Tyrone progress to McKenna Cup semi-finals after draw with Derry

Dr McKenna Cup

Derry 0-10

Tyrone 0-10

By Michael McMullan

A STOPPAGE time point from Lachlan Murray saw Derry come from five points down to secure a draw against Tyrone in Owenbeg.

The result was enough to take Derry through to a semi-final with Down but the Red Hands also did enough to advance to a Saturday evening semi-final clash with Cavan.

The Red Hands, with the wind at their back, won the throw in and kept possession in a cagey opening that extended for much of the half, in front of an attendance of 3,327.

It took five minutes to produce the first score, a Shane McGuigan fisted point after Conor Doherty and Conor McCluskey build-up.

Tyrone spent much of the half trying to thread the long ball when it was on, Derry kept Lachlan Murray and Niall Loughlin up front when not on the ball, with five pushed up when they looked to counter.

They lacked the pace on the overlap to break down Tyrone with both teams notching five wides each before the interval.

It took nine minutes to produce the next score. A Pádraig Hampsey turn over in defence saw Tyrone breakaway with Cormac Munroe drilling over a sweet score from 45 metres.

A Niall Sludden advanced mark saw Tyrone into a 17th minute lead before they took control of the game. Odhran Lynch’s kick-outs to the outside of the runner saw Derry dominate the kick-outs, but their failed attacks put the ball back in visitors’ favour.

A piercing Conor Meyler and left footed effort was the first piece of excitement of the night with Cathal McShane burling off the left foot for a 0-4 to 0-1 lead after 23 minutes.

Niall Toner fired over a fine score and when Derry turned over Gallen’s kick-out, the attack yielded free for the last score of the half.

McShane (free) and Richie Donnelly – after a great kick-out from Gallen – had Tyrone into a deserving lead before McShane added a third o9f the half for a 0-7 to 0-3 interval lead.

It was a bright start for Tyrone with Conor Meyler passing to Brian Kennedy for a high effort between the posts and when Derry secured ;possession from the kick-out Mark Doherty kicked away possession and a foul on Cathal McShane saw him kick the free for a 0-9 to 0-3 lead.

Derry came back with a burst with Oisin McWilliams drawing a foul for Niall Toner slotting over. It was quickly followed by a fine Conor Doherty score, made by Toner and Gareth McKinless, making the score 0-9 t0o 0-5 after 43 minutes.

In a change of tact, Anton Tohill came in for the Oakleafers and was deployed at full forward, but Tyrone continued to dictate the game further outfield.

McShane kicked Tyrone’s final score of the game in the 53rd minute and they failed to kill the game with the chances they had.

Paudi McGrogan fed Rogers who was fouled and Shane McGuigan dissected the posts, with two Niall Toner frees putting Derry back to within a goal with 58 minutes on the clock.

The game turned when Padraig Cassidy won a vital breaking ball on the kick-out, leading to a long-range score from Brendan Rogers.

Referee Niall Cullen, who didn’t keep a lid on the game, was forced to produce a card after an incident involving Padraig Cassidy and Padraig Hampsey.

Cassidy saw yellow, with the Coalisland man issued a red and Gareth McKinless handed a second yellow.

Derry hung in at the end and after Tyrone’s missed frees, it was Murray who levelled the game with both teams ultimately progressing to the semis.

THE SCORERS

Derry

Niall Toner 0-4 (3f), Shane McGuigan 0-3 (2f), Lachlan Murray 0-1, Conor Doherty 0-1 and Brendan Rogers 0-1

Tyrone

Cathal McShane 0-5 (2f), Cormac Munroe 0-1, Richie Donnelly 0-1, David Mulgrew 0-1m, Conor Meyler 0-1, Richie Donnelly 0-1

THE TEAMS

Derry

Odhran Lynch, Mark Doherty, Eoin McEvoy, Conor McCluskey, Conor Doherty, Gareth McKinless, Paudi McGrogan, Paul Cassidy, Brendan Rogers, Niall Toner, Padraig Cassidy, Niall Loughlin, Ben McCarron, Shane McGuigan, Lachlan Murray. Subs: Oisin McWilliams for N Loughlin (INJ 28), Declan Cassidy for M Doherty (39), Anton Tohill for B McCarron (42), Niall O’Donnell for D Cassidy (INJ 61).

Tyrone

Benny Gallen, Nathan McCarron, Cormac Munroe, Padraig Hampsey, Cormac Quinn, Peter Harte, Niall Devlin, Brian Kennedy, Richard Donnelly, Conor Meyler, Conn Kilpatrick, Niall Sludden, Cathal McShane, Mattie Donnelly, David Mulgrew.Subs: Michael McKernan for C Quinn (HT), Kieran McGeary for N Sludden (43), Emmett McNabb for D Mulgrew (58), Darragh Canavan for M Donnelly (58), Frank Burns for R Donnelly (74).