By 
Tyrone 4-6 Roscommon 0-13
TYRONE camogs took their goal chances at important phases as they sealed a second Division 3A victory here at Healy Park on Saturday.
The host team, who recorded a win over Kildare at Cookstown in round one before a bye last week, overcame Roscommon to maintain their momentum with away games against Armagh and Kildare to follow as March unfolds.
Roscommon managed to find just more than double of Tyrone’s points tally on the scoreboard but four home goals supplied the main statistical story in this keenly-contested tie. Each goal seemed to arrive just when required as well, with home keeper Eimear Colton and her defence overall ensuring that the Tyrone nets were not rattled at any juncture.
A goal five minutes before the break and then one right on the cusp of half-time helped the home camogs establish an interval advantage of 2-4 to 0-5. The Connaught camogs used the breeze effectively after the restart as they angled over some tidy points but a brace of Tyrone goals in the closing quarter helped settle the issue in the host team’s favour.
Play began with Rachel Fitzmaurice pointing for Roscommon but Beth Jones replied in similar vein to open Tyrone’s account. Shauna Fallon then edged the visitors one point in front again before Fallon tagged on a free in due course.
Emer Cunningham had a great run into the danger area for Tyrone and Aine Cunningham claimed a point in the process. A further Fallon free restored Roscommon’s two-point lead but Aisling Hagan from a placed position and Reagan Fay in open play brought Tyrone level at 0-4 apiece by the 17th minute.
Oonagh Kelly then moved the Connaught camogs one in front and good work on behalf of home goalkeeper Eimear Colton prevented Roscommon adding a major score.
The closing stages of the opening half proved productive for Tyrone and first up Eimear Cunningham’s initial shot was saved by visiting keeper Micheala Finneran before Oilibhia Farley netted the rebound on 27 minutes.
A second Tyrone goal followed on 32 minutes and it arrived right in the nick of time right prior to the interval whistle as Catherine Moohan finished at close range following another well-worked home move.
Tyrone thus turned round against the wind holding a 2-4 to 0-5 lead plus Beth Jones registered home point number five as play restarted.
Roscommon began to gain more of a foothold going forward and the Tyrone defence had to put in extra graft as the likes of Bronagh Moohan, Aine McNulty and Meaghan Clarke among others faced several Roscommon raids.
Orla Connolly sent over two long-range frees and Grace Jones found the target too to reduce Roscommon’s arrears to three points by 42 minutes. Hannah Murray and Connolly pulled additional points back but good work by Beth Jones saw Aisling Hagan land a relieving home point.
Grainne McDonald and Tyrone subs brought on helped give the team a boost and Regan Fay worked her way into a shooting position prior to delivering a 53rd-minute major.
Kaitlin Egan and Orla Connolly notched Roscommon but Shauna Fallon could only point a subsequent penalty. Bravery on behalf of Emer Cunningham then led to her knocking home a decisive fourth Tyrone goal on 57 minutes. Grace Geraghty pointed but Tyrone had done enough to secure victory.
Scorers
Tyrone: Reagan Fay 1-1, Oilibhia Farley 1-1, Catherine Moohan 1-0, Emer Cunningham 1-0, Beth Jones 0-1, Aisling Hagan 0-1(1f), Aine Cunningham 0-1.
Roscommon: Orla Connolly 0-4(3f), Shauna Fallon 0-4(3f), Grace Geraghty 0-1, Rachel Fitzmaurice 0-1 Grace Jones, Oonagh Kelly 0-1, Kaitlin Egan 0-1.
Teams
Tyrone: Eimear Colton, Nicola McKiver, Bronagh Moohan, Aoife McDonald, Eva Corr, Meaghan Clarke, Aine McNulty, Reagan Fay, Rachel O’Neill, Beth Jones, Oilibhia Farley, Aisling Hagan, Catherine Moohan, Aine Cunningham, Emer Cunningham. Subs: Grainne McDonald, Siobhan Donnelly, Cora McGrath, Mairead Donnelly.
Roscommon: Micheala Finneran, Anna Hussey, Mairead Lohan, Aideen O’Brien, Hannah Murray, Orla Connolly, Sinead Mannion, Sally Bolger, Kaitlin Egan, Erin McDermott, Grace Geraghty, Alanna Sutton, Oonagh Kelly, Rachel Fitzmaurice, Shauna Fallon. Subs: Aine O’Meara, Grace Jones.
Referee: Paul O’Neill, Antrim.
