A first League win over Donegal since 2018 saw Tyrone get their campaign going with a much-needed victory at O'Neills Healy Park, leading from start to finish for their first Division One points of 2023.
A convincing eight-points success came as something of a relief for a Red Hand side struggling to emerge from post-All-Ireland malaise which has lingered since their 2021 Sam Maguire Cup triumph.
Darren McCurry’s seven points haul steered the home side through this comfortable outing which saw them lead from start to finish, with Donegal never looking comfortable in their defensive, breakaway approach.
Ciaran McGeary found the incisive passes to send Darragh Canavan and Brian Kennedy in for early scores, and Darren McCurry made it three as they picked holes in a packed Donegal defence.
The visitors, with the wind at their backs, were restricted to breakaway raids, but used wind assistance to send over long range points off the boots of Jamie Brennan and Jeaic McKelvey.
The Red Hands pressed Shaun Patton’s kick-outs to claim aerial ball through the towering Kennedy and Conn Kilpatrick, but the Donegal 'keeper produced a brilliant long restart to pick out Caolan McGonagle, who linked with skipper Paddy McBrearty to send Conor O’Donnell in to hit the target.
And Donegal had a glorious goal chance as the ball landed in McKelvey’s hands off the woodwork as O’Donnell attempted a fisted effort, but his shot was cleared off the line by Kennedy.
However, Tyrone displayed creativity in attack, with Darragh Canavan’s defence-splitting assist sending Cormac Munroe in to score.
However, the game slowed to pedestrian pace at times as the Red Hands held possession unopposed inside their own half as they assessed the options against a 15-man Donegal defence.
Tyrone turned around with a 0-06 to 0-03 lead, which stretched to four as McCurry floated over his third placed ball conversion, but they had to remain alert at the back as O’Donnell sent Jason McGee in to have a crack at goal, but the effort was safely dealt with by Niall Morgan.
Cathal McShane and Canavan added scores, forcing Donegal, now six behind, to commit more players forward.
They pulled back a point through O’Donnell, but space at the back allowed Canavan in to pick off a delightful third point of the afternoon.
Substitute Peadar Mogan added much-needed drive to the Donegal challenge, but they saw promising moves break down as the home side forced turnovers through Burns, Kilpatrick and Conor Meyler.
Pushing into the final quarter, the Red Hands held a seven points lead, 0-12 to 0-5, and there was no sign of a meaningful revival from an opponent that managed just one point in a difficult 20-minute spell, a Brennan mark.
Tyrone were finding more space to drive through, with defenders Padraig Hampsey and Cormac Quin getting forward to score, and it was a token flourish at the end that saw Hugh McFadden and Joel Bradley-Walsh hit the target for a flat Donegal side.
Tyrone: N Morgan; M McKernan, C Munroe (0-01), P Hampsey (0-01); C Quinn (0-01), P Harte, N Devlin; C Kilpatrick, B Kennedy (0-01); F Burns (0-01), K McGeary, C Meyler; D McCurry (0-07, 6f, 1m), C McShane (0-01, m), D Canavan (0-03).
Subs: N Sludden for Canavan (53), M Donnelly for Quinn (63), R Donnelly for Sludden (68), N McCarron for McGeary (71), E McNabb for McCurry (71).
Donegal: S Patton; M Curran, B McCole, C Ward; C McColgan, S McMenamin, J McKelvey (0-01); C McGonagle, J McGee; J McGroddy, D O Baoill, C O'Donnell (0-02); H McFadden (0-01), P McBrearty (0-01, f), J Brennan (0-02, 1m,).
Subs: P Mogan for McKelvey (h-t), J Grant for McGroddy (50), J Bradley-Walsh (0-01, f)for McBrearty (58), B O’Donnell for McColgan (66)
Referee: D Gough (Meath).
