HOLDERS Tyrone set up an intriguing O Fiaich Cup final showdown with rivals Armagh after they had far too much firepower for Louth at St Oliver Plunkett Park yesterday.
Darren McCurry led the way for an experimental Red Hand outfit, bagging 1-9 as they won this repeat of last year’s O Fiaich Cup final, with Ronan O’Neill grabbing the second of their two majors after the break.
Without a number of regulars, Mickey Harte handed debuts to Ruairi Mullan, Michael Cassidy, Declan McClure and Cahir McCullagh, and also welcomed back long-term injury absentees Conor Clarke and Niall McKenna.
The Tyrone boss will have been encouraged by the performances of Jonathan Munroe at wing-back, while Conor Meyler – back in county colours after a hamstring injury curtailed his Championship summer – and Cathal McShane showed plenty of energy and enthusiasm.
Clarke showed he still has plenty of offer when he burst forward to launch an attack that ended with O’Neill splitting the posts to put the Red Hands 0-3 to 0-1 ahead, with McCurry unerring in front of the posts as Tyrone moved into a four point lead just after the quarter hour mark.
But Louth’s direct approach was paying dividends on occasion and, inspired by the free-taking of Jim McEnaney, Colin Kelly’s men got back to within two points 26 minutes in, Padraig Rath – a black card replacement for James Stewart – also catching the eye.
Scores from McShane and Lee Brennan sent Tyrone in at the break 0-10 to 0-6 ahead, and O’Neill’s 41st minute goal – fisted to the net after a high ball bounced invitingly – gave the Ulster men a cushion early in the second half.
Louth continued to battle, with Paraic Smyth’s 55-metre effort the best of the day, but when McCurry rifled home Tyrone’s second major five minutes from time it ensured Mickey Harte’s side could now look forward to a pre-Christmas meeting with their old rivals this Sunday
MATCH STATS
Tyrone: M O’Neill; R Mullan, HP McGeary, M Cassidy; C Clarke, N McKenna, J Munroe (0-1); D McClure, C McShane (0-3); C Meyler, R O’Neill (1-2, 0-1 free), K McGeary; D McCurry (1-9, 0-6 frees), C McCullagh (0-1), L Brennan (0-2). Subs: R McHugh (0-1) for K McGeary (h-t), F Burns for McCullagh (64)
Louth: N Gallagher; A Williams, J Bingham, K Carr; D Maguire, J Stewart, L Dullaghan; A McDonnell (0-1), C Martin (0-1); C McKeever, P Smyth (0-1), C Brannigan (0-1); G McSorley, J McEnaney (0-3, frees), T Durnin. Subs: P Rath (0-1) for Stewart (16), D Byrne (0-2) for Durnin (h-t), R Holcroft (0-4, 0-3 frees) for McEnaney (h-t), D Marks for Dullaghan (50), T McKenna for Martin (56), D Finn for Carr (62). Black card: J Stewart replaced by P Rath (16)
Ref: P Hughes (Armagh)
