Tyrone were slow out of the blocks but they earned a comprehensive victory over Carlow at Netwatch Cullen Park in their round 2 qualifier game.
In the early stages Carlow were really buoyed by the ferocious roar of the home crowd and to their credit limited Tyrone to just one point inside the opening ten minutes through Richard Donnelly.
However they were very sluggish dropping balls short and misplacing the simplest of passes gifting possession straight back to Carlow.
Two points for Tyrone through Frank Burns and Conor Meyler either side of a Darragh O'Brien goal and a Darragh Foley point for the home side left Carlow ahead with 20 minutes gone on a scoreline of 1-2 to 0-3.
Carlow’s goal in the 17th minute was their last score of the opening half going 20 minutes including injury time in the first half without a score.
Tyrone helped themselves to the next five scores with three points for Conor McAliskey and Mattie Donnelly with two to lead at half time by 1-02 to 0-08.
The second half began as the first had ended, Tyrone were running with speed and numbers at Carlow.
Turlough O’Brien’s men were just not strong enough in the tackle to hold off Mickey Harte’s side and also looked nervous in attack and quite hesitant to commit numbers forward.
Peter Harte made a huge difference for Tyrone in the second half playing a major part in both goals for Tyrone dancing through the Carlow fullbacks before playing the ball into the path of Niall Sludden to slot the ball past Robbie Molloy in the Carlow goal.
Harte had a goal of his own from the penalty spot midway through the second half and with points either side of the goal’s from the two Donnelly’s, Mattie and Richard and two from Connor McAliskey left Carlow with too much of a mountain to climb and Tyrone easing to victory in the end.
The majority of the points for Carlow in the second half came from frees with Paul Broderick helping himself to four points to leave him with a total of five points and Carlow’s top scorer on the day.
Another late goal from Richard Donnelly in the closing minutes left Tyrone in the draw on Monday on a scoreline of 3-14 to 1-10.
Carlow: Robbie Mollloy; Chris Crowley, Shane Redmond, Conor Lawlor, Jordan Morrissey, Daniel St Ledger, Ciaran Moran, Sean Murphy, Eoghan Ruth, Sean Gannon, Darragh Foley(0-4), Diarmuid Walshe, Paul Broderick(0-5), Darragh O'Brien (1-1), John Murphy.
Substitutions: Mark Rennick for Diarmuid Walshe 30, Brendan Kavanagh for Ciaran Moran 53, Barry John Molloy for Chris Crowley 55, Cian Lawler for John Murphy 55, Kieran Nolan for Jordan Morrisey 60, Lee Walker for Darragh O’Brien 60
Tyrone: Niall Morgan; Padraig Hamspey, Ronan McNamee, Cathal McCarron, Michael McKernan, Frank Burns (0-1), Peter Harte (1-0), Colm Cavanagh, Declan McClure, Mattie Donnelly (0-3, Niall Sludden (1-1), Conor Meyler (0-1), Cathal McShane, Richard Donnelly (1-2), Connor McAliskey (0-5).
Substitutions: Ronan O’Neill for Niall Sludden 60, Pauric Mcnulty for Cathal McShane 60, Rory Brennan for Michael McKernan 63, Conall McCann for Matthew Donnelly 63
Attendance: 6353
