Allianz Football League Division 1 North
DONEGAL: 0-18 TYRONE: 0-16
By Declan Bogue at Healy Park
The new model Tyrone produced a result sickeningly familiar for them, two points adrift by the end after the loss of Michael O'Neill to two yellow cards left them pushing a boulder uphill against their north-west rivals.
Donegal looked more assured in gaining their scores while Tyrone needed to work very hard, hitting twelve wides in total to Donegal's three. The Red Hands had debutant Paul Donaghy announcing himself to the nation with a ten point haul, seriously accurate from dead ball and in open play, his two second half points in particular things of beauty.
Tyrone will clearly favour a more direct approach this year, raining kicked passes in towards the two full forwards of Richie Donnelly and Donaghy, with Conor McKenna in support a lot of time, but just not executing his shooting. That will come in time, of course.
It was as if both teams took a break from the cat and mouse games of old, the scores 0-10 each by the break. While Tyrone were aiming to kick long ball, Donegal persisted with their flowing hand-passing moves to great success as their opponents were drawn into making a series of cheap fouls, easily converted by Patrick McBrearty and Michael Murphy.
Hugh McFadden of Donegal and Conor Meyler of Tyrone during the Allianz Football League Division 1 North Round 1 match between Tyrone and Donegal at Healy Park in Omagh, Tyrone.
A pattern we are noticing with the introduction of the waterbreak is momentum shifting constantly. While Tyrone made all the running in the opening quarter, Donegal still maanaged to find themselves level by the end of it with a Patrick McBrearty free kick.
They added four of the first five points of the second half, two from Michael Murphy and one each from Jamie Brennan and Niall O'Donnell.
The visitors took advantage of the numerical advantage in the third quarter to outscore Tyrone 0-4 to 0-1. From then on, they struck from home with a greater purpose.
With Tyrone down a man, it let Donegal goalkeeper Shaun Patton able to find his men on his own kickout, while Tyrone had withdrawn towering midfielder Brian Kennedy at half time and had also lost Ronan McNamee to an early head injury.
But while Tyrone were in experimental mode, with Peter Harte finding a new berth at centre-back with Matthew Donnelly switching between that line and midfield, Donegal are a polished outfit, urged on from the stands by a very vocal Stephen Rochford, while their communication was of the highest standard. Twelve wides by Tyrone to three by Donegal tells a succinct version of this game.
But, they have both only just begun.
Scorers for Tyrone: P Donaghy 0-10 (5 frees, 1 '45), M Bradley, M O'Neill, C Meyler, K McGeary, C McKenna Niall Morgan ('45) 0-1 each.
Scorers for Donegal: M Murphy 0-6 (3 frees), P McBrearty 0-4 (2 frees), J Brennan, C Thompson 0-2 each, C McGonagle, N O'Donnell, M Langan, P Mogan 0-1 each
TYRONE: N Morgan; R Brennan, R McNamee, P Hampsey; M Cassidy, P Harte, M O'Neill; F Burns, B Kennedy; P Donaghy, M Donnelly, C Meyler; K McGeary, C McKenna, R Donnelly. Subs: M McKernan for McNamee (11m), C Munroe for Kennedy (HT), M Bradley for R Donnelly (42m), N Sludden for Cassidy (52m), D Canavan for McGeary (67m)
Red card: O'Neill (40m)
DONEGAL: S Patton; C Ward, N McGee, B McCole; R McHugh, P Brennan, P Mogan; H McFadden, C McGonagle; N O'Donnell, C Thompson, M Langan; P McBrearty, M Murphy, J Brennan. Subs: J McGee for McFadden (11-14m, Blood sub), D O'Baoill for McFadden (HT), E McHugh for Ward (45m), O Gallen for J Brennan (60m), A McClean for P Brennan (62m), E O'Donnell for Langan (67m), E Doherty for O'Donnell (74m)
Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)
