Tyrone march into All-Ireland semi-final after gritty victory over Dublin

Tyrone have reached their first All-Ireland SFC semi-final in four years. 

Tyrone’s Niall Devlin celebrates scoring a point in the All-Ireland SFC quarter-final against Dublin. Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie

All-Ireland SFC quarter-final: Dublin 0-16 (0-0-16) Tyrone 0-23 (0-5-18)

Grease is the word and Tyrone were the team as they simply made less mistakes to claim this error-strewn All-Ireland quarter-final.

Watched by a 61,659 crowd in Croke Park, Tyrone sent over the last four scores of the game including Niall Morgan’s cherry-on-the-cake two-point free to propel Tyrone into their first semi-final in four years.

Wet, muggy conditions militated against the game joining the list of crackers this championship but Tyrone will hardly mind as they held off Dublin who couldn’t gain enough motivation from the appearance of captain Con O’Callaghan for the last 20 minutes.

Tyrone were a point to the good at half-time. It took eight minutes for the first score of the second half when Paddy Small finished a tap and go move to punish an overcarry by Conn Kilpatrick but the next three points were Tyrone’s – Darragh Canavan, Ciarán Daly and Niall Devlin.

Cormac Costello contorted his body to send over a fine score in the 50th minute just before O’Callaghan made his entrance. A converted Morgan 45 after some desperate Dublin defending dampened the Dublin mood but O’Callaghan was off the mark three minutes later and when Ciarán Kilkenny opened his account, the belief grew.

However, Brian Kennedy spoiled a Stephen Cluxton kick-out and Daly added his second score. After Small kicked one over with his weaker right foot, O’Callaghan pounced on a kick-out. He found Luke Breathnach who squared the ball intended for Costello but Morgan intervened.

Substitute Eoin McElholm showed Kilkenny a clean pair of heels to put Tyrone two ahead in the 62nd minute only for another introduction Breathnach to hit back one a couple of minutes later.

After Cluxton kicked a two-point free effort wide, Kennedy touched on Morgan’s kick-out to Mattie Donnelly and there was enough momentum in the attack for Ruairí Canavan to finish a point. Ben McDonnell fisted over another three minutes later and after O’Callaghan’s point effort fell short Ruairí Canavan and Morgan finished the mission.

Beforehand, there had been one late change to the Dublin team – Na Fianna’s Brian O’Leary coming in for Lorcan O’Dell and scoring two first-half points. Peter Harte, a late replacement for Mark Bradley, kicked a couple of two-pointers in the opening half.

The majority of the first All-Ireland quarter-final of the day had been played in dry weather but gloves were required for this main event and the greasy conditions contributed to several turnovers early on not to mention a multitude of erratic shooting across the half, Dublin’s conversion rate a dreadful 50%.

Only Dublin and Kerry had a poorer two-point return than Tyrone across the league and championship this year but they had converted three inside the first 10 minutes, the first from Kieran McGeary, the second from Peter Teague and the third provided by Harte.

Dublin were profiting from some sloppy Tyrone play and Costello had a shot kept out in the fourth minute. By the 12th minute, Costello had three points to his name.

With two O’Leary points in the space of three minutes, Dublin were level by the 18th minute before Darragh Canavan raised Tyrone’s first white flag. Costello’s third score from play and Niall Scully’s first came in quick succession but Harte cancelled them out with his second two-pointer to restore Tyrone’s lead.

Tyrone had a goal opening in the 26th minute but Rory Brennan’s drive was snuffed out by Seán MacMahon. After a second Costello free, Darren McCurry bisected the posts for Tyrone’s first from a placed ball.

Killian McGinnis had Dublin back in front in the 33rd minute but Tyrone were able to turnover a managed Dublin attack up to the hooter and McCurry gave his side the half-time advantage, 0-11 to 0-10.

Scorers for Dublin: C. Costello (0-6, 2 frees); B. O’Leary, P. Small (0-2 each); S. Cluxton (45), N. Scully, K. McGinnis, C. O’Callaghan, C. Kilkenny, L. Breathnach (0-1 each).

Scorers for Tyrone: P. Harte (0-4, 2 tps); D. Canavan, N. Morgan (1 tpf, 1 45) (0-3 each); K. McGeary (1tp), P. Teague (1tp), D. McCurry (2 frees), C. Daly, R. Canavan (0-2 each); N. Devlin, E. McElholm, B. McDonnell (0-1 each).

DUBLIN: S. Cluxton; S. MacMahon, E. Murchan, D. Byrne; B. Howard, J. Small, L. Gannon; P. Ó Cofaigh-Byrne, K. McGinnis; S. Bugler, N. Scully, C. Kilkenny; P. Small, C. Costello, B. O’Leary.

Subs: C. Murphy for K. McGinnis (44); C. O’Callaghan for B. O’Leary (50); L. Breathnach for N. Scully (temp 57-ft); T. Lahiff for P. Ó Cofaigh-Byrne (59); R. McGarry for S. Bugler (65); T. Clancy for E. Murchan (68).

TYRONE: N. Morgan; P. Hampsey, C. Quinn; P. Teague; R. Brennan, K. McGeary, C. Quinn; B. Kennedy (c), C. Kilpatrick; S. O’Donnell, C. Daly, P. Harte; D. McCurry, D. Canavan, M. Donnelly.

Subs: M. O’Neill for S. O’Donnell (temp 10-20); B. McDonnell for R. Brennan (inj 44); E. McElholm for D. McCurry (52); A. Clarke for C. Quinn (56); C. Meyler for P. Teague (temp 59-ft); R. Canavan for P. Harte (63); M. O’Neill for K. McGeary (68).

Referee: P. Neilan (Roscommon).