Tyrone win on the road after second half comeback

Lidl National Football League

Tyrone 1-15 Mayo 2-11

By Stuart Tynan

TYRONE overturned a seven point half-time deficit to pick up their first win in Division 1 of the Lidl National Football League after a dramatic finale in Swinford Amenity Park on Sunday/

After a trio of early wides, Mayo began to make use of the breeze with Sinead Walsh’s first free and a point from play by Milly Sheridan.

Chloe McCaffrey got Tyrone up and running from a placed ball on ten minutes but Mayo responded quickly through Ciara Durkin and another free from Walsh.

A second McCaffrey free and a terrific score by Aoife McGahan from the tightest of angle brought the Red Hands back to within one only for the Green and Red to respond through Walsh yet again, who hit four unanswered points.
The strong wind did not keep Tyrone at bay as a third McCaffrey free and a score from play by Meabh Mallon brought the gap to three but Clodagh Keane found the net on the stroke of half-time with a cool finish under the legs of Amelia Coyle to put Mayo 1-9 to 0-5 in front.

Now with the breeze, Tyrone started the second half brightly as they struck four points without reply, while Mayo were reduced to 14 after Aoife was shown a yellow card. Against the run of play, Sinead Walsh scored Mayo’s second goal on 43 minutes after a wayward shot by Hannah Reape fell into her hands and she thundered a strike past Amelia Coyle, but matters were compounded for the hosts four minutes later as they lost Danielle Caldwell after the captain was also shown a yellow.

Another two McCaffrey frees and a point by Niamh O’Neill kept Tyrone within reach of Mayo. Maria Cannon popped over a fine free under pressure to bring the gap back to four but Tyrone were level moments later after a point by O’Neill and a goal by Sorcha Gormley.

As the seconds ticked away, Erin Murray put Mayo back ahead but O’Neill fired over two late points to put Tyrone ahead for the first time. Kayla Doherty had a chance in the final seconds to win it for Mayo but her shot was brilliantly saved by Coyle as Darren McCann’s side left Swinford with a valuable win.

Scorers – Tyrone: C McCaffrey 0-7 (6f), N O’Neill 0-4, S Gormley 1-0, A McGahon 0-2, S McCarroll 0-1, M Mallon 0-1.

Mayo: S Walsh 1-7 (4f), C Keane 1-0, M Sheridan 0-1, C Durkin 0-1, M Cannon 0-1 (1f), E Murray 0-1.

TYRONE: A Coyle; J Lyons, J Barrett, E Quinn; M Moore, M Corrigan, A Quinn; A McHugh, M Mallon; S McCarroll, C Campbell, E McNamee; C McCaffrey, A McGahan, A Horisk. Subs: S Gormley for Barrett (37), C McCrossan for Quinn (41), N O’Neill for McNamee (50).

MAYO: C Reilly Benson; L Wallace, S El Massry, D Caldwell; A Gough, S Lally, H Reape; E Murray, A Geraghty; S Delaney, C Whyte, C Durkin; M Sheridan, S Walsh, C Keane. Subs: K Doherty for Whyte (38), R Jordan for Gough (43), M Cannon for Durkin (56), C Doherty for Keane (60+2), E Brennan for Lally (60+7 blood sub).

Referee: Anthony Marron (Monaghan).