Fermanagh rally but Tyrone hold on

Gareth Cauldwell • Published 19 Jan 2012 11:30

Tyrone 0-13; Fermanagh 1-07

Despite a gallant second half performance, Peter Canavan suffered his first defeat as Fermanagh manager as they slipped to a three point loss to Tyrone in Omagh last night.

However, Fermanagh have still made it through to the semi-final of the Power NI Dr. McKenna Cup as the best runner up where they will again meet Mickey Harte's Tyrone, the game taking place this Sunday (3.45pm) as part of a double header in the Morgan Athlteic Grounds, Armagh.

It looked as if Tyrone legend Canavan's homecoming was going to turn into a nightmare as Tyrone ominously powered their way into a 0-10 to 0-01 half time lead. But there must have been stern words in the Erne dressing-room at half time as it was a much improved display from Fermanagh after the break.

This was aided by the introduction of key forward Seamus Quigley who rattled over five points in the second half and brought a different dimension to the Fermanagh attack that had been missing in the first half.

In the end though Fermanagh had left themselves just too much to do and Canavan will be hoping that his side take their second half performance and repeat it for the full 70 minutes when the two sides in Armagh.

Fermanagh did have an early goal chance in the game when Sean Quigley collected a high ball from James Sherry but his effort was saved by the feet of John Devine in the Tyrone goals.

The Red Hands soon began to take control of matters and with Stephen O'Neill in magical form in the first half they raced into a 0-03 to 0-00 lead. O'Neill landed two of the opening points while midfielder Colm Cavanagh, who was also prominent in the opening period, clipped over a score.

Fermanagh finally got off the mark through a Daniel Kille free but it was Tyrone who went on to dominate the remainder of the half with Fermanagh struggling to deal with the greater physical strength of the home side.

Tyrone rattled over a further six unanswered points during the half with O'Neill, McGuigan and Mattie Donnelly on target and Fermanagh looked in serious trouble.

The arrival of Quigley though brought more purpose to Fermanagh's play and he was quickly off the mark, landing a free while Devine pulled off a good double save to deny both Eamon Maguire and Quigley.

Conor Quigley was to fire over for Fermanagh and Seamus Quigley rattled over a number of frees as well as a wonderful point from play from the right hand side.

And with Sean Quigley bagging the Fermanagh goal, tucking away after Paul Ward's initial shot came back off the crossbar, it saw Fermanagh really making a game of it asd the battled back to within two points at one stage.

Fermanagh though were to lose captain Ryan McCluskey after he picked up a second yellow card and when Peter Harte knocked over a late '45 it assured Tyrone of victory.

Tyrone

J. Devine; A. McCrory, C. McCarron, PJ Quinn; Sean. O'Neill, P. Harte (0-01, 1'45), D. Carlin; M. Murphy, (0-02) C. Cavanagh (0-02); P. Hughes (0-01), M. Penrose, M. Donnelly (0-01); T. McGuigan (0-01, 1f), Stephen O'Neill (0-05, 2f), J. Lafferty.

Subs - D. McCaul for Carlin, K. Coney for Donnelly, O. Mulligan for Penrose, S. McNulty for McGuigan.

Fermanagh

R. Gallagher; N. Bogue, B. Owens, J. Woods; C. Quigley (0-01), R. McCluskey, N. McElroy; E. Donnelly, S. Lyons; J. Sherry, D. Keenan, E. Maguire; P. Ward, D. Kille (0-01, 1f), Sean Quigley (1-00).

Subs - B. Mulrone for Lyons, Seamus Quigley (0-05, 4f) for Kille, T. Corrigan for McEroy, L. Lynch for Maguire, R. Keenan for Ward.

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This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 19 Jan 12

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