Tribesmen and Tyrone must meet again

Tyrone 1-16 Galway 1-16 (aet)

How fitting that even extra-time couldn't separate Tyrone and Galway, for another treat lies in store for GAA fans next weekend when the action moves to Connacht.

An epic National Football League semi-final thrilled 12,000 enthralled fans at Healy Park, and finished deadlocked at the end of an energy-sapping thriller.

Level nine times over the 100-odd minutes, this was a game that had everything.

Played at high-summer championship pace in winter conditions, a fiercely contested eliminator failed to produce an NFL finalist, but Gaelic football was the real winner.

Kildare referee Michael Monahan flashed 13 yellow cards and a couple or reds, but this was a game which was dedicated to the finer points of the game, never dirty or cynical.

"There's no point in coming and doing what we did today and not finishing the job off," said Galway manager John O'Mahony after watching his side produce arguably its best performance for two years.

"But we still have a huge challenge facing us next weekend. That was as god competitive football as you can get."

His counterpart Mickey Harte was equally complimentary to two sets of players who had given everything.

"People talk about the National League not being taken too seriously, but if we need an advertisement for league football, this was it.

"It was a great game of football, but we could have done without a replay. We have a hectic enough schedule, even had we been going straight into a final, just a week before the championship."

Tyrone got off to an explosive start, racing into a five points lead inside the opening three minutes.

Owen Mulligan and Brian Dooher both split the posts, before Enda McGinley and Mulligan combined to send Sean Cavanagh through for a goal.

A Mark Harte free stretched the advantage to six, and then it was Galway's turn to show that they hadn't travelled to Omagh just for a day out.

Padraig Joyce was in electrifying form, and after setting up John Devane's 11th minute goal, he knocked over four terrific points, all from play.

Michael Donnellan, who was providing much of the raw material for Joyce's outstanding ball-winning, also chipped in with a couple of scores, and by the 23rd minute the Tribesmen had taken the lead.

Referee Michael Monahan dished out six yellow cards as a thrilling contest lived close to the edge, and in the closing stages of the half, the NFL holders managed to swing the balance back in their favour, Mark Harte, from a free, and Colm McCullagh both on target.

But Devane had the sides level again at 1-7 just before the break, and an absorbing contest simply grew in intensity as the second half progressed.

McCullagh and McGuigan inspired the All-Ireland champions with superb points, but Galway were equally fired up, and a wonderful Michael Meehan score, his first of the game, kept the pressure on the defending champions.

Padraig Joyce, less effective now since Conor Gormley was assigned to mark the Galway fullforeward, hooked over a point, and Donnellan was yet again the provider as Joe Bergin brought the sides level for the fifth time.

Defender Brendan Donnelly hit the lead point for the Red Hands with less than a minute of normal time to play, and they should have clinched it when Harte thumped over a 45 metre free, but he was penalised for stealing a yard.

A massive let-off for Galway, and they forced the game into extra-time when Joyce converted a free in the fourth minute of injury-time.

It ended at 1-12 each, and they were still level midway through extra-time, now 1-14 to 1-14. Mulligan and substitute Joe McMahon gave Tyrone the early edge, and after Padraig Joyce, with seven points to his credit, was sent off for a second bookable offence, Galway suffered a severe blow.

But they responded with real character, and Donnellan converted two frees to level again.

Michael Meehan finally sprang to life with two gems in a dramatic closing period, but Cavanagh hoisted a giant effort, and it was McCullagh who levelled it two minutes from the end.

Kevin Hughes picked up a second yellow, but both he and Joyce can play next week. Roll on the rematch.

Tyrone: J Devine, R McMenamin, C Gourley, C Gormley, B Donnelly (0-1), G Devlin, P Jordan, K Hughes, S Cavanagh (1-1), B Dooher (0-1), B McGuigan (0-2), O Mulligan (0-3, 2f), M Harte (0-4, 4f), E McGinley, C McCullagh (0-3). Subs: J McMahon (0-1) for Gourley, M McGee for Devlin.

Galway: A Keane, M Comer, G Fahy, C Monaghan, D Meehan, P Clancy, S Og de Paor, S O Domhnaill, J Bergin (0-1), M Clancy, M Donnellan (0-4, 3f), J Devane (1-1), M Meehan (0-3), P Joyce (0-7, 2f), T Joyce. Subs: Kieran Fitzgerald for Monaghan, D Savage for Devane, N Joyce for O Domhnaill, Devane for M Clancy.

Referee: M Monahan (Kildare)