TYRONE manager Mickey Harte has hit out at Mayo defender Lee Keegan for “enticing” Sean Cavanagh into the incident that led to the first of his two yellow cards in today’s All-Ireland quarter-final.
Advertisement
Both sides started the game nervously as they tried to feel each other out in the opening few minutes and neither side was able to register a score with their first opportunities dropping them short into the keepers arms.
Tyrone were behind at that stage but McAliskey converted a free and Harte finished sweetly to put Tyrone in front.
Tyrone had two excellent chances to level the game as first Niall Morgan kicked a free from 50 yards just wide and then seconds later McCurry pushed an effort from out near the left sideline just right of the target.
Keegan’s point, and his second of the game, was to prove the winning score but Mayo supporters had their hearts in their mouths as Tyrone nearly snook in twice to level it after some careless passing out of the Mayo defence, only to fire wide, while a late free by their goalkeeper also drifted wide of the target as Mayo March on to a semi-final date with Tipperary on August 21.
Tyrone had named the same team which beat Donegal in the Ulster provincial decider nearly three weeks ago, but Mayo manager Stephen Rochford recalled Diarmuid O’Connor, while Jason Doherty and Alan Dillon were late additions to the starting line-up.
Mayo immediately retook the lead thanks to the free from Cillian O’Connor.
Kevin McLoughlin was hugely industrious, while Cillian O’Connor slotted two points from play to go with a brace of frees.
O’Connor danced through for a delightful score, but Peter Harte had the sides level for the fourth time as he stroked over a 13-metre free. Peter Harte responded with his third of the day to but Mayo hit three without reply.
Cavanagh picked up a second yellow card for a high challenge on Aidan O’Shea, forcing referee David Gough to remove him. Tyrone weren’t going away though and two McAliskey points had them level once more with 20 minutes to go.
However, it was that injury-time point from Boyle which ensured parity at the break.
They play Tipperary on August 21.
Subs: T Parsons (0-01) for Dillon (h-t), C O’Shea for Vaughan (54), C Barrett for Boyle (57), E Regan for Moran (61), C Loftus for Doherty (65), S Coen for D O’Connor (68).
Tyrone: N Morgan, A McCrory, R McNamee, C McCarron, T McCann, J McMahon, R McNabb, C Cavanagh, M Donnelly (0-03), C McShane, N Sludden (0-01), P Harte (0-04, 2f), C McAliskey (0-0-2, 2 frees), S Cavanagh, R O’Neill (0-01, f).
Advertisement
Referee: D Gough (Meath).
