Tyrone blow Fermanagh away in second half

Mark Conway • Published 22 Jan 2012 17:37

Fermanagh 1-04 Tyrone 2-12

Fermanagh exited the McKenna Cup at the semi-final stage when a strong second half showing from Tyrone simply blew the Fermanagh challenge out of the water.

A superb Owen Mulligan goal in the 56th minute of this game was the crucial score although Fermanagh had battled well to that point, leading by two points at half-time and missing a couple of goal opportunities.

A Seamus Quigley goal in the first half had threatened an upset but the star of the Fermanagh attack did not come out for the second half due to a first half injury and with, Tyrone showing their extra degree of quality, they pulled away in the final 15 minutes to win easily by 11 points.

Peter Canavan and his team, though, will have benefited from these two outings against the Division One quality of Tyrone with promotion from Division Four more important. He will know more about his team following this game and all roads now lead to London.

The first half started slowly with wides from either side, three from Tyrone and one from Fermanagh in the opening ten minutes before Sean Quigley opened the scoring with a fine point from the right as he picked up a good ball from Brian Og Maguire in the 12th minute.

The game remained a tad slow in the opening quarter and Tyrone levelled the game when Ciaran Gervin ran through the middle unopposed to make it 0-01 to 0-01.

Fermanagh were enjoying plenty of possession around the middle with Tyrone employing PJ Quinn as a sweeper which made it difficult for Fermanagh to connect with their inside as the Red Hands doubled teamed the dangerous Seamus Quigley.

Kyle Coney missed as an easy free in front of the posts to sum up the opening quarter before the game did spring into life somewhat.

Kane Connor found James Sherry in space 30 metres from goal and he pointed with ease to edge Fermanagh in front at 0-02 to 0-01.

Fermanagh then found the net when Sean Quigley did really well down the right to win a sideline which he took himself. He played it into the edge of square and that man Seamie Quigley rose above Conor Quigley to punch the ball to the net and make it 1-02 to 0-01.

This was Quigley's third goal in four games and gave the Ernemen a deserved advantage.

The game needed a goal and it livened up thereafter.

Kyle Coney slotted over a free to leave it 1-02 to 0-02 but Fermanagh soon engineered another goal chance when Conor Quigley broke well out of defence aand good ball to Seamie flicks to Sean but his low shot was saved at full length by Pascal McConnell.

A minute before the break, Tyrone pulled a point back when a good diagonal ball found Kyle Coney who offloaded to Mulligan who pointed with ease to make it 1-02 to 0-03 at the break.

Seamus Quigley who pulled up with a hamstring injury in the first half did not make it out for the second half as Canavan made three substitutions in all, Paul Ward, Tomas Corrigan and Mark Little all coming into the fray.

Tyrone came out all guns blazing at the start of the second half and within five minutes had turned the two point half time deficit into a one point lead.

They visibly upped the pace and Mark Donnelly, Martin Penrose and Ronan O'Neil quickly making it 1-02 to 0-06.

A super point from Conor Quigley from 40 metres then levelled the game at 1-03 to 0-06 and with Fermanagh battling well Tomas Corrigan was denied what looked a certain free on the 14 metre line. To add insult to injury, Tyrone then won a free close in themselves and Coney converted to edge them in front again after 47 minutes.

Ronan O'Neill then increased the Tyrone adavantage to 0-08 to 1-03 with another free as Fermanagh started to concede a few scoreable frees.

Tyrone then pretty much sealed the game with that goal from Mulligan as he finished in typical fashion blasting the ball to the roof of the net to make it 1-08 to 1-03 with 14 minutes remaining.

The teams then exchanged points, O'Neill for Tyrone and Paul Ward converting a free for Fermanagh but there was no way back for a Fermanagh forward line shorn of the services of Quigley as the focal point of the attack.

Two points from Tyrone sub Michael Murphy and a goal and a two points from Omagh teenager Ronan O'Neill glossed the Tyrone win as they set up their place in the decider against Derry next Saturday evening in Armagh.

For Fermanagh, it will be London next and a winning start to the National League which will be required.

This was a big defeat in the end but it will have served a purpose in terms of preparation nonetheless.

Reaction and interviews to this defeat in Thursday's Impartial Reporter.

Teams

Femanagh Chris Snow, Niall Bogue, Barry Owens, John Woods, Conor Quigley (0-01), Ryan McCluskey, Barry Mulrone, Eoin Donnelly, Paul Cosgrove, James Sherry (0-01), Eamon Maguire, Daryl Keenan, Seamus Quigley (1-00) , Sean Quigley (0-01), Brian Og Maguire

Subs Mark Little for Cosgrove, Tomas Corrigan for Seamus Quigley, Paul Ward (0-01f) for Maguire, Damian Kelly for Mulrone, Liam Lynch for Connor

Tyrone Pascal McConnell, Aidan McCrory, Conor Clarke, PJ Quinn, Cathal McCarron, Peter Harte, Justin McMahon, Niall McKenna, Colm Cavanagh, Ciaran Gervin (0-01), Kyle Coney (0-02), Patrick McNiece, Owen Mulligan (1-01), Mark Donnelly (0-01), Ronan O'Neill (1-04)

Martin Penrose (0-01) for McNiece, Joe McMahon for Gervin, Sean O'Neill for Justin McMahon, Stephen O'Neill for Coney. Michael Murphy (0-02) for Cavanagh

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