By 
Tyrone 2-23 Cavan 1-14
A DOZEN different players got their names on the scoresheet as Tyrone vented their frustration following an indifferent start to life in Division Two by ruthlessly dispatching with Cavan at O’Neill’s Healy Park on Sunday afternoon.
The Breffni County must hate the sight of that Red Hand crest given their well-documented travails down the years in either League or Championship clashes and that pattern continued here with the hosts running amok down the home straight, led by the mercurial Darragh Canavan, who is set to miss the concluding stages of the League as he heads Down Under for a few weeks.
The Errigal Ciaran ace registered nine points, and was at the hub of a litany of other encouraging moments, as Tyrone grabbed the spoils in emphatic fashion.
Elsewhere there was also encouraging displays from Cormac Quinn, Eoin McElholm, Seanie O’Donnell and Frank Burns, while skipper Brian Kennedy capped his commanding showing with a fine goal.
With victory a prerogative for both sides after a poor beginning to their respective campaigns, the first half was fairly cagey with a series of turnovers stymieing the flow of the contest.
In addition a paltry crowd of just around 2,000 hardy patrons didn’t exactly lend itself to a tingling atmosphere in the stands, with much of the action meandering along in a subdued environment.
It was the hosts who opened the scoring courtesy of a well taken McElholm point after a protracted spell of keep-ball from Tyrone, but they were then rocked back on their heels with the concession of a quick fire 1-2 around the four minute mark.
Ciaran Brady landed a monster two point free to jump-start the Breffni challenge and straight from Niall Morgan’s subsequent kickout, Peter Corrigan intercepted and fed Tiarnan Madden to fist to the unguarded net.
Playing with a strong wind at their back the visitors really failed to press home this early advantage, with momentum apparently with them, and the Tyrone attack gradually flickered into life.
A surging run up the middle by Ronan Cassidy paved the way for Canavan to stoke over the first of his three scores from open play in that first period, while Canavan then turned creator releasing a sublime ball inside to Frank Burns who split the posts.
It was Darragh again in the 13th minute who swung over a quality effort to narrow the gap to the bare minimum but back came Cavan as Peter Corrigan brushed off a tackle to knock over a score, and Gerard Smith converted having been afforded acres of space down the spine of the Red Hand rearguard.
Double yellows for Tyrone’s Michael McKernan and Cavan’s Dara McVeety after an off the ball altercation was out of keeping with the low key nature of the exchanges.
Tyrone looked in need of a fillip and it was provided by team skipper Brian Kennedy who capped a trademark run with a composed finish past Cavan keeper Liam Brady in the 17th minute, Trillick duo Ciaran Daly and Seanie O’Donnell linking up initially to carve out the opportunity.
O’Donnell then followed up with the go-ahead score (1-5 to 1-4) only for Gearoid McKiernan to reply, banging over the leveller at the other end.
While Tyrone only showed their real potential as an attacking force on a sporadic basis, there were indications they could slice open the Breffni backline if they could get their act together. McElholm cleverly made space to slot an assured point, while himself and Burns combined to set up Michael Rafferty for a goal chance but he screwed his goal attempt off target.
McVeety darted inside to find the range to draw Cavan level again in the 24th minute but given the strong wind at their backs, they really required a more substantial cushion on the scoreboard.
Instead it was Tyrone who eased through the gears in the run-up to the break. A razor sharp passing move between midfielders Brian Kennedy and Ciaran Daly set up Matthew Donnelly to fist to the net, and another Canavan score shortly after had Tyrone four to the good at the break- 2-7 to 1-6.
Half-time sub Patrick Lynch galvanised the Cavan attack as he helped himself to five points overall, his first following a fine Oisin Brady score.
However after Ronan Cassidy turned neatly to convert, Darragh Canavan curled over a sublime two pointer with the outside of the right foot.
Lynch responded with a quick fire brace but as space opened up so Tyrone began to assert their class. Burns knocked over a point and McElholm saw a rasper tipped over superbly by keeper Liam Brady.
Canavan was going to town at this juncture, striking over a series of gems, while his Errigal clubmate Joe Oguz also go in on the act, and Ben Cullen ventured up the pitch to fist over.
Cavan were visibly flagging and O’Donnell raced through only to fail to connect with either McElholm or Daly rushing in to support him on the edge of the small square
It made no amends though as Conn Kilpatrick, Michael McKernan and Ethan Jordan added to the onslaught before the final whistle.
Scorers
Tyrone:
Darragh Canavan (0-9,1tp,1f), Matthew Donnelly (1-1), Eoin McElholm (0-4), Brian Kennedy (1-0), Frank Burns (0-2), Michael McKernan, Ronan Cassidy, Conn Kilpatrick, Seanie O’Donnell, Joe Oguz, Ben Cullen, Ethan Jordan (0-1 each)
Cavan:
Patrick Lynch (0-5,2f), Tiarnan Madden (1-0), Ciaran Brady (0-2,tpf), Gearoid McKiernan (0-3), Oisin Brady, Peter Corrigan, Dara McVeety, Gerard Smith (0-1 each)
Teams
Tyrone:
Niall Morgan, Cormac Quinn, Aidan Clarke, Michael Rafferty, Franks Burns, Michael McKernan, Ben Cullen, Brian Kennedy, Ciaran Daly, Eoin McElholm, Conn Kilpatrick, Ronan Cassidy, Darragh Canavan, Matthew Donnelly, Seanie O’Donnell. Subs used: Joe Oguz for R Cassidy (50), Rory Brennan for F Burns (55), Conor O’Neill for C Daly (61), Peter Teague for M Rafferty (61), Ethan Jordan for E McElholm (67)
Cavan:
Liam Brady, Jason McLoughlin, Paddy Meade, Cormac Brady, Oisin Brady, Niall Carolan, Gerard Smith, Ciaran Brady, Conor Brady, Ciaran Brady, Tiarnan Madden, Peter Corrigan, Gearoid McKiernan, Ryan Donohue, Dara McVeety. Subs used: Patrick Lynch for R Donohue (h-time), Brian O’Connell for Cormac Brady (h-time), Ryan Brady for P Corrigan (57), Favour Shehu for T Madden (57), Eoin Clarke for Ciaran Brady (68), Caoimhan McGovern for P Lynch (70)
Referee: Barry Tiernan (Dublin)
