Champions Tyrone hand Fermanagh defeat

DIVISION 1A: Tyrone 2-09 Fermanagh 0-10

Tyrone repeated their two heavy defeats of Fermanagh last season at Healy Park this afternoon.

Corner forward Mark Harte, son of manager Mickey, scored 1-04 in their 2-06 to 0-01 Allianz NFL Division 1A win.

Leaden-footed defending by the All-Ireland champions almost let in the visitors for an early goal, but Tyrone blitzed into a 1-03 to no score lead inside the first 20 minutes.

The selection of Mickey Harte’s son Mark Harte at corner forward proved an inspired decision as the Errigal Ciaran man struck a sixteenth minute goal from a Colm McCullagh through ball, after two Harte frees and an Owen Mulligan point from play had opened the scoring.

Former Omagh Town soccer star McCullagh chipped in with his first score on 21 minutes before midfielder Sean Cavanagh hit over a brilliant point from 30 metres.

Stephen Maguire, who missed his first free after just sixty seconds, pointed Fermanagh’s first score in the 28th minute from a placed ball after Cormac McAnallen had offended.

Harte rounded off the scoring with his third point on 33 minutes.

Tyrone’s 1-06 to 0-01 half-time lead was stretched further after the restart by Brian Dooher but the Erne men went on a run of five straight scores inside the first nine minutes of the second half to draw within five points.

Maguire was to the fore in that spell and ended the game with eight of the visitors’ ten points, with his seventh score on 65 minutes putting a goal between the sides.

Tyrone’s McCullagh was on hand two minutes from time to hammer home a second goal, killing off the Fermanagh revival.