Tyrone 1-14 Galway 0-13:TYRONE'S IMPRESSIVE start to the season continued at Tuam Stadium yesterday when they wrapped up promotion to the top flight with their fifth successive win.
Mickey Harte’s men did not have it all their own way against Galway but they produced a very good second half to maintain their 100 per cent start to the league, without conceding a single goal so far.
But that should have changed just after half-time but Galway full-forward Paul Conroy failed to convert two gilt-edge opportunities.
The first was superbly saved by Jonathan Curran and Conroy tried to place the second chance but his low shot flew the wrong side of the right post to leave Galway boss Alan Mulholland lamenting on what might have been.
“We had traded point for point and we got a couple of good goal chances early in the second half which we didn’t convert. It was unfortunate we didn’t convert at least one of them and then of course they hit us with a sucker-punch with that goal from the penalty. That allowed them to hold on to the ball and we found it difficult to break them down after that,” said Mulholland.
Tyrone manager Mickey Harte was urging caution despite another win and he feels they still have a long way to go.
“Ultimately this game hinged on a goal. Whoever was going to get a goal was going to be in a strong position and thankfully it fell to us and we pushed on from there.
“It is still a work in progress and there is still a lot to do. There were a lot of mistakes and there is no way we will be sitting down and thinking that we are world beaters,” said Harte.
The superb Kyle Coney landed a string of magnificent points to steer Tyrone to their first league win over the Tribesmen since they were champions back in 2003.
Coney turned the screw on Galway after Peter Harte had slotted home a penalty to maintain their brilliant start to the season.
But manager Harte was livid with a red card dished out to corner-back PJ Quinn after an off-the-ball incident with veteran Galway attacker Pádraic Joyce.
“PJ Quinn says he was just pulled around and his foot hit him in the knee or somewhere, that he never kicked him or anything they are putting him down for. He is adamant that is not the case and I would well believe it. He has never got a red card in his life,” said Harte.
Harte dispatched the penalty after 42 minutes after he himself was fouled by Galway corner-back Keith Kelly. Stephen O’Neill also impressed after being introduced,
Tyrone pushed on after the goal with Coney landing three outstanding points from play to open up a 1-10 to 0-7 lead after 48 minutes. But Galway, who had won the last four league meetings with Tyrone, rallied and two points from Gary Sice and another free from Nicky Joyce gave them hope but they were unable to catch the runaway league leaders.
GALWAY: A Faherty (0-1, 45); K McGrath, F Hanley, K Kelly; G Bradshaw, D Blake, G O’Donnell (0-2); G Higgins, J Bergin; G Sice (0-3, one free), D Burke, N Coleman; N Joyce (0-4, three frees), P Conroy (0-1), D Cummins (0-1). Subs: T Flynn for Coleman, (41 mins), M Boyle for Bergin (45 mins), P Joyce (0-1, free) for Cummins (49), J Duane for Blake (59), C Bane for Burke (67).
TYRONE: J Curran; A McCrory, J McMahon, PJ Quinn; C McCarron (0-1), P Harte (1-0, pen), D McCaul; M Murphy, S Cavanagh (0-1); R McNabb, Mark Donnelly (0-1), Matt Donnelly (0-1); K Coney (0-5, one free), M Penrose (0-1, free), O Mulligan (0-3, three frees). Subs: S O’Neill (0-1) for Penrose (32); A Cassidy for Matthew Donnelly (35), N McKenna for Mark Donnelly (52); C Cavanagh for Murphy, 52; C Gormley for McCrory, 69.
Referee: E Kinsella (Laois).
