Tyrone 0-10 Fermanagh 0-04

Fermanagh lost by six points to Tyrone at Healy Park tonight although it was only in the latter stages of the game that the Red Hands pulled away.

For the most part this was a dour affair with the sides sharing four points in the first half.

Fermanagh had defended in numbers and made life difficult for Tyrone throughout, Mickey Harte’s side taking 44 minutes to land their first point from play.

Tyrone though hit the last five points of the game to seal the win and leave Fermanagh without a win in the competition.

Fermanagh looked a lot more solid defensively right from the off than they had on Sunday against Derry as they restricted the Tyrone attack throughout the first half, the Red Hands relying on two Peter Harte frees for their scores in the opening period.

Indeed, there was little for the crowd to get excited about over the course of the opening 35 minutes. Tyrone enjoyed the greater possession but they were unable to break down the Fermanagh defence and when Fermanagh turned over the ball they were content to retain possession among their backline.

Rory Gallagher though will feel that his side should have gone in at half time in front with the away side having missed a couple of good chances to add to their tally when they did push forward.

Fermanagh did land the opening point of the game through a good effort from Aidan Breen after seven minutes but there was to be another 14 minutes until the next score with Harte opening Tyrone’s account from a free in the 21st minute.

Both sides fell foul of the hand-pass rule, Fermanagh on four occasions in the first half and Tyrone twice while the pair kicked four wides apiece.

Fermanagh edged back in front as Conall Jones fired over following a strong run from the excellent Ryan Jones but Tyrone hit back to level in the 37th minute through Harte’s second free of the game.

Fermanagh moved back ahead as Kane Connor knocked over the first score of the second half, this coming after goalkeeper Thomas Treacy had pulled off a fine save to deny Ronan O'Neill, but Tyrone hit back straight away with another Harte free before the Red Hands registered their first score from play in the 44th minute through David Mulgrew.

When Ciaran McLaughlin quickly followed up with a fine point from the right it pushed Tyrone into a 0-05 to 0-03 lead.

Fermanagh did cut the gap back to one with a Garvan Jones free but Conan Grugan tapped over for the Red Hands and Niall Morgan converted a free from the left to make it 0-07 to 0-04.

Fermanagh finished the game with 13 players after they lost Ryan Jones and Conall Jones who were both sent to the sin bin late on and points from HP McGeary and Peter Harte (2) saw Tyrone put the game to bed as they made it six point game at the finish, 0-10 to 0-04.

Tyrone

N Morgan (0-01, 1f); L Rafferty, HP McGeary (0-01), C McLaughlin (0-01); B McDonnell, R Brennan, P Harte (0-05, 5f); C Grugan (0-01), B Kennedy; N Sludden, C McCann, R Gray; D Mulgrew (0-01), C McShane, R O’Neill

Subs - K Coney for Gray, D Canavan for Sludden, R Sludden for Mulgrew, D McClure for Grugan, A McCrory for McDonnell

Fermanagh

T Treacy; J Cassidy, C McManus, K Connor (0-01); U Kelm, J McMahon, L Cullen; T Clarke, R Jones; A Breen (0-01), K McDonnell, D Teague; C Corrigan, C Jones (0-01), C McGee

Subs - R Lyons for Teague, G Jones (0-01, 1f) for McDonnell, D McGurn for Clarke, C Flaherty for McGee, S McGullion for McMahon