By Eoghan Cormican, at Semple Stadium
Tyrone 0-19 Tipperary 0-7
Tyrone squeezed the life out of Tipperary today, to book their place in Monday morning’s fourth round football qualifier draw.
Colm Cavanagh, Tyrone, in action against Michael Quinlivan and Brian Fox, left, Tipperary. Picture: Sportsfile
With the minimum separating the teams at the break (0-7 to 0-6), Tyrone ground down their opponents in the third quarter to move slowly and comfortably out of reach.
Tipperary simply were not allowed express themselves at the change of ends, the Tyrone wall of defence pushing out to the 45-metre line as Tipperary ran out of ideas and, indeed, steam.
Dangermen Darren McCurry and Connor McAliskey kicked the opening two scores of the second period and the noose was tightened between the 46th and 54th minutes, Mattie Donnelly, McCurry (0-2) and McAliskey stretching the gap out to 0-13 to 0-6. From there was there no road back for the Premier County.
The home outfit would kick but one score in the entire second-half, Kevin O’Halloran landing his fourth free on 66 minutes.
With the result long having been decided, Tyrone poured forward at their ease in the closing stages – midfielder Mattie Donnelly kicking three fine points.
The northerners had enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges as Tipperary struggled to deal with the mass wall of white jerseys they were confronted with each time they broke inside the opposition 45-metre line.
Colon McAliskey (0-1 free) and Darren McCurry (two frees) punished both the indiscipline and at times sloppy nature of the home defence, while Sean Cavanagh also contributed.
Kevin O’Halloran kicked Tipperary’s opener after nine minutes and as Peter Creedon’s charges grew into proceedings, they were far more effective in puncturing holes in the Tyrone defence.
Robbie Kiely and Michael Quinlivan both nailed the target from play, with O’Halloran landing a second placed ball.
A second Tyrone burst moved the visitors back into a three-point lead, Peter Harte tallying their first white flags in 11 minutes of action. Sean Cavanagh had his second after fantastic play by McCurry on the Ryan Stand sideline to hold up play as they heavy artillery filed forward.
Peter Harte’s second on 26 minutes was their last of the half, with Tipperary finishing the stronger.
Kevin O’Halloran landed two further frees and there was the opportunity of a goal were it not for indecisiveness on the part of Robbie Kiely.
The second-half, as noted, was massively one-sided, Tyrone outscoring their opponents by 0-12 to 0-1.
Scorers for Tyrone: D McCurry (0-5, 0-3 frees); C McAliskey (0-5, 0-3 frees); S Cavanagh, M Donnelly (0-3 each); P Harte (0-2); C McCann (0-1).
Scorers for Tipperary: K O’Halloran (0-5, 0-4 frees); M Quinlivan, R Kiely (0-1 each).
Tipperary: E Comerford; A Campbell, P Codd, C McDonald; S Kennedy, R Kiely, B Fox; C O’Riordan, P Acheson; G Mulhair, S O’Brien, P Austin, C Sweeney, M Quinlivan, K O’Halloran.
Subs: J Lonergan for Sweeney (40 mins), L Casey for O’Brien (54), J Feehan for McDonald (58, bc), B Grogan for Austin (60), B Mulvihill for O’Riordan (65), C O’Shaughnessy for Mulhair (66)
Tyrone: N Morgan; A McCrory, R McNamee, C McCarron; R McMahon, J McMahon, T McCann; C Cavanagh, M Donnelly; C Meyler, P Harte, M Bradley; D McCurry, S Cavanagh, C McAliskey.
Subs: C McCann for McCurry (52), B Tierney for Meyler (57), R O’Neill for Bradley (61), C Clarke for C Cavanagh (61), P McNulty for Harte (64), C McShane for McAliskey (67).
Referee: D Gough (Meath).