Substitute Bradley sets Red Hands on course for a victory
A GOAL from substitute Mark Bradley was pivotal in securing victory for Tyrone’s new management team of Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher over arch-rivals Armagh.
The Red Hands played with directness and purpose in the final quarter to secure their first win in Division One North.
Niall Morgan saved a penalty from Stefan Campbell in the second half and, with the sides level five times in the game, Bradley’ 56th-minute goal proved to be a crucial score.
Tyrone started well, Peter Harte’s sensational goal, after some tidy teamwork, putting them five points ahead at 1-3 to 0-1 after just 10 minutes.
Darren McCurry scored 0-4 in the opening half, twice from play, before top-scoring with 0-7.
Tyrone played with a lot of urgency in those opening stages and Harte’s goal came at the end of a great team move. Padraig Hampsey broke the Armagh kickout and fed Darragh Canavan, who lobbed the ball over the top to McCurry. His fast hands slipped it to Harte, who unleashed a fierce left-footed shot into the roof of the net.
For Armagh, Jarly Og Burns fisted home a 16th-minute goal following an unselfish pass by Rian O’Neill and it was a sign of things to come as Armagh began ripping through the Tyrone defence, which was at times wide open.
Rory Grugan swivelled and blazed the ball over the bar when it easily could have been a second goal for the home side, and if Tyrone were the dominant side in the first quarter, Armagh bossed it after the half-time break.
Jemar Hall, Campbell and a monster strike from Oisin O’Neill helped them draw level four times in the second quarter though they never managed to take the lead.
Both teams were trying to patiently work the ball to a shooter. It worked for a Harte score at one end and Campbell’s point at the other, but Armagh were finding gaps.
The Tyrone subs were baying for James Morgan to be red carded for an off-the-ball punch on Harte but he picked up a yellow card and was immediately replaced; one of five first-half substitutions made by Orchard County boss Kieran McGeeney.
Paul Donaghy landed a longrange mark for Tyrone while Grugan missed a free which would have put Armagh in front just before the break. Instead, they went in level at 1-7 apiece.
Tyrone went for the jugular right at the start of the second half and thought they’d grabbed a second goal. Niall Sludden, just on at the break, hit the crossbar and Donaghy tucked home the rebound but it was ruled out for a square ball.
A superb strike from the wing into the breeze by RianO’Neill gave Armagh the lead eight minutes into the second half.
But immediately Armagh conceded the advantage when Grugan was black-carded for tripping Harte, and Donaghy pointed the free.
O’Neill threaded a clever pass into the path of Conor Turbitt, who rolled in Armagh’s second
goal after 47 minutes to put them 2-8 to 1-8 in front.
Turbitt tried to return the favour soon after, releasing Rian O’Neill, who powered into the square and was pushed in the back by Frank Burns, giving David Gough an easy decision to award a penalty.
Campbell stepped up to take it and went to Niall Morgan’s right, but the keeper saved it.
McCurry nailed a free and then scored from close to the endline to leave Tyrone ahead by a point before the second water break.
Tyrone went close to a goal straight from the throw-in at the start of the second half but were successful straight after the water break, with Bradley blasting home a second goal to put them four points ahead.
It was a crucial score in a tight game, and it took the sting out of Armagh, who faded in the last 10 minutes, with Conor Meyler’s injury-time point stretching Tyrone’s lead out to five.
ArmAgh: B Hughes; R Kennedy (B McCambridge 10), A Forker (P Burns 32), J Morgan (R McQuillan 18); C Mackin, A McKay, C O’Hanlon; N Grimley, J Og Burns (1-0); J Hall (0-1) (P Hughes 21), R O’Neill (0-1), G McCabe (C Turbitt 32); R Grugan (0-5, 3f), O O’Neill (0-1), S Campbell (0-1) (J Duffy 53).
Tyrone: N Morgan; C Munroe (M McKernan 61), R McNamee, P Hampsey, M O’Neill (R Brennan 35), M Donnelly (0-1), P Harte (1-1); F Burns, D McClure (M Cassidy 35); P Donaghy (0-4, 2f, one mark) (M Bradley 50), D McCurry (0-7, 4f), C Meyler (0-1); K McGeary (N Sludden HT), C McKenna, D Canavan (L Rafferty 60). referee: David Gough (Meath).