Anton Tohill, Derry, and Brian Kennedy, Tyrone, contest the throw-in at O'Neill's Healy Park. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Allianz Football League Division One
Tyrone 2-13 (2-1-11) Derry 1-9 (1-1-7)
By Francis Mooney at O'Neill's Healy Park
Malachy O’Rourke is off to a winning start with Tyrone, who made a flying finish to their Ulster derby clash with Derry to win by seven at O’Neills Healy Park.
The sides were level going down the straight, but a 1-4 blast in the closing 10 minutes saw the Red Hands over the line with plenty to spare.
And with the Errigal Ciaran contingent due back in a couple of weeks, new boss will be more than happy with the manner in which his side is shaping up.
The teams managed just one two-pointer each, Brendan Rogers landing the first score from outside the 40 metre arc early on, and the contest had slipped into stoppage time at the end of the second half when Tyrone’s Darren McCurry hit the target from beyond.
That early press from the Oak Leafers gave way to a half bossed by a lively Red Hand side that made little of the strong wind blowing in their faces.
They bossed the opposition kick-out, with Brian Kennedy seizing on to Odhran Lynch’s long restarts, and with Tyrone goalkeeper Niall Morgan pressing into Derry territory almost constantly, they stretched a defence that was cominbg under increasing pressure.
Wing back Michael McKernan was a perpetual attacking force, kicking his side’s opening point, before two stars of last year’s All-Ireland U20 winning side, Ronan Cassidy and Shea O’Hare, also hit the target.
Derry’s indiscipline saw them suffer a 50 metre free kick penalty on three occasions, one of which Darren McCurry converted from 13 metres for a 0-4 to 0-3 lead by the 23rd minute.
And they crafted a couple of goal chances, McCurry rifling a shot into the side netting, before a Kennedy effort was deflected over for a point by ‘keeper Lynch.
Tyrone did hit the net in the 31st minute, McKernan’s polished finish capping another surging run, and now they led by four.
McGuigan and Conor Glass were at the heart of the Dery response which led to scores from Shane McGuigan and Ciaran McFaul, but Tyrone’s strong finish to the half saw Niall Devlin ease them into a 1-7 to 0-6 interval lead.
But Conor Glass set the game alight with a superb goal inside 90 seconds of the restart, smashing his shot to the roof of the net from Antron Tohill’s assist.
Rogers was the beating heart of Derry’s strong resurgence, and it was looking positive for them when Shane McGuigan brought the sides level.
Tyrone were struggling to contain the runners from deep, but some strong defending quelled the revival, and Mattie Donnelly fisted them back into the lead on 50 minutes.
Derry responded strongly, with a McGuigan brace regaining the lead, which they held going into the final 10 minutes.
But a turbo-charged Red Hand finish saw them hit 1-4 without reply to send their neighbours from across the Sperrins home empty-handed.
Morgan’s delightful pass sent Ciaran Daly away, and his cross to the far post was scrambled over the line by Peter Teague.
Substitute Eoin McElholm chipped in with a couple of scores, with McCurry hitting a two-pointer late on to make it a positive management debut for new boss O’Rourke.
Scorers for Tyrone: M McKernan 1-2, P Teague 1-0, D McCurry 0-3 (1 2pt), M Donnelly, E McElholm 0-2 each, B Kennedy, S O’Hare, N Devlin, R Cassidy (f) 0-1 each.
Scorers for Derry: C Glass 1-0, S McGuigan 0-4 (2fs), B Rogers 0-2 (1 2pt), P Cassidy, C McFaul, E Doherty 0-1 each.
Tyrone: N Morgan; A Clarke, P Teague, N Devlin; M McKernan, F Burns, S O’Hare; B Kennedy, L Gray; S O’Donnell, K McGeary, C Daly; D McCurry, M Donnelly, R Cassidy.
Subs: C Kilpatrick for Gray (47) E McElholm for Cassidy (47), R Brennan for Burns (58), B Cullen for O’Hare (66), M Bradley for Donnelly (70).
Derry: O Lynch; D Baker, E McEvoy, D Gilmore; C Doherty, B Rogers, D Cassidy; C Glass, A Tohill; E Doherty, C McFaul, P Cassidy; N Toner, S McGuigan, L Murray.
Subs: B McCarron for McFaul (43), C Murphy for Toner (53), C McGrogan for P Cassidy (66), M Doherty for D Cassidy (66).
Referee: D Coldrick (Meath).
