TYRONE...1-9 CORK...1-9: Something about this Tyrone performance seemed inevitable, that hearts and minds might have to drift after the emotional strains of recent weeks.
So if drawing in a dogfight with a Cork team that played their best game of the season represents that expected downturn, then clearly the All-Ireland champions won't be easily denied a third league title.
This was the game originally fixed for the Sunday after the sudden death of Tyrone captain Cormac McAnallen.
There was a reminder of that with a minute silence before the start in respect of John McCall, the Royal School Armagh rugby captain who died after being stretchered off during the Under-19 World Cup in Durban. And while Tyrone had rode out their heartbreak with wins over Mayo and Westmeath, the drain of it all had to be felt somewhere.
Yesterday in Omagh they met a Cork team who suddenly came out of their skin, playing with the sort of battling qualities that might yet make them a force come the championship. Cork knew that only a victory would keep alive their league interest and although they squandered two glorious chances at the end to do just that, a draw was the least they deserved.
The result also means Division One A is now decided, mathematical improbabilities aside, in that Tyrone and Kerry will advance to the play-offs. Those two meet in Omagh next Sunday, with Tyrone needing to lose by around 15 points - and Cork to beat Fermanagh by a similar margin - if their play-off spot is to evaporate.
"Ah no, that's it, we're gone," conceded Cork manager Billy Morgan. "We always had to win today. But I'd still put that down as an encouraging performance. And overall it's been a quite a good campaign for us, and we found the few new players that we wanted to."
Tyrone manager Mickey Harte won't come away feeling at all discouraged either. His players came across as a little weary in the first half but when they searched for that higher gear later on it was found quickly, at least temporarily.
"It's possible we just found ourselves a little tired out there," said Harte. "Things haven't been too easy for us in the last few weeks and we don't know how that might have effected us. And this was our stiffest test in a long time, so I think we did come through it quite well. And it was important not to get beaten."
The game itself grew slowly into a fireball of excitement, giving both teams the upper hand at regular intervals.
Cork, for example, hit six wides in succession before finally registering their first score on 24 minutes, the first and only free from Fionan Murray. They then closed out the half with six more points to earn themselves a 0-7 to 0-3 lead at half-time.
This after Anthony Lynch limped off injured after just four minutes, and Cork's general possession went aimlessly astray. Most teams would live to regret that sort of start against the All-Ireland champions but Tyrone themselves were having target problems, and ended the half with seven wides.
When Cork did pull clear they looked impressive. Conor McCarthy and Kevin McMahon were the providers in the half-forward line, feeding Philip Clifford, Alan Cronin and Colin Crowley, with Eoin Sexton also getting up from wing back to add two points.
Tyrone aren't used to starting the second half four points down and they quickly did something about it. A Mark Harte free started their comeback, with Gerald Cavlan and the outstanding Brian McGuigan adding two more. Owen Mulligan's only free of the day drew them level, with 10 minutes of the half gone.
A minute later a Mulligan shot came back off the post into the hands of Harte, and he finished it with a goal. Another Harte free moments later sent Tyrone 1-8 to 0-7 in front.
But there was fire left in this Cork team, quickly fanned by the arrival of Ciarán O'Sullivan, who acted as a third midfielder. His goal on 55 minutes put a fresh spin on the game.
O'Sullivan's first free then balanced out a fine Cavlan score, so Tyrone led by the just the point with the clock run down. Up stepped O'Sullivan for a second free to wipe out that advantage, and so begun the hectic three minutes of added time.
Cork won everything at midfield, but two clear-cut chances - a sweeping low point kick from McCarthy and a one-on-one goal chance for Murray - both spun narrowly wide.
TYRONE: P McConnell; R McMenamin, C Gourley, M McGee; B Donnelly, G Devlin, P Jordan (0-1); K Hughes, G Cavlan (0-2); B Dooher, B McGuigan (0-2), S O'Neill (0-1); M Harte (1-2, two frees), O Mulligan (0-1, free), E McGinley. Subs: S Cavanagh for McGee (63 mins).
CORK: K O'Dwyer; S O'Brien, G Canty, N O'Leary; E Sexton (0-2), A Lynch, M Cronin; D Hurley, M O'Sullivan; K McMahon, C McCarthy (0-1), A Cronin (0-1); P Clifford (0-1), F Murray (0-1, free), C Crowley (0-1). Subs: G Murphy for Lynch (4 mins, inj), J Miskella for O'Leary (42 mins, inj), C O'Sullivan (1-2, two frees) for Clifford (47 mins), N Murphy for M O'Sullivan (54 mins), C Brosnan for Crowley (66 mins).
Referee: S McCormack (Meath).
