Sport

Tyrone still firing an all cylinders

Dr McKenna Cup Section C/Tyrone 4-9 St Mary's 1-9: Tyrone made it two wins from two in the Dr McKenna Cup when a first-half …

Mon Jan 16 2006 - 00:00

Dr McKenna Cup Section C/Tyrone 4-9 St Mary's 1-9: Tyrone made it two wins from two in the Dr McKenna Cup when a first-half goal rush saw off the challenge of St Mary's at Coalisland. Ryan Mellon (2), Seán Cavanagh and Tommy McGuigan all found the net after Conor Gardener had scored an early goal for the students.

Gardener gave St Mary's a perfect start with a goal after just four minutes, but Tyrone were back in business four minutes later when Mellon finished to the net from close range.

Cavanagh finished off a move started deep in defence by Dermot Carlin with a second goal, and McGuigan celebrated his first Tyrone start with a strike to the roof of the net.

The All-Ireland champions showed no mercy, driving home the advantage with a stoppage-time goal, a second for Mellon.

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They led by 4-6 to 1-3 at the break, and while they failed to maintain the tempo, there was never any danger Tyrone's grip on the McKenna Cup was going to be prised away by St Mary's.

The student side did trouble their opposition, however, narrowing the gap with scores from Martin Murray and Leo Meenan, while substitute Jason Brown drilled two 45s over the bar.

After Colm Donnelly, Martin Penrose and Stephen O'Neill had kept Tyrone's lead intact, the students produced points from Brown and Brendan Byrne.

Tyrone and Donegal will now go head-to-head for a place in the semi-final when they meet at Ballybofey next Sunday.

Yesterday, in Burren, Donegal defeated Down by 0-11 to 1-7.

TYRONE: J Devine; D Carlin, S Sweeney, M McGee; B Boggs, P Quinn, B Donnelly; B Meenan, C Holmes; T McGuigan (1-0), S Cavanagh (1-1), C Donnelly (0-1); M Penrose (0-2), S O'Neill (0-3, three frees), R Mellon (2-2). Subs: C Gourley for McGee, R Mulgrew for Cavanagh, A McCarron for Mellon.

ST MARY'S: M O'Kane, J Ball, J McMahon, T Hackett, M McCullagh, D Gordon, M Murray (0-1), C Martin, J Lavery, L Meenan (0-1, free), B McGoldrick (0-1), R Keenan (0-2, 1 free), G O'Neill, M Donnelly, C Gardener (1-0). Subs: J Brown (0-3, three 45s) for Gordon, D Coulter for Ball, B Byrne (0-1) for Gardener.

Referee: L Smyth (Down).