Bank of Ireland Dr McKenna Cup Section C: Armagh 3-15 Tyrone 3-18
RONAN O’Neill marked his return to the Tyrone starting line-up with two goals as the Red Hands just held off neighbours Armagh in a full-blooded Dr McKenna Cup clash at the Athletic Grounds last night.
The Omagh forward opted off Mickey Harte’s panel before the Championship last year but came back to bag 2-3, all from play, as Tyrone kept alive their hopes of an eighth Dr McKenna Cup success in nine years. Having led by eight points at one stage, however, they had to hold off a spirited fightback from the Orchardmen, with a Stefan Campbell penalty and a brilliant late goal from substitute Rory Grugan leaving the result in the balance right until the very end.
Tyrone started with greater purpose in the opening 35, the incisive runs of Ben McDonnell and the superb Niall Sludden cutting holes in the Armagh defence time and again. And, with the immediate future of Allstar forward Cathal McShane still up in the air as AFL outfit Adelaide Crows run the rule over the Owen Roe’s powerhouse, Harte tried out Frank Burns at full-forward.
The Pomeroy man was finding space either side of Stephen Sheridan, stationed at full-back, timing his runs to perfection to cause major bother for the Orchard rearguard. Sheridan was eventually switched out to midfield, with Aidan Forker moving onto Burns and Mark Shields taking over as sweeper from Joe McElroy.
Although Tyrone made the early running, Armagh were having some joy with the advanced mark, two scores coming off clean catches from Conor Turbitt - who showed his class all night - while another led to an 18th minute goal chance for Greg McCabe when he was found in space.
By that stage they could have done with a goal as the Red Hands led 1-5 to 0-5, O’Neill bagging the opening goal of the night 14 minutes in, slotting home in typically confident style after being found in space by Sludden. And when he added a second either side of scores from Kieran McGeary and a Ronan McHugh free, it looked like lights out for Armagh. That goal came when O’Neill capitalised on a misplaced kick-out from Orchard ’keeper Niall Brady, cleverly lobbing into the open net from 25 metres out.
Trailing 2-8 to 0-6 Armagh, inspired by the brilliant Rian O’Neill, finally found their mojo. They got themselves right back into the game in fortuitous fashion when a Rian O’Neill free from the 45 metre line dropped short in the square and squirmed through the hands of McDonnell.
Although Kyle Coney caught the ball, he was behind the line – a much-needed goal to send them in at the break on a high. And Kieran McGeeney’s men picked up where they left off, flying out of the blocks to cut the deficit to two thanks to early scores from Oisin O’Neill and Rory Grugan.
Tyrone delivered another hammer blow when Sludden slalomed through to goal in the 38th minute, but back came Armagh four minutes later, Stefan Campbell slotting home a penalty after Aidan Nugent had been felled in the square.
The Red Hands rattled off four of the next five points to reassert their authority, but faced a nervy finish when Grugan scored Armagh’s third goal five minutes from time, taking two Tyrone defenders out with a classy dummy before slamming home.
Despite turning on the heat as the clock ticked down, it wasn’t enough to reel the Red Hands in as they edged into the last four with three points to spare. They go on to face Down in Sunday’s semi-final while, for Armagh, all eyes are now fixed firmly on their Division Two opener at home to Cavan on January 25.
Armagh: N Brady; C O’Neill, S Sheridan, A Forker; J McElroy, G McCabe, C McConville; N Grimley, O O’Neill (0-2); M Shields, S Campbell (1-1), A Nugent; C Turbitt (0-4, 0-2 marks), R O’Neill (1-3, 0-1 free, 0-1 45), J Duffy (0-1). Subs: R Grugan (1-3, 0-2 frees) for McElroy (31),P Hughes (0-1) for McConville (35), J Og Burns for Sheridan (48), C McGeary for J Duffy (65); Yellow cards: R O’Neill (39), C Turbitt (55)
Tyrone: N Morgan; C McLaughlin, A McCrory, N Kelly; M O’Neill, M McKernan (0-1), M Murnaghan; B McDonnell, C Grugan (0-1); K Coney (0-1), N Sludden (1-1), K McGeary (0-2); R McHugh (0-3, 0-2 frees), F Burns (0-1), R O’Neill (2-3). Subs: L Rafferty (0-1) for M O’Neill (26), C Kilpatrick for C Grugan (HT), D McCurry (0-4, 0-3 frees) for Coney (HT), D Mulgrew for Brennan (43), C Quinn for McKernan (53); Yellow cards: L Rafferty (55)
Referee: B Cassidy (Derry)
Att: 5,125
