All-Ireland champions Tyrone are right in the mix for a NFL Division 1 semi-final spot despite a less than convincing 0-12 to 0-08 win over Cork at Healy Park today.
In their re-fixed tie, the Red Hands kicked seven wides in the opening 25 minutes but regrouped, with 2005 captain Brian Dooher - in his first start of the season - leading them to a fourth straight win of the league run.
Mickey Harte’s men will certainly have momentum on their side when they face table toppers Mayo in next Sunday’s final round in Castlebar. A two-point win against the westerners would be enough to see them into the semi-finals.
Although failing to fire on all cylinders, Tyrone still led by 0-05 to 0-02 at the interval this afternoon. Martin Penrose, who kicked two points in the first half, opened the scoring in the fourth-minute. James Masters replied for the Rebels before Tyrone midfielder Sean Cavanagh blazed through on 15 minutes for the first of his two first half points.
Masters kicked a free four minutes later, but Dooher, from 35 yards out, Cavanagh and Penrose landed the next three scores for Tyrone to give them their break buffer.
Cork, minus the steadying presence of Anthony Lynch, did well to reduce the deficit to two points – 0-05 to 0-07 – early in the second half, but that was as close as Billy Morgan’s men got. Masters and David Niblock (0-02) kicked their initial scores.
Tyrone’s Stephen O’Neill hit his sixth wide – he surprisingly kicked five in the first half – before he got his shooting boots on. The 2005 All-Star mustered a hat trick of second half overs to push his side further in front. His first came after 49 minutes.
Joe McMahon (0-02), Ryan Mellon and Collie Holmes also raised white flags for the 2003 league winners in the closing 20 minutes. Centre half back McMahon’s scores were well worth the admission fee as he hared forward and pointed off his left and right side from 30 to 40 yards out.
There was little comeback from Cork, who, off the back of their fourth defeat, will travel to Monaghan next week needing a win to stay out of the basement battle.
