PLUS ca change…, as they say around the Island. There was no shock result but a much-changed Tyrone were well tested by a virtually unchanged St Mary’s side which could even have led as the game entered its closing stages.
In the end Tyrone’s strength in depth made a significant difference, four of their six subs scoring a point apiece as the student teachers just ran out of steam in the frosty conditions.
However, the hosts were grateful for a 63rd minute clearance almost off their goal-line by corner-back Aidan McCrory as St Mary’s sub Ciaran Mac Iomhair closed in after the ball had been slipped past goalkeeper Mickey O’Neill.
Paddy Tally understandably professed himself “very happy with the game – at 70 minutes there were only two or three points in it. We even had a chance to equalise the game with one cleared off the line. Overall, delighted with the performance.”
In fact, that chance came with Tyrone leading by just 1-12 to 1-10 and Tyrone boss Mickey Harte acknowledged afterwards that it wasn’t easy:
“I said that after we beat Antrim, we would meet more stubborn opposition today, because they are a side that plays together a lot and they are a side that have a good, cohesive unit and they have a good system of play.
“So, I knew it would be difficult to play against them. Having said that I think we created enough chances in the first half to have the game more safely tucked away in our favour but we didn’t take those chances and it was a fight to the end.”
Only the last name on the home team-sheet, that of Connor McAliskey, was the same as on the starting side from the opening rout of Antrim last Wednesday.
In contrast, only the last name on the St Mary’s side was different from their line-out in their narrow defeat in Cavan, with Aaron Boyle starting instead of Ruairi Wilson.
Unsurprisingly, that continuity meant Paddy Tally’s team showed much greater cohesion in the opening quarter. Eventual man of the match Oisin O’Neill of Crossmaglen opened their account in the first minute and Augher’s Darragh Kavanagh and Stephen McConville of Clonduff trebled that lead.
When Tyrone did get on the score-sheet, in the 10th minute, they might have levelled matters, but stand-in skipper Peter Harte could only send the ball over the bar as he flew through the air to meet a fisted pass across from full-forward Ronan McHugh.
Harte – from a free then a ’45’ – was Tyrone’s sole scorer until they went in front for the first time through Omagh wing-back Ciaran McLaughlin, and even then the number seven played a part, McLaughlin palming in following good work by clubmate Ronan O’Neill, Harte, and a final assist from Ben McDonnell.
The latter increased Tyrone’s advantage but it was quickly overturned when a poor kick-out was seized on and returned to the net by Jarlath Og Burns.
Still, the two Ronans in attack, O’Neill and McHugh, got the Red Hands back ahead by the break, at 1-7 to 1-5, even if the former was denied a goal in injury-time by an outstretched boot from St Mary’s keeper Mark Reid.
The game remained tight entering the final quarter, and home hopes were hit when Peter Harte was black-carded for a challenge on the impressive Oisin O’Neill, who showed what Armagh will be missing this year.
However, the introduction minutes earlier of three star performers from last season – home ground favourite Padraig Hampsey, Niall Sludden, and new captain Mattie Donnelly – gave the Red Hands enough quality to pull away from their dogged opponents.
Yet it was another Fianna clubman, Michael McKernan, who came on and started the scoring from Tyrone’s subs, before McHugh restored a two-point advantage around the hour mark.
Tyrone then made the most of McRory’s scrambled clearance, especially as Oisin O’Neil had a rare off-moment by missing the subsequent ‘45’.
His namesake Ronan stretched the gap, and Tyrone began to stretch the St Mary’s defence and find gaps. Conall McCann sent Sludden in on goal but his shot was tipped over by Reid.
The Red Hands’ fresher legs – if that makes sense – pulled them further clear, Mattie and their sixth sub, Tiernan McCann, getting on the scoresheet.
Tally only sent on half his allocation of subs from the 67th minute, so was rightly pleased with his players’ performance, saying: “Realistically, when you go into a game like this, if you start aiming for a victory that can be unrealistic.
“You have to be very clear about what you’re trying to get out of the performance. Today was about getting boys blooded into that level of performance and I thought they acquitted themselves very well.”
The Galbally man accepted that his midfield pairing of O’Neill and Liam Devlin had done well, but he kept the plaudits in context: “They did, they played well, but it was an experimental enough Tyrone midfield too, that has to be taken into consideration. That gave us an opportunity to match up like for like and they did well, I was happy with that aspect of the game.
Harte too had praise for his alma mater, commenting: “I think St Mary’s deserve a lot of credit for the way they played that game today, I think it is a credit to them the small numbers they have and probably losing a few players from last year and they are still a formidable outfit.”
The boss smiled at accolades for the home goalscorer, stating the obvious: “Yeah, Ciaran McLaughlin is a good player, and that’s why he is with us. I suppose more people would need to see that as the year goes on.”
There was a similar response to journalistic comments about McKernan’s ability: “Yeah, that’s again why we picked him up and now he has been with the U21s for a few years now too.
“He is a quality player and we are glad to have him for this part of the McKenna Cup. He could have been with Jordanstown but we decided we needed him with us and we thought that was a good thing.”
The more things change, the more they stay the same: Tyrone win, with a player wanted by a university, and the Red Hands roll on towards the semi-finals again.
St Mary’s lose again – but there is a difference, that they’re no longer whipping boys.
Tyrone: M O’Neill; A McCrory, C McCarron,
M Cassidy; C McLaughlin (1-0), R McNabb,
K McGeary; B McDonnell (0-1), D McClure;
R Donnelly, C McCann, P Harte (capt.) (0-4, 0-2 frees, 0-1 ‘45’); R O’Neill (0-4, 0-1 free), R McHugh (0-3), C McAliskey.
Substitutes: P Hampsey for McNabb (44);
M Donnelly (0-1) for R Donnelly (44);
N Sludden (0-1) for McAliskey (44); F Burns for Harte (black card, 49); M McKernan (0-1) for McCarron (51); T McCann (0-1) for McLaughlin (67).
Blood sub: N Sludden for McHugh (36-43).
St Mary’s: M Reid; K Mallon, J Hannigan,
M Rooney; C Byrne, C McConville (0-1),
L Rafferty; L Devlin (0-1), O O’Neill (0-5, 0-2 frees); S McConville (0-1), C Meyler, J Og Burns (1-0); C Convery, D Kavanagh (0-3, 0-1 free), A Boyle.
Substitutes: C Mac Iomhair for Boyle (h-t);
PJ Drake for Rafferty (44); C Carr for Devlin (56); J Colton for Convery (67); G Walsh for Byrne (67); R McSherry for Rooney (69).
Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry).
Attendance: 2,825.
