UUJ beat the Red Hands in Dr McKenna Cup

Tyrone's grip on the Gaelic Life Dr McKenna Cup was loosened somewhat at Omagh this afternoon as a hungry UUJ side handed the Red Hands their first defeat in the competition in five years.

The Jordanstown students, who defeated Donegal in snowy conditions on Thursday, lined out with six Tyrone players and were full value for their 0-12 to 0-9 win.

Red Hand squad members Ciaran Donnelly, Raymond Mulgrew and Brendan Boggs all scored against their home county as UUJ took a 0-8 to 0-4 lead into the second half.

UUJ had Colm Cavanagh, another one of their Tyrone contingent, sent off for two yellow cards during the second period.

Just as he did against Donegal, Donnelly caught the eye by notching three fine points in the first half.

In front of a 3,885-strong Healy Park crowd, three successive frees from Brocagh man Donnelly nudged UUJ into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead.

Tommy McGuigan replied for Tyrone with a excellent point from a tight angle on the left but Mayo's Andy Moran landed two points in reply, the second set up by the impressive Mulgrew.

Boggs then got his name on the scoresheet to move UUJ 0-8 to 0-3 ahead before Carrickmore's Kevin McNally, one of seven Tyrone debutants on show, pointed a free from the right to narrow the gap for the champions to four points.

Tyrone boss Mickey Harte brought PJ Quinn, Colin Holmes and Colm McCullagh into the fray for the second half and a point from Davy Harte got the Red Hands off to a good start.

But two points from Derryman Mark Lynch, UUJ's captain, helped them move 0-11 to 0-6 clear, just moments after Cavanagh received his marching orders for an off-the-ball clash with Holmes.

Dominic Hands, who scored with a close range free, and substitute Aidan McCarron, who pointed a free after a foul on Davy Harte, reduced the arrears for Tyrone to 0-11 to 0-8 with three minutes remaining.

Debutant Hands had to be carried off near the finish as his injury came after Tyrone had emptied their bench, meaning the sides saw out the game with 14 players each.

Substitute John Boyle registered UUJ's final point before Tyrone's McCullagh got a late consolation score from a placed ball.

Meanwhile, an under-strength Armagh outfit lost 2-9 to 0-6 to Derry in their new manager Peter McDonnell's first game in charge.

Derry took charge of this Davitt Park encounter early on with Sean Leo McGoldrick finding the net in the fourth-minute, but two points from Stefan Forker, who also missed a penalty, got Armagh back in touch by half-time.

The Orchard county trailed by 1-4 to 0-5 at the break but could only add a single point during a forgettable second half - Brian Mallon being the scorer.

Helped by a man-of-the-match performance from Enda Lynn, Derry kept the pressure on and were rewarded with a second goal for McGoldrick.

At Lisnakea, St. Mary's lose their grip on an early lead as they went down to Fermanagh on a 1-18 to 1-11 scoreline.

The sides swapped goals - John Cunningham's netted for the students in the fifth-minute and Shaun Doherty raised a green flag for Fermanagh in the 18th-minute - before the Ernesiders pulled 1-11 to 1-5 clear by the break.

Cavan won this afternoon's McKenna Cup derby match at Kingspan Breffni Park - they beat their neighbours Monaghan by 0-15 to 1-9.

A 30th-minute goal from Eoin Duffy kept Monaghan in the hunt as Cavan took a 0-9 to 1-2 lead into the interval. Jason O'Reilly kept the men in blue ticking and he top-scored with four points.

2007 All-Star Thomas Freeman was sprung from the bench, midway through the second half, for the Farney men and he bagged three points.