Tyrone's inspired second-half flourish earned them a vital win at O’Neills Healy Park as substitute Darren McCurry exploded into action with a classy display of finishing against Mayo.
The former All-Star hit eight points after coming off the bench at half time, easing the relegation worries that had been building in the Red Hand County.
It was Darragh Canavan’s 47th-minute goal that put daylight between the teams, and McCurry did the rest with a series of classy strikes from frees and play.
The pre-match loss of Mayo top scorer Ryan O’Donoghue was followed by the early departure of injured Diarmuid O’Connor after just five minutes, and it was Tyrone who eased ahead through Canavan following a five-minute opening that saw both sides feel their way into the game.
Cillian O’Connor, a late replacement for Aidan O’Shea, hit the target twice from frees, with Stephen Coen adding a brilliant score as they went two ahead, before two Peter Harte frees had the sides level at the end of the opening quarter.
A super goal from Darragh Canavan puts Tyrone three points ahead
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With Rory Brickenden and Enda Hession powering forward and breaking lines, Mayo were getting their traditional running game going, and it paid off after 23 minutes when Mattie Ruane threaded a pass to Hession in front of goal.
Cormac Quinn’s rash tackle on the Garrymore man earned him a black card, and a double blow saw Brendan Cawley award a penalty, which O’Connor crashed to the top right corner of Niall Morgan’s net.
Tyrone struggled to break down the visitors’ defence, with Jordan Flynn getting back to put in a couple of mighty interventions, turning over ball as the frustration built for the Hands.
After falling four points behind, they did craft a goal chance, but Seanie O’Donnell’s shot zipped wide, before a Canavan free clawed back a point.
Mayo led by 1-04 to 0-04 at the interval, but Tyrone wasted no time in getting back into it with McCurry and Canavan both hitting the target within two minutes of the restart.
Pressing the Mayo kick-out, Tyrone were a transformed side, going level and levelled matters through substitute McCurry before they sliced through the visiting defence for Peter Harte to drill a low shot just wide.
Now the Mayo rearguard looked much less assured, very much on the back foot, and when they did get forward, Diarmuid Duffy thought he had regained the lead with a point but Morgan plucked the ball from a foot above the crossbar.
They did go back in front with a sweetly struck free from goalkeeper Rob Hennelly, but Canavan’s superb 47th-minute goal had the Ulster side three clear as he finished well in a move that had McCurry’s fingerprints on it.
Tyrone were able to find pockets of space off their fast breaks from deep, and another couple of McCurry gems had them six points clear.
Boss McStay sent for O’Donoghue, who pulled back a point following his 48th-minute introduction, but Mayo were struggling to swing the game back in their favour as Tyrone maintained the intensity going forward.
Fergal Boland also found the target, but the renewed energy of a fired-up Tyrone side saw them close down the threat and counter again for McCurry to twist the knife and seal the points.
Tyrone: N Morgan; C Devlin, P Hampsey, A Clarke; M McKernan, C Quinn, N Devlin; B Kennedy, C Donnelly; C Daly, C Kilpatrick, P Harte (0-02, 0-02fs): J Oguz, D Canavan (1-04, 0-01f), S O’Donnell (0-01).
Subs: D McCurry (0-08, 0-06fs) Donnelly (ht), B Cullen for McKernan (ht), K McGeary for O’Donnell (67), R Canavan for D Canavan (76).
Mayo: R Hennelly (0-01, 0-01f); J Coyne, R Brickenden (0-01), S Callinan; M Plunkett, S Coen (0-01), E Hession; D O’Connor, M Ruane; D Duffy, F Boland (0-02), J Flynn; C O’Connor (1-02, 1-00 pen, 0-02fs), T Conroy, C McStay (0-01).
Subs: J Carney for D O’Connor (5), R O’Donoghue (0-02) for McStay (48), E McLoughlin for Plunkett (48), B Tuohy (0-01) for Ruane (57) D McHale for Duffy (62).
Referee: B Cawley (Kildare).
