Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
TY IS THE LIMIT
Red Hands battle back from first half deficit to reach the semi-finals
A STORMING third quarter scoring spree rescued Tyrone’s season as they turned the tables on Cork.
Trailing by five points at half-time having been rocked by two Cork goals, a blast of 2-2 without reply in the space of four minutes shortly after half-time completely turned the game on its head.
Cork steadied themselves after that shock to stay on Tyrone’s shoulder all the way to the end and twice drew level but the Red Hands’ experience told in the end with Mattie Donnelly in particular outstanding in the second half.
The result condemns Cork to a dead rubber tie with Roscommon in a fortnight’s time while Tyrone welcome Dublin to Omagh in another pairing where there will be little at stake.
Though played in front of a paltry Croke Park crowd, the game sprang to life within 14 seconds of the throw-in, enough time for Luke Connolly to leave the ball nestling in the Tyrone net.
Some quick hands from Brian Hurley, Mattie Taylor and Ian Maguire allowed Cork to get in behind the Tyrone defence and Connolly finished emphatically to give the Rebels a tonic start.
From there, Cork dictated the terms of engagement and the patience in their build-up play reaped further rewards in the 19th minute when James Loughrey hit their second goal.
Loughrey was withdrawn from the published line-up with Stephen Cronin starting in his place though he was introduced for a presumably injured Tomas Clancy in the 12th minute.
Ruairi Deane was the critical link for the Belfastman’s goal, releasing him with a well-timed handpass and though Loughrey had options left and right, he arrowed his shot well beyond
Morgan and into the
Tyrone keeper’s top right-hand corner to put Cork seven up.
Scoring chances were few with both teams aping each other and flooding their own half of the field when not in possession. Cork’s only other score from play in the first was a point from wing-back Taylor.
Tyrone closed out the half with two Peter Harte points, one of them a free, to trail by 2-4 to 0-5 at the break though Mickey Harte’s side badly needed to start making things happening in the second half to salvage their campaign.
To that end, the manager made three half-time substitutions with Richie Donnelly, Padraig Hampsey and Michael Cassidy introduced, though Cork quickly stretched
their lead to six with a Sean White point. They wouldn’t score for another nine minutes.
Cathal McShane palmed Tyrone’s opening goal to the net and with McShane and Peter Harte frees either side of that, Cork’s lead was down to a point.
It was wiped out when Harte slotted a penalty in the 46th minute after Taylor felled Niall Sludden as he lined up a goal effort.
Cork got some impetus from their bench and particularly Michael Hurley, who hit 0-4 after being introduced in the 52 minute. After Connolly had blazed wide with a goal chance that would have put Cork back in front, Hurley twice drew them level and it was 2-9 apiece with nine minutes of normal time remaining.
But points from Mattie Donnelly, Harte and Tiernan McCann gave Tyrone some breathing space and they held out from there, McShane making sure with a free deep in injury time.