Sligo 0-14 Tyrone 0-21
By Daragh Small
Darren McCurry kicked eight points as Tyrone gained revenge against Sligo for their shock 2002 All-Ireland SFC Round 4 qualifier defeat with a 0-21 to 0-14 win over the Yeats County at Croke Park.
When these sides met 13 years ago at headquarters, an Eamonn O’Hara-inspired Sligo provided the shock of the championship, but this was no repeat.
McCurry was the star for the northerners, but they never had to go through the gears as their blanket defence prevented Sligo ever getting going.
Mickey Harte’s men move into their tenth All-Ireland quarter-final in 13 years.
They led 0-12 to 0-06 at half-time and despite a slight Sligo resurgence, Tyrone showed their class.
Sligo defender Ross Donovan prevented the scoreline being more lob-sided two late blocks.
At stages in the first half, Tyrone had 15 men in their own half and Colm Cavanagh swept up most of the ball that came by the Sligo full-forward line.
But ultimately it was the extra bit of class in the Tyrone front six that made the difference in the first half.
McCurry kicked them into a fourth-minute lead with a free.
David Kelly slotted Sligo’s reply when he was set up by Stephen Gilmartin, but that was the only time the sides were level.
Matty Donnelly ensured Tyrone regained their initiative and when he sent over his second in the 12thminute Tyrone had a 0-06 to 0-02 lead.
Cian Breheny replied via Hawk-Eye but Sligo couldn’t live with Tyrone in the final third and their full-forward Pat Hughes was being starved of possession.
McCurry ended the first half with five points but it was the Trojan work of Rory Brennan that provided the opportunities.
Brennan got his name of the scoreboard in the 20th minute and Sean Cavanagh contributed two points as they built up a 0-12 to 0-06 half-time lead.
Sligo had a mini-revival after the break when points from Adrian Marren and Mark Breheny brought them to within four points of their rivals.
But Tyrone never seemed fazed and hit back as McCurry restored their half-time lead.
Sligo didn’t have the legs in the final quarter and lacked ideas as McCurry added to his tally.
Tyrone: N Morgan (0-01f); R McNabb, R McNamee, A McCrory; Joe McMahon, T McCann, R Brennan (0-01); C Cavanagh (0-01), M Donnelly (0-03); S Cavanagh (0-03), P Harte (0-01), C Meyler; D McCurry (0-08, 0-03f, 1 ’45), M Bradley (0-02), C McAliskey (0-01)
Subs: C McCann for Meyler (49), P McNulty for Bradley (58), Justin McMahon for Joe McMahon, D McBride for C Cavanagh (63), R O’Neill for McAliskey (63), C Clarke for Donnelly (68)
Sligo: A Devaney; R Donovan, K Cawley, D Maye; N Murphy (0-01), E Flanagan, B Egan; C Breheny (0-01), S Gilmartin; N Ewing, M Breheny (0-06, 0-03f), B Curran; D Kelly (0-01), P Hughes (0-03), A Marren (0-02, 0-02f)
Subs: K McDonnell for C Breheny (34), J Hynes for Gilmartin (56), C Davey for Ewing (58), L Bree for Maye (63), K Sweeney for Hughes (69)
Referee: Rory Hickey (Clare)
