Tyrone 3-14
Derry 0-12
IF THERE WERE any question marks surrounding Tyrone’s ability to challenge for the All-Ireland title this year, Mickey Harte’s men emitted a real signal of intent today.
An Ulster semi-final against either Cavan or Armagh awaits them, and on this form they’ll take some stopping.
Mickey Harte’s men clinically brushed aside the feeble Derry challenge in Celtic Park, in a game that was as good as over by half-time.
Tyrone found the net three times in the opening 35 minutes, giving them a 3-3 to 0-6 lead at the break. Ronan O’Neill bagged two goals with Peter Harte providing the third.
Frustration got the better of Derry as they finished the game with 13 men. Ciaran McFaul was dismissed for picking up a yellow and black card while Chrissy McKaigue was sent for an early bath after elbowing Colm Cavanagh.
O’Neill’s first three-pointer arrived in the eighth minute, when he side-stepped Derry goalkeeper Thomas Mallon and finished into an empty net.
Derry’s challenge waned after the first quarter and by the time O’Neill buried his second goal, Tyrone had assumed complete control.
The direct ball into Tyrone’s full-forward line reaped dividends. Sean Cavanagh had the beating of Brendan Rodgers inside, and his teammates knew it.
He held off Rodgers to win a long delivery and forced a reactive save from Mallon. O’Neill applied the close-range finish from the rebound.
Tyrone then reeled off a string of points to move out of sight.
Harte’s goal on the stroke of half-time ended all hope of a Derry comeback.
It arrived from another devastating counter-attack from the away side. Harte started the move on his own 45, and by the time he took a return pass from Cavanagh, he only had Mallon to beat.
Derry’s attack was suffocated by Tyrone’s white blanket, and their ploy in the second-half to rain high ball on top of Ryan Bell was never going to trouble this streetwise back line.
Derry posted the first four points after the restart as Tyrone, content with their lead, took their foot off the gas.
They only scored six points after half-time but McFaul’s dismissal on 54 minutes visibly ended Derry’s resolve.
It wasn’t long before McKaigue joined him on the sideline and Derry’s Ulster campaign was consigned to the scrapheap.
Were Tyrone that good or Derry just terrible? Probably a mix between the two, but one thing is for sure: this is the finest team Mickey Harte has built since the 2008 vintage.
Where that leaves them come September is yet to be determined, but they’re certainly on the right track.
Derry scorers: J Kielt 0-5; D Heavron 0-2; R Bell 0-2; M Lynch 0-1; A McKaigue 0-1; E Brown 0-1.
Tyrone scorers: R O’Neill 2-2; P Harte 1-0; D McCurry 0-4; M Donnelly 0-2; C McAliskey 0-2; C McShane 0-1; R Donnelly 0-1; P McNulty 0-1; J Munroe.
Derry
T Mallon
O Duffy
B Rogers
K McKaigue
K Johnston
C McKaigue
G McKinless
N Holly
D Heavron
S Heavron
J Kielt
C McFaul
N Toner
E McGuckin
M Lynch
Subs: 17 D McBride for O Duffy (27 mins), 21 R Bell (0-2) for E McGuckin (33 mins), C O’Boyle for S Heavron (half-time), 25 E Brown (0-1) for M Lynch (42 mins), 18 G O’Kane for K Johnston (45 mins), 24 C McAtamney for N Holly (62 mins).
Tyrone
M O’Neill
A McCrory
R McNamee
C McCarron
T McCann
N Sludden
P Harte
C Cavanagh
M Donnelly
C McShane
M Bradley
R Donnelly
C McAliskey
S Cavanagh
R O’Neill
Subs: 21 D McCurry (0-3, one free)for M Bradley (17 mins, inj), 23 P McNulty (0-1)for R Donnelly (48 mins), 25 J Monroe (0-1) for C McShane (53 mins), 19 P Hampsey for C McCarron (60 mins), 22 K McGeary for N Sludden (63 mins), 26 B Tierney for C McAliskey (69 mins).
Referee: D Coldrick (Meath).
