Seniors pick up 2 points in League opener

Allianz Football League Division One
TYRONE 0-18 ROSCOMMON 1-9
By Kevin Kelly at Healy Park
Tyrone got their Allianz League campaign off to a winning note at Healy Park on Sunday afternoon when they had six points to spare over a battling Roscommon side at Healy Park in Omagh.
Tyrone led by double scores at the break, 0-10 to 1-2, after recovering from the shock of conceding an early goal. Darren McCurry had the opening score after only 23 seconds, but in the second minute the visitors carved open the Tyrone defence for Niall Daly to hammer the ball to the roof of the net.
McCurry knocked over a “45” with Colm Cavanagh levelling matters before a free from team captain Peter Harte put the Red Hands in front.Harte then knocked over another free, but moments later the hosts had keeper Mickey O’Neill to thank for thwarting Ultan Harney. Wing back Conor Devaney levelled matters, but then Tyrone took control despite losing Mattie Donnelly to a head injury.
League debutant Declan McClure, a late replacement for Padraig McNulty, was unlucky to see his shot come back off the post. Harte took a good point from play with Ronan O’Neill and Harte both knocking over further frees.
Roscommon, though, continued to look dangerous going forward with centre half back Sean Mullooly being denied by O’Neill. Donie Smith ended a barren spell for Roscommon with a point but it was Tyrone who closed out the half on top. Harte’s fourth point of the half was followed by efforts from wing back duo Tiernan McCann and Jonathan Monroe to leave them five clear.
In the opening attack of the second half Donie Smith opened the scoring and when the same player found the range again in the second half the gap was down to three. Niall Sludden, though, steadied the ship for Tyrone with a well taken point before Ronan O’Neill converted a free.
Roscommon were proving to be difficult to put away with their bench playing a key role as John McManus, Niall Kilroy and Fintan Cregg all registered. With a quarter of an hour to go the gap was down to three again, but Tyrone stepped on the gas.
Substitute Mark Bradley scored two superb points in as many minutes with Conor Meyler also on target. Cregg had a brace for the visitors, but Conall McCann and Sludden closed out the win for the hosts.
Scorers for Tyrone: Peter Harte 0-4 (3fs), Ronan O’Neill 0-3 (3fs), Niall Sludden 0-2, Darren McCurry 0-2, (1 45), Mark Bradley (0-2), Tiernan McCann (0-1), Jonathan Monroe (0-1), Colm Cavanagh (0-1), Conan McCann (0-1), Conor Meyler (0-1).
Scorers for Roscommon: Donie Smith 0-3, Fintan Cregg 0-3, Niall Daly 1-0, Conor Devaney 0-1, Niall Kilroy 0-1, John McManus 0-1.
TYRONE: Mickey O’Neill; Padraig Hampsey, Ronan McNamee, Cathal McCarron; Tiernan McCann, Mattie Donnelly, Jonathan Monroe; Colm Cavanagh, Declan McClure; Conor Meyler, Niall Sludden, Peter Harte; Darren McCurry, Cathal McShane, Ronan O’Neill.
Subs: Aidan McCrory for Donnelly (15), Sean Cavanagh for Monroe (58), Mark Bradley for R O’Neill (59), Conal McCann for Meyler (63), Lee Brennan for McCurry (67), Cahir McCullagh for Sludden (71), Ronan McHugh for McShane (blood sub 75).
ROSCOMMON: Colm Lavin; David Murray, Thomas Featherston, Niall McInerney; Ronan Stack, Sean Mullooly, Conor Devaney; Kevin Higgins, Tadgh O’Rourke; Niall Daly, Sean McDermott, Enda Smith; Donie Smith, Ultan Harney, Ciaran Murtagh.
Subs: Shane Killoran for Higgins (24), John McManus for Murray (35), Fintan Cregg for Daly (HT), Niall Kilroy for E Smith (44), C Connolly for Murtagh (54), G Patterson for D Smith (67).
REFEREE: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow).