Tyrone cruised into the All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals with a commanding win over Cavan, topping their group and booking a direct path to Croke Park.
It’s now 42 years since the Breffni side last got the better of the Red Hands in championship football, and that run never looked in danger of ending at Brewster Park.
Malachy O’Rourke’s men were full value for their 13-point victory, edging out Donegal on head-to-head to finish top of the group. They now enjoy a two-week break before their return to HQ for the first time since 2023.
Peter Harte was an early introduction for the injured Michael McKernan and made an instant impact, helping Tyrone build early momentum. Fellow veteran Mattie Donnelly also rolled back the years, punching holes in the Cavan defence and either scoring or creating several first-half chances.
By the first quarter, Tyrone were already seven clear, having gained control of their kick-outs after a shaky opening few minutes. Darragh Canavan clipped over a classy effort, while Harte and goalkeeper Niall Morgan both chipped in with marks.
Cavan applied pressure to Morgan’s restarts and found some joy, with Cormac O’Reilly on target twice. But Tyrone rattled off seven unanswered points to lead 0-9 to 0-3 midway through the first half.
Dara McVeety’s work rate helped Cavan steady somewhat, and scores from O’Reilly and Paddy Lynch – who finished with 0-4 – narrowed the gap. They nearly had a lifeline when McVeety intercepted a Morgan kick-out, but the Tyrone keeper atoned with a sharp save.
The Red Hands surged again before the break, with scores from McCurry, Donnelly and Kieran McGeary pushing them to a 0-17 to 0-8 half-time lead.
Lynch clipped over a two-point free early in the second half, but Tyrone dominated the middle third, with Brian Kennedy, Conn Kilpatrick and McGeary asserting themselves. Another burst of six unanswered points extended the lead to 13 by the 49th minute.
Darren McCurry added two superb points as part of his 0-9 haul, while Ciaran Daly and McGeary also split the posts. Cavan managed just a single reply from Sean McEvoy during a tough 17-minute spell.
Raymond Galligan’s side rallied briefly in the final quarter, with sub Ryan O’Neill hitting a two-pointer and further scores coming from Lynch and Ruairi Curran.
But the biggest cheer of the day came with the return of Conor Meyler, making his first appearance after a two-year injury battle. U20 Footballer of the Year Eoin McElholm also got in on the act, becoming Tyrone’s 11th scorer.
Canavan finished with five points, and with confirmation of Donegal’s win over Mayo, Tyrone’s position at the top of the group was sealed.
By Rory Cox Sun 15th Jun
