restart, O'Rourke tore through the Tyrone defence but Morgan got a fingertip to his pile-driver and deflected the ball over the bar for a sixth Cork point. On 38 minutes, the gap was down to two after Hurley shrugged off his marker to thump over his fourth point of the game.

A frontal challenge on Mark Donnelly resulted in Cork corner back Noel Galvin having to leave the fray through injury. McCurry (who would have had a point had the advantage rule been applied) inexplicably missed the resultant free from under the crossbar but Coney showed the way with another sublime point from play.

Hayes replied and substitute Colm O'Neill's free from the deck made it a one-point match again after 47 minutes, 0-13 to 1-9. Hurley won and converted a close-range free to level the scores yet again with 21 minutes to play…

Tyrone had a lucky escape when Hayes' fisted effort drifted wide but there was no reprieve for them in the 52nd minute when O'Neill - donning the No.25 shirt - blasted an unstoppable left-footed rocket to the roof of the net - 2-10 to 0-13.

In response to that goal, Mickey Harte unleashed Conor Gormley and Martin Penrose. Morgan and O'Neill traded frees from the ground before substitute Barry O'Driscoll stretched the Rebels' advantage, 2-12 to 0-14. The Cork defence did well to deny Tyrone sub Ronan O'Neill a goal but there was little they could do to stop Coney from claiming his eighth point, this one with his right foot.

Substitute Colm O'Driscoll blasted a Cork goal chance over the bar and Rebels netminder David Hanrahan made a brilliant point-blank save from Penrose following a sumptuous Coney pass. Morgan nailed the resultant '45 but there was still a goal in it with five minutes left.

Centre back Michael Shields hit an inspirational Cork point after Penrose had closed the gap to two; Sean Cavanagh made it a two-point match once more on 68 minutes … 2-14 to 0-18. And just a point separated the sides after Coney nonchalantly arrowed a free over the bar from his hands.

In injury time, Cavanagh drew a foul from the Cork defence and substitute Ronan O'Neill kept his nerve to level the scores with a shot from the hands. Cork almost stole the game at the death but Fintan Goold's late, late attempt for the clinching point came back off a post.

Cork - D Hanrahan; E Cadogan, Tom Clancy, N Galvin; J Loughrey, M Shields (0-1), Tomas Clancy; A O'Sullivan, F Goold; M Collins, P Kerrigan (1-0), J O'Rourke (0-2); D Goulding, B Hurley (0-5), J Hayes (0-2). Subs: J O'Sullivan for Tomas Clancy (BC), C O'Neill (1-2) for D Goulding, P Kelly for E Cadogan, Barry O'Driscoll (0-1) for N Galvin, C O'Driscoll (0-1) for P Kerrigan, A Cronin for J Hayes.

Tyrone - N Morgan (0-2); A McCrory, R McNamee, R McKenna; T McCann, Matthew Donnelly, P Harte (0-1); C Cavanagh, S Cavanagh (0-1); Mark Donnelly, S McGuigan, C McGinley; C McCurry (0-4), K Coney (0-9), C McAliskey (0-1). Subs: D McBride for T McCann, R O'Neill (0-1) for D McCurry, M Penrose (0-1) for C McAliskey, C Gormley for C McGinley, N McKenna for Mark Donnelly, K Gallagher for S McGuigan.

Referee - D Coldrick.

Most Read Stories