By Declan Bogue
[score]
[team1]Tyrone[/team1][score1]1-10[/score1]
[team2]Dublin[/team2][score2]1-7[/score2]
[/score]
An outrageous night for a game of football finished with a cracking Rory Brennan goal as Tyrone wiped out Dublin’s unbeaten start under Dessie Farrell.
Tyrone were desperate to put the timbering in Tuam behind them, the clearest sign of their appetite for this coming in Peter Harte’s decision to leave the wedding of his sister to fellow county team mate Aidan McCrory to play.
Scores were scarce but Dublin got off to a great start with a goal from Colm Basquel after he won a tussle for the ball on the ground and fastened onto a lovely flighted pass from Brian Howard to thrash past Tyrone goalkeeper Niall Morgan.
However, Tyrone settled to their task better, turning over Dublin eight times in their own 45 metre zone. While a shot from Darren McCurry fell short and another goalbound effort from Liam Rafferty stuck in the mud, they made inroads on the scoreboard by carrying close in to the posts and slipping over efforts from Conor Meyler and Rory Brennan.
The sides traded scores all the way down the stretch, level six times in total, before Brennan got on the end of a move to lash home with not enough time for Dublin to rescue things.
Scorers for Tyrone: N Morgan (0-4f), R Brennan (1-1), P Harte (0-2), L Rafferty, C Meyler (0-1 each), D McCurry (0-1f)
Scorers for Dublin: D Rock (0-4f), C Basquel (1-0), B Fenton, C O’Shea, N Scully (0-1 each)
TYRONE: N Morgan; M Cassidy, R McNamee, L Rafferty; M McKernan, R Brennan, M O’Neill; C Cavanagh, P Hampsey; F Burns, N Sludden, D McCurry; P Harte, B Kennedy, C Meyler
Subs: B McDonnell for Kennedy (HT), T McCann for O’Neill (45m), K Coney for Sludden (61m), R O’Neill for McKernan (65m), N Kelly for Hampsey (70m)
DUBLIN: E Comerford; M Fitzsimons; E O’Brien, D Byrne; E Murchan, B Howard, C O’Shea; B Fenton, J McCarthy; C Basquel, S Bugler, N Scully; P Mannion, C Kilkenny, D Rock
Subs: J McCaffrey for O’Brien (HT), K McManamon for Bugler (45m), J Small for Fitzsimons (49m), C Costello for Basquel (61m), A Byrne for McCaffrey (65m)
Referee: Cormac Reilly (Meath)