Hurlers sunk by Saffrons in Conor McGurk Cup

Tyrone 4-12 Antrim 3-23

SEVERAL times over seventy minutes Tyrone showed real grit and determination to rock the visitors Antrim in Stephen McGarry’s opening game in charge of the Red Hand hurlers but ultimately the quality of the Saffrons was all too evident as they claimed an eight point win at Garvaghey on Tuesday night in the Conor McGurk Cup.

A new-look Tyrone was on show and there were plenty of positives for the new Tyrone manager to take from what was always going to be a testing encounter.

Tyrone battled hard and hauled themselves back from the brink on more than one occasion. At the back there were some excellent defensive work from Dean Rafferty and Tiernan Morgan, Eoghan Winters put in a good shift while Ben Gormley and James McCann, Turlough Mullin, Mickey Little and Tyrone’s key man Aidy Kelly worked hard.

Positives for sure but they did find themselves five to nothing down after eight minutes. Conal Cunning, Niall McKenna, Gerard Walsh, Niall McGarel and Aodhan McGarry were all on target as the Saffrons threatened to run riot. After a couple of Tyrone wides Aidy Kelly opened their account on fourteen minutes, although Conall Bohill cancelled that one out right away with a long range effort.

Tyrone did improve, winning more and more ball, Little and McCann landed points, and, while McGarry directed over from a tight angle, it proved to be their last score for fourteen minutes.

Antrim goalkeeper Tiernan Smyth denied both Mullin and Ruairi Devlin clear goals as Mark McClean and an equalising point from long range from Gormley had the home crowd buzzing with seven minutes remaining in the half.

Tyrone missed chances to go ahead and were duly punished by a late Antrim flourish. Niall McGarel got the scoreboard moving again, Eoin McFerran, McGarel again and Cunning opened the gap out to three at the break with Kelly landing a fine point for the hosts. Antrim also clocked up five wides in the final minutes of the half.

Within five minutes of the second period Tyrone found themselves nine points adrift and looked out of it, Cunning topping off 1-3 without reply.

The Red Hands came back though and in fifteen minutes had clawed themselves to within two points. Gormley led the fight-back and after replacement goalkeeper Conor McFadden was on hand to get something on Rory Weir’s shot, Little carved out a goal from a ball from the right. He collected, spun away from the defence to add to Tiernan Morgan’s point with a fine strike.

Mullin and a long range stunner from Fionn Devlin left it a two-point game.

Again though Antrim stepped up. Cunning, McGarry and McGarel points opened the tally to five only for Mullin to react quickly and steer the ball to the net when Gormley’s initial effort was saved .

The Saffron response was swift, Cunning goaled, McKenna added a major within a minute and points from McKenna, McFerran and a brace apiece from Conall Bohill and sub Cristy Mc Auley had them fourteen clear.

This was powerhouse stuff from Antrim and they were home and hosed.

Tyrone, though, refused to throw in the towel. Little’s side line cut was turned into the net by Kelly and Anthony Crossan launched a long ranger to the net at the death.

In the end Antrim triumphed with eight points to spare but Tyrone showed enough quality and fight for their supporters to be cautiously optimistic about the season ahead.

The Scorers
Tyrone
Aidan Kelly 1-2, Mickey Little 1-2, Turlough Mullin 1-1, Anthony Crossan 1-0, James McCann 0-2, Ben Gormley 0-2, Mark McClean, Tiernan Morgan and Fionn Devlin 0-1 each

Antrim
Conal Cunning 2-3, Niall McKenna 1-2, Niall McGarel 0-4, Conal Bohill 0-3, Eoin McFerran 0-3,Aodhan McGarry 0-2,
Cristy McAuley 0-2, Gerard Walsh, Dairie McMullan, Eoin  McGarry and Sean McKay 0-1 each.

The Teams
Tyrone
John Devlin, Dean Rafferty, Oran McKee, Eoghan Winters, Mark Mc Clean, Fionn Devlin, Tiernan Morgan, Ben Gormley, James McCann, Mickey Little, Ruairi Devlin, Lorcan Devlin, Lorcan Devlin, Rory Weir, Turlough Mullin, Aidan Kelly  Subs: Ronan Maguire for L Devlin, Mark McCann for Weir, Cormac Taggart for Mullin, Anthony Crossan for McClean, Fionn Corry for R Devlin

Antrim
Tiernan Smyth, Mal McGibbon, Gerard Walsh, Ruari McCormick, Daire McMullan, Conor Boyd, Darragh Patterson, Conall Bohill, Anthony Mc Garrigle, Eoin McFerran, Niall McKenna,  Aodhan Mc Garry, Ryan Mort, Conal Cunning, Niall  McGarel. Subs:Sean McKay for McGarrigle, Cormac McFadden for Smyth,Tom McFerran for Patterson, Ciaran McAllister for Mc Cormick, Eoin McGarry for A McGarry, Cristy McAuley for Mort, Brogan O’Connor for McGarel.