Tyrone and Monaghan share the spoils in NFL opener

Tyrone 0-9 Monaghan 0-9

All-Ireland champions Tyrone battled their way to a 0-9 apiece draw with fierce rivals Monaghan at rain-swept O’Neills Healy Park in the opening round of the National League on Sunday.

While the visitors were left ruing a series of crucial wides in the closing stages, the Red Hands fully warranted a share of the spoils for the determination and effort they produced in seventy plus minutes of attritional warfare.

Playing into the teeth of the gale after the break, Tyrone had to batten down the hatches to stave off the Farney and played out the closing stages with just fourteen men after last year’s Footballer of the year Kieran McGeary picked up two second half bookings.

Despite Brian Kennedy and Matthew Donnelly dropping out of the starting fifteen before throw-in, replaced by Conor Shields and Nathan Donnelly, it was still a strong looking Tyrone side, featuring ten of the players who lined out against Mayo in last September’s All-Ireland Final

After a typically competitive and at times fractious first half it was Tyrone who led 0-6 to 0-4 at the break.

Peter Harte fired them ahead in the third minute, before Kieran Duffy slotted the equaliser at the other end.

Cathal McShane looked lively in attack for the hosts and he traded frees with Monaghan keeper Rory Beggan, before the Red Hands eased two ahead courtesy of Niall Sludden and Nathan Donnelly points.

Monaghan were garnering their fair share of possession but struggled to translate that into scores, the closest opportunity coming when Kieran Duffy struck the post.

McShane extended the home side’s lead to three with a pointed free in the 20^th minute, but the Farney men bounced back as Shane Carey and Micheal Bannigan (free) split the posts.

After a brilliant block from Kieran McGeary denied Jack McCarron a score, it was Sludden who rounded off the first half scoring with a wonderful individual effort in injury time.

Liam Rafferty extended that cushion with a fine point on the restart, and the Galbally terrier also nearly swooped for a goal but his low drive grazed the wrong side of the post.

Monaghan roared back into contention as Ryan McAnespie, Conor McCarthy and Rory Beggan (free) converted to square the match at seven points each but with the swirling wind and rain making life tricky for both sets of players, score were at a premium.

Keepers Beggan and Niall Morgan swapped points, the former from open play, before Darren McCurry planted a go-ahead Tyrone free with his first white flag of the day.

Yet in the 65^th minute Monaghan sub Conor McManus sent a spectacular attempt sailing over to restore parity again and while there was chances at either end before the close, few could grumble about the drawn outcome.

Teams & Scorers

Tyrone

Niall Morgan (0-1, free), Michael McKernan, Padraig Hampsey, Liam Rafferty (0-1), Conor Meyler, Frank Burns, Peter Harte (0-1), Conn Kilpatrick, Richard Donnelly, Kieran McGeary, Nathan Donnelly (0-1), Niall Sludden (0-2), Darren McCurry (0-1, free), Cathal McShane (0-2,2 frees), Conor Shields. Subs used: Brian Kennedy for R Donnelly, Darragh Canavan for C Shields , Matthew Donnelly fior D McCurry, Paul Donaghy for C McShane

Monaghan

Rory Beggan (0-3, 2 frees), Darren Hughes, Conor Boyle, Ryan Wylie, Kieran Duffy (0-1), Dessie Ward, Ryan McAnespie (0-1), Gary Mohan, Niall Kearns, Conor McCarthy (0-1), Michael Bannigan (0-1, free), Shane Carey (0-1), Aaron Mulligan, Jack McCarron, Andrew Woods. Subs used: Killian Lavelle for N Kearns (h-time), Karl O’Connell for A Mulligan (46), Conor McManus (0-1) for G Mohan

Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)