Tyrone penalty pain for Cork

Cork 0-13 Tyrone 1-12

“This was undoubtedly our toughest test so far in the competition,” said the Tyrone manager, after his side kept their unbeaten record, thanks to an expertly-taken goal from the penalty spot by Stephen O’Neill five minutes from the end of normal time.

Defeat was a cruel reward for courageous Cork, who gave as good as they got in a game that ebbed and flowed with precious little separating the sides.

The first-half produced a magnificent spectacle of free-flowing football, highlighted by some wonderful kicking from both sets of forwards and midfielders.

Stephen O’Neill, operating at full-forward, kicked some absolute beauties, but Cork, with a slight wind advantage, never lost their composure and refused to allow the visitors out of their sights.

The sides were level six times during a riveting opening half, but two points of splendour from wing-forward Seán Cavanagh in additional time edged Tyrone into an interval lead of 0-9 to 0-7.

Then when the stylish Cavanagh struck again within seconds of the resumption to extend Tyrone’s lead to three points, Cork faced a huge test of character. But they responded in style and took the game to the League leaders.

With Nicholas Murphy and Derek Kavanagh winning some great ball at midfield and Seán Levis, Anthony Lynch and Eoin Sexton thundering forward in attack from the half-back line, it was all systems go as Cork excitingly wiped out the Tyrone lead.

It took a point-blank save and a diversion for a 45 by excellent goalkeeper Pascal McConnell to deny Brendan Jer O’Sullivan in the 38th minute. O’Sullivan, who was a big loss when yellow-carded later on , levelled the scores with a splendid point six minutes later. Tyrone were on the rack but Cork failed to turn the screws. Two pointed scoring opportunities were lost as they pushed forward and they paid the price.

The excellent James Masters, scorer of five points, four from play, had the sides level for the eighth time in the 61st minute before disaster struck for the home side after Tyrone, with a point from Ryan Mellon had nudged their way in front.

Controversially, referee Maurice Deegan adjudged that full-back Martin Cronin was inside the “D” when goalkeeper Kevin Murphy kicked out and so a throw-in was awarded. Cork substitute Kieran O’Connor gained possession but failure to clear his lines led to a foul on Seán Cavanagh and the awarding of the crucial penalty, which finally turned the game in Tyrone’s favour once O’Neill found the back of the net with a superb strike.

Cork refused to throw in the towel. A point from Masters left a goal between them. Then a Masters shot for goal was again turned out for a 45 by McConnell, while in injury-time Conrad Murphy’s last-gasp effort went narrowly over the crossbar.

As manager Billy Morgan summed up, “it was a very, very disappointing result for us. “I was very pleased at the way we played, particularly in the second-half. But it is galling and frustrating to come out on the wrong side of a game we could so easily have won.”

Scorers: Tyrone: S. O’Neill 1-5 (1-1 from frees); S. Cavanagh 0-3; P. Donnelly, B. Dooher, R. Mellon and B. Meenan 0-1 each. Cork: J. Masters 0-5 (-1 from free); B. J. O’Sullivan 0-2; D. Kavanagh, C. McCarthy, S. Levis, C. Murphy, J. Hayes (free), K. O’Sullivan (free), 0-1 each.

TYRONE: P. McConnell; R. McMenamin, E. McGinley, M. McGee; J. McMahon, G. Devlin, B. Donnelly; B. Meenan, P. Donnelly; B. Dooher, S. O’Neill, S. Cavanagh; M. Coleman, R. Mellon, C. McCullagh. Subs. C. Lawn for Coleman; M. Penrose for McCullagh; E. Bradley for McGee (yellow carded); L. Meenan for Cavanagh.

CORK: K. Murphy; N. Geary, M. Cronin, G. Murphy; S. Levis, A. Lynch, E. Sexton; N. Murphy, D. Kavanagh; J. Masters, C. McCarthy K. MacMahon; J. Hayes, B. J. O’Sullivan, K. O’Sullivan. Subs. A. Cronin for K. O’Sullivan; F. Gould for MacMahon; M. O’Croinin for Hayes (injured); C. Murphy for B. J. O’Sullivan (yellow carded); K. O’Connor for Levis (yellow carded); D. Duggan for O’Connor (yellow carded).

Referee: M. Deegan (Laois).