FL1: rallying Red Hands fight back to stun Tribesmen

March 24, 2019

Tyrone's Peter Harte with Galway's John Daly. ©INPHO/Lorcan Doherty.

Tyrone came from seven points down at Omagh to deny Galway a place in the Division One final, the hosts running out 3-15 to 1-14 victors.

Mickey Harte’s men outscored the westerners by 3-8 to three points in the second half, Peter Harte, Mattie Donnelly and substitute Conall McCann firing the goals to give last year’s All-Ireland finalists their fourth successive victory.

A win would have been enough for Galway to get them through to the final against Kerry, while Tyrone could themselves have sealed a place in next Sunday’s decider had Monaghan beaten Mayo today.

An excellent first-half performance had Kevin Walsh’s charges ahead by double scores at the short whistle, 1-11 to 0-7.

It was six points each after 15 minutes, Michael Cassidy and Peter Harte – who opened the scoring from a free - on target after unanswered points from Johnny Heaney, Danny Cummins and Shane Walsh (free) had pushed Galway ahead by three points to one.

Cummins fisted a dropping ball past Niall Morgan in the 16th minute to make it double scores, Cathal McShane replying before another Walsh free made it 1-4 to 0-4. The next four points were traded, with Walsh cancelling out a Kieran McGeary score before Heaney fisted one over the bar and full forward Michael Daly hammered over a lovely score from distance – 1-8 to 0-6 to the terrific Tribesmen!

Even though Mattie Donnelly pulled one back, Galway finished the half strongly with a run of points from Walsh, Gareth Bradshaw and Heaney.

Amazingly, the brilliant Red Hands led within 12 minutes of the restart as Donnelly sidefooted to an empty net following converted frees from McShane and Harte and an excellently-struck Harte penalty to the bottom corner after McShane was fouled.

Donnelly cancelled out Walsh’s free and a brace of points from the outstanding McShane had a goal between the sides with ten minutes left, 2-12 to 1-12. Cassidy registered the winners’ 13th point and Galway’s woes were compounded when Gary O’Donnell was dismissed for a second yellow-card offence with four minutes to go.

McCann slotted to the net soccer style with his left foot in the fifth of six added minutes after McShane broke the ball down and Donnelly closed the scoring as the hosts turned a seven-point deficit into a seven-point win, Tyrone finishing their league programme strongly after an inauspicious start.

Tyrone - N Morgan; P Hampsey, R McNamee, H P McGeary; C Meyler, M Cassidy (0-2), B McDonnell; C Cavanagh, R Donnelly; P Harte (1-3, 1-0pen, 0-2f), N Sludden, K McGeary (0-1); D McClure, C McShane (0-4, 2f, 1m), M Donnelly (1-4). Subs: K Coney for B McDonnell, M McKernan for H P McGeary, D McCurry (0-1) for N Sludden, C McCann (1-0) for R Donnelly.

Galway - R Lavelle; E Kerin, S A O Ceallaigh, D Wynne; G O’Donnell, J Daly, G Bradshaw (0-1); T Flynn, C Duggan; F O Laoi, S Walsh (0-7, 4f), J Heaney (0-3); D Cummins (1-0), M Daly (0-2), A O Laoi (0-1f). Subs: C D’Arcy for C Duggan, E Brannigan for D Cummins, E Finnerty for G Bradshaw.

Referee - C Reilly.


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