Allianz League Div 1
Tyrone 0-18 Roscommon 1-9
Tyrone got their Allianz division one campaign off to a winning start at Healy Park on Sunday when they had six points to spare over a battling Roscommon side at Healy Park in Omagh.
Tyrone led by double scores at the break, 0-10 to 1-2, after recovering from the shock of conceding an early goal. Darren McCurry hit the opening score after only twenty three seconds but in the 2nd minute the visitors carved open the Tyrone defence for Niall Daly to hammer the ball to the roof of the net.
McCurry stroked over a “45” with Colm Cavanagh levelling matters before a free from team Captain Peter Harte put the Red Hands in front. Harte then knocked over another free but moments later the hosts had keeper Mickey O’Neill to thank for thwarting Ultan Harney. Wing back Conor Devaney levelled matters but then Tyrone took control despite the blow of losing Mattie Donnelly to a head injury.
League debutant Declan McClure, a late replacement for Padraig McNulty, was unlucky to see his shot come back off the post. Harte took a good point from play with Ronan O’Neill and Harte both knocking over further frees.
Roscommon though continued to look dangerous going forward with centre half back Sean Mullooly being denied by O’Neill. Donie Smith then ended a barren spell for Roscommon with a point but it was Tyrone who closed out the half on top. Harte’s fourth point of the half was followed by efforts from wing back duo Tiernan McCann and Jonathan Monroe to leave them five clear at the short whistle.
In the first attack of the second half Donie Smith opened the scoring and when the same player found the range again in the second half the gap was down to three. Niall Sludden though steadied the ship for Tyrone with a well taken point before Ronan O’Neill converted a free.
Roscommon however were proving difficult to put away with their bench playing a key role as John McManus, Niall Kilroy and Fintan Cregg all registered. With a quarter of an hour to go the gap was once again reduced to three again but Tyrone stepped on the gas.
Substitute Mark Bradley scored two superb points in as many minutes with Conor Meyler also on target. Cregg had a brace for the visitors but Conall McCann and Sludden closed out the win for the hosts.
Tyrone Scorers:
Peter Harte 0-4 (3f)
Ronan O’Neill 0-3 (3f)
Niall Sludden 0-2
Darren McCurry 0-2, (1f)
Mark Bradley (0-2)
Tiernan McCann (0-1)
Jonathan Monroe (0-1)
Colm Cavanagh (0-1)
Conan McCann (0-1)
Conor Meyler (0-1)
Roscommon Scorers:
Donie Smith 0-3
Fintan Cregg 0-3
Niall Daly 1-0
Conor Devaney 0-1
Niall Kilroy 0-1
John McManus 0-1