Roscommon shock Tyrone to claim first Division One win in four years
THREE CHEERS: Roscommon's Ben O’Carroll celebrates scoring his side’s third goal
Roscommon upstaged 2021 All-Ireland champions, Tyrone, to claim their first Division One League victory since 2019.
Davy Burke’s first league in charge of the Rossies was a memorable one as second-half goals from Ciaráin Murtagh, Diarmuid Murtagh and Ben O’Carroll secured a famous victory at Dr. Hyde Park.
The home side remained calm and composed as Tyrone, with a strong wind at their backs, turned a three-point half-time deficit into a three-point lead after 48 minutes as Kieran McGeary’s flicked goal was followed by half-time substitute Darren McCurry’s third point of the half.
But Roscommon didn’t buckle, and when the Murtagh brothers — Ciaráin and Diarmuid — struck for two goals in the space of five minutes, Ben O’Carroll finished the job in injury time with a memorable third goal for his side.
The opening quarter was low-key with neither side willing to commit too many bodies forward. With a strong wind behind them, however, Roscommon gradually turned the screw with a couple of superb points from O’Carroll, Cregg, Diarmuid Murtagh, Niall Daly and Brian Stack setting the tone.
But, crucially, Tyrone eroded the deficit to just three points by the interval, courtesy of scores from David Mulgrew and Darragh Canavan, to leave the Rossies ahead by 0-8 to 0-5.
Tyrone had the home side’s lead wiped out within three minutes of the second half, with the recently introduced Darren McCurry announcing his arrival with a free and a point from play alongside a pointed free from goalkeeper Niall Morgan.
Twelve minutes into the second half, Tyrone struck a major blow when Morgan’s free was flicked to the net by Kieran McGeary. A McCurry point in his team’s next attack left Tyrone 1-9 to 0-9 ahead and seemingly on the road to victory.
But Roscommon hadn’t read the script. A superb pass from substitute Enda Smith picked out another sub, Ciaráin Murtagh, and the St. Faithleach’s forward drilled a low shot to the corner of the net.
It got better for Roscommon as Smith and Ben O’Carroll then teed up Diarmuid Murtagh who palmed the ball into the corner of the net.
Tyrone, who lost Cormac Munroe to a black card, kept coming and points Richard Donnelly and substitute Niall Sludden left just a point between them.
But Niall Daly’s third point as the game ticked into injury time was followed by the coup de grâce as Roscommon maintained their composure after winning a crucial ball at midfield to allow Ben O’Carroll find the net, and send a vociferous home crowd in a jubilant mood.
B O’Carroll 1-2, C Murtagh 1-1, D Murtagh 1-1, N Daly 0-3, C Cox 0-2 (0-2 frees), D Cregg 0-1, B Stack 0-1.
K McGeary 1-1, D McCurry 0-3 (0-1f), D Canavan 0-2 (0-1 frees), P Harte 0-1 (0-1 frees), N Devlin 0-1, D Mulgrew 0-1, N Morgan 0-1 (0-1 frees), R Donnelly 0-1, N Sludden 0-1.
: C Carroll; C Hussey, C Daly, E McCormack; D Ruane, B Stack, N Daly; T O’Rourke, K Doyle; R Dolan, D Cregg, C Lennon; D Murtagh, C Cox, B O’Carroll.
E Smith for Lennon (43), C Murtagh for Cox (48), R Hughes for Ruane (48), D Murray for McCormack (53), D Smith for D Murtagh (60).
N Morgan; M McKernan, C Munroe, P Hampsey; C Quinn, P Harte, N Devlin; B Kennedy, C Kilpatrick; D Mulgrew, K McGeary, C Meyler; C McShane, M Donnelly, D Canavan.
D McCurry for McShane (half-time), R Jones for M. Donnelly (51), R Donnelly for Mulgrew (58), N Sludden for McGeary (58).
David Coldrick (Meath).
