**Allianz Football League Division 2: Laois 0-14 Tyrone 1-14 **

By Kevin Egan in Portlaoise

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Tyrone substitute Pádraig McNulty needed just 30 seconds on the field of play in O’Moore Park this afternoon before he was able to make a decisive contribution a victory for his county, slamming home a 57th minute goal that rounded off an excellent run and assist from Tiernan McCann.

The goal put Tyrone eight points in front and few would have given Laois any chance of reeling in the 2015 All-Ireland semi-finalists from that position with less than a quarter of an hour to play; however manager Mickey Harte will be deeply concerned at the manner in which his team completely pulled back into a defensive stance for the remainder of the tie. Their retreat invited Laois forward and the home side were happy to take the invitation, chipping over five points and giving the substantial away support a few nervous late moments while they chased an equalising goal.

The midlanders could have snatched a draw or more when Donie Kingston and John O’Loughlin combined to set up Niall Donoher at the beginning of injury time, but the sharp reflexes of Michael O’Neill in the Tyrone goal and the narrowness of the angle combined to preserve Tyrone’s lead. McNulty was also on hand to produce a full-length block that repelled Ruairí O’Connor’s shot in the very last play of the game, though it’s doubtful that O’Connor’s effort would have found the net from over 25 metres out.

For nearly 40 minutes of this contest, Tyrone produced some wonderful football that should have had them out of sight. They fell into an early 0-6 to 0-4 deficit while the returning Seán Cavanagh failed to make an impact at full-forward and as Laois dominated the battle for primary possession under the kickout – few counties will be better prepared for the introduction of the mark rule than the O’Moore County, with Quigley and O’Loughlin each superb under the dropping ball.

O’Loughlin (twice), Kieran Lillis and Gary Walsh all pointed for Laois to help them build a 0-6 to 0-4 lead, but the tide turned irrevocably in the 25th minute, when Ronan O’Neill kicked the first of eight Tyrone points in succession.

Four of those came before half time, while the Ulstermen’s intensity was dialled up another notch after the restart, with Mattie Donnelly very much to the fore of their attacking efforts. The Trillick dynamo may lack the height needed to compete with taller players underneath the kickout but he was outstanding from general play, timing his runs superbly and kicking three fine points. Tiernan McCann was similarly effervescent and he grazed the crossbar with a powerful low shot, one of several goal chances that the Red Hand county failed to convert.

McCann turned provider when he burst through the Laois defence to set up McNulty’s low finish from eight metres out and at that stage it looked as if only the margin of victory was in doubt, but the narrative changed in the closing stages and it was a relieved rather than jubilant Tyrone side that greeted Padraig O’Sullivan’s final whistle.

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**Laois Scorers: **D Kingston 0-5 (0-3f),J O’Loughlin 0-3, G Walsh 0-2 (0-1 ’45), P Cahillane (f), K Lillis, R O’Connor & P Kingston 0-1 each. 

**Tyrone Scorers: **R O’Neill (0-2f) & M Donnelly 0-3 each, P McNulty 1-0, D McCurry (0-1f), T McCann & N Sludden 0-2 each, B Tierney & M Bradley 0-1 each.

Laois: G Brody; R Kehoe, C Begley, P Cotter; D Strong, D Seale, G Dillon; J O’Loughlin, B Quigley; N Donoher, K Lillis, C Meredith; P Cahillane, D Kingston, G Walsh. **Subs: **D O’Connor for Cotter (39), R O’Connor for Walsh (47), E Costello for Meredith (53), D O’Reilly for Dillon (56), P Kingston for Cahillane (60), A Farrell for Strong (63).

**Tyrone: ** M O’Neill; C McCarron, J McMahon, HP McGeary; T McCann, A McCrory, B Tierney; C Cavanagh, M Donnelly; N Sludden, M Bradley, C Meyler; D McCurry, S Cavanagh, R O’Neill. **Subs: **J Monroe for Tierney (48), R Donnelly for Meyler (50), P Harte for Bradley (50), P McNulty for C Cavanagh (56), L Brennan for McCurry (58), P Hampsey for McMahon (60).

**Referee: **Padraig O’Sullivan (Kerry)