Football

Tyrone have enough forward options to see off Meath

Ronan O'Neill set up Darren McCurry for Tyrone's goal against Meath in Omagh.<br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Pic Seamus Loughran</span>
Ronan O'Neill set up Darren McCurry for Tyrone's goal against Meath in Omagh.
Pic Seamus Loughran
Ronan O'Neill set up Darren McCurry for Tyrone's goal against Meath in Omagh.
Pic Seamus Loughran

Allianz Football League Division One: Tyrone 1-14 Meath 1-9

QUESTION marks remain over the long-term future of Allstar forward Cathal McShane but in the short-term Tyrone had the answers to ease past Meath.

The Royals troubled their hosts before the break, especially early on, but the introduction of Mark Bradley off the bench for his first Red Hands appearance since the 2018 All-Ireland Final made sure of a home win.

Darren McCurry was a lively starter for Tyrone, bagging a well-taken goal in his tally of 1-6, but otherwise the home attack didn’t really function until ‘Sparky’ came on.

The home defence was uncharacteristically open at first, saved by goalkeeper Niall Morgan preventing two early goals, but at least they got their act together and stopped Meath scoring for the first 21 minutes of the second half.

Harte was taken a little by surprise when told that McShane had attended the game, which explains the lack of detailed update on whether or not the Owen Roe’s will be going to Aussie Rules football this year.

“I didn't know he was back from Australia,” admitted Harte. “I had been talking to him before he went out there and knew he was going out for 10 to 15 days at least.

“I didn't know he was back and he didn't tell me he had landed back in our world yet.

I am sure if he is there, I will be talking to him during the week.”

Asked if he’d be making the contact, Harte replied: “I don't think there is any big deal in that. Whatever way it happens it doesn't matter.

“All we need to know is the final decision. Is he going to be there for us this year or is he going to be in Australia? And when he gives us that final decision we will know where we stand.”

As a team where they stand is top of Division One, somewhat surprisingly based on this performance, although Harte revealed he’d made his players well aware of their opportunity when they only led by a point, 1-5 to 1-4, after a sluggish first half.

With a certain smile he said: “We sort of suggested that at half-time, that at the end of today we could be at the top of the league or the bottom of it, and I’d prefer to be at the top of it right now.”

Despite the doom and gloom expressed by some about Tyrone being without McShane plus skipper Mattie Donnelly (injury) and Connor McAliskey, who has stepped away from the inter-county scene, Harte was still pleased by the attacking talent available to him:

“Darren McCurry is on fire at the moment, he’s full of belief and confidence, and when you have him playing like that he’s definitely a very special player.”

Having Bradley back after a season away is a bonus too: “We know how good a footballer he is and how elusive he can be.

“I suppose we missed him last year. He was back and ready to rock but hurt the knee around Christmas time there so he missed the McKenna Cup games. But as you can see there he is still a real good talent and it is nice to have him there.”

Meath’s major problems were at their other end, in goal – first of all they lost first choice keeper Andrew Colgan to a knee injury in the warm-up, who had to be replaced by Dominic Yorke.

The Meath Hill man had problems with some kick-outs, notably having to scramble to keep out a Ronan O’Neill shot after one fluffed effort, but it still seemed harsh when Yorke did not come out for the second half, the gloves handed to Barry Dardis, who’s normally a forward but did do nets in the 2019 O’Byrne Cup.

Meath boss Andy McEntee explained: “It is a pressure situation for a young fellow who has not played at this level before and we just thought it was the right thing to do.”

Still, Dardis suffered even more on his kick-outs, and McEntee acknowledged: “There is definitely an issue there in that we did not retain as much ball as we would have liked.”

Meath also had their troubles in attack, with Shane Walsh ruled out of the starting side, joining Michael Newman (hip operation) on the sidelines.

Yet they might have found the net in the first minute but Niall Morgan raced out to deny Cillian O’Sullivan, who’d been freed by full-forward Thomas O’Reilly. Six minutes later a James McEntee kick-pass picked out Ben Brennan but he fumbled and Morgan again came to the rescue.

Tyrone took advantage of those let-offs. Ronan O’Neill, whose earlier kick-pass hadn’t been gathered by the unmarked Michael Cassidy, opened Meath up again, and this time McCurry profited to find the net in the 10th minute.

Meath responded perfectly five minutes later, though, O’Reilly combining with Brennan, who released Bryan McMahon and he confidently drilled low to the net.

When O’Reilly put the visitors ahead for the first time they were clearly on top, but to their manager’s disappointment they could not make their good play count sufficiently on the scoreboard:

“It was a bit frustrating in that we did a lot of good things in the first half and we did not avail of the opportunities that we created. And when you are playing a better class of team these things always come back to haunt you and it did today.”

So it proved, as Tyrone improved and took the victory. Liam Rafferty, playing a more advanced role than his jersey number (4) suggested, was excellent, pushing forward repeatedly and picking off two points himself.

The movement of Bradley augmented McCurry’s display and inspired others, with scores coming from Kyle Coney and Niall Sludden, as Tyrone pulled clear.

Much tougher tests will come but for now the Red Hands can look forward with increased optimism.

Tyrone: N Morgan (0-1 ‘45’); HP McGeary, R McNamee (capt.), L Rafferty (0-2); M Cassidy, R Brennan, T McCann; C Cavanagh, C Kilpatrick; C Meyler, N Sludden (0-1), D McCurry (1-6, 0-4 frees); K McGeary, F Burns, R O’Neill (0-1).

Substitutes: M Bradley (0-2) for Burns (47); B McDonnell for Kilpatrick (47); D Mulgrew for McCann (54); K Coney (0-1) for O’Neill (57); N Kelly for McNamee (72, inj.).

Yellow cards: Sludden (31); R Brennan (40); Cavanagh (76).

Meath: D Yorke; R Clarke, C McGill, D Toner; J McEntee, R Ryan, D Keogan; B Menton (0-1), B Conlon; B Brennan, B McMahon (1-2, 0-2 frees), E Wallace (0-1); C O’Sullivan (0-1), T O’Reilly (0-3), J Wallace (0-1).

Substitutes: B Dardis for Yorke (h-t); M Costello for Brennan (44); R Jones for Conlon (48); J O’Connor for J Wallace (58); S Tobin for E Wallace (62).

Yellow card: B Brennan (40).

Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan).