Tyrone 1-18
Cavan 0-13

Paul Fitzpatrick reports from Healy Park

DARREN MCCURRY hit 0-10 as Tyrone dismantled a disappointing Cavan at Healy Park.

The Ulster champions, fresh from relegation to Division 4 of the National League, played their best football of the season for the first half-hour, at the end of which they led by 0-7 to 0-6, but the Red Hands kicked five points in quick succession before the break and did not look back.

McCurry, profiting from a good supply, was brilliant, with Cavan trying four different markers on him at various stages with little joy. Otherwise, though, Tyrone’s much-vaunted new expansive style was not much in evidence; chastened, perhaps, by their recent hammering at the hands of Kerry, they reverted to type, packing the defence, hunting in packs and looking to break out at speed.

And they did it very well, with McCurry providing the finishing touches. He had 0-7 to his name by half-time, with Richard Donnelly, Paul Donaghy, Niall Sludden and Peter Harte also registering.

Cavan were sharp for that first half-hour or so, with Gerard Smith kicking a superb point and Gearoid McKiernan landing four (two frees) but they fell away alarmingly after the break.

Once sub Brian Kennedy walked in a goal — he started and finished the move, with McCurry and impressive sub Tiernan McCann involved — five minutes into the second half, the game was effectively over as a contest.

Cavan huffed and puffed thereafter but their desperate ploy of lumping long ball towards Thomas Galligan, who tried hard throughout, did not pay dividends, even when Ronan McNamee picked up a straight red in the final quarter.

Tyrone managers Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher will have been pleased, too, to see Cathal McShane come off the bench for his long-awaited return; the former AFL target landed 0-3 (one free) as Tyrone won pulling up.

Scorers for Cavan: Gearoid McKiernan 0-6 (4f), Conor Smith 0-2, Raymond Galligan 0-1f, Thomas Galligan 0-1, Gerard Smith 0-1, Oisin Pierson 0-1, Conor Madden 0-1

Scorers for Tyrone: Darren McCurry 0-10 (3f, 1m), Brian Kennedy 1-0, Cathal McShane 0-3 (1f), Niall Sludden 0-2, Peter Harte 0-1, Richard Donnelly 0-1, Paul Donaghy 0-1

Tyrone:

Niall Morgan (Edendork)
Michael McKernan (Aghogill)
Ronan McNamee (Aghayarn)
Padraig Hampsey (Aghogill)
Rory Brennan (Trillick)
Michael O’Neill (Ardboe)
Peter Harte (Errigal Ciaran)
Mattie Donnelly (Trillick)
Conn Kilpatrick (Edendork)
Kieran McGeary (Pomeroy)
Richard Donnelly (Trillick)
Conor Meyler (Omagh St Enda’s)
Darren McCurry (Edendork)
Paul Donaghy (Dungannon)
Niall Sludden (Dromore)

Subs:
Mark Bradley (Killyclogher) for McCurry (4 mins, temp, reversed 6 mins)
Brian Kennedy (Derrylaughan) for R Donnelly (temp, 35)
Tiernan McCann (Killyclogher) for McGeary (ht)
Cathal McShane (Eoghan Roes) for Donaghy (47)
Frank Burns (Pomeroy) for Sludden (60)
Ben McDonnell (Errigal Ciaran) for McKernan (70)

Cavan:
Ray Galligan (Lacken Celtic)
Killian Clarke (Shercock)
Padraig Faulkner (Kingscourt Stars)
Cian Reilly (Killygarry)
Brían O’Connell (Ramor United)
Killian Brady (Mullahoran)
Jason McLoughlin (Shannon Gaels)
Thomas Galligan (Lacken Celtic)
Conor Moynagh (Drumgoon)
Gerard Smith (Lavey)
Gearoid McKiernan (Cavan Gaels)
Oisin Kiernan (Castlerahan)
Oisin Pierson (Gowna)
Oisin Brady (Killygarry)
Martin Reilly (Killygarry)

Subs:
Chris Conroy (Lavey) for T Galligan (temp, reversed 22 mins)
Luke Fortune (Cavan Gaels) for C Reilly (30)
Conor Madden (Gowna) for Moynagh (half-time)
Conor Smith (Killygarry) for O Brady (half-time)
Conor Brady (Gowna) for M Reilly (46)
Conroy for Pierson (55)
Niall Murray (Cavan Gaels) for K Brady (temp, 62)

Ref: David Gough (Meath)