Derry 1-9 Tyrone 0-7
Derry will play Galway in the All-Ireland semi-finals after defeating Ulster champions Tyrone in a dour quarter-final at Clones.
While Derry showed more competitive edge than their counterparts, Eamonn Coleman’s side will need to up their performance ten fold in they are to trouble the Tribesmen.
Tyrone lacked the fluency and accuracy that brought them their Ulster title last month and will rue the loss of Peter Canavan five minutes before half-time.
Canavan, who was booked in the opening minutes after a tussle with Sean Marty Lockhart, saw red after referee Pat McEnaney spotted an off the ball strike on Derry’s Johnny McBride.
The first-half have was a sorry, scrappy affair with six players, four from Derry and two Tyrone men, booked inside the opening 31 minutes.
And as the half-time scoreline of 0-5 to 0-3 to Derry suggests there was little in the way of quality football to spark the disappointed Clones crowd.
The only incidents of note, and half chances at that, occurred when Tyrone corner back Ciaran Gourley blocked Dermot Dougan’s fluffed goal attempt and ‘keeper Finbar McConnell comfortably saved to his right to deny Enda Muldoon’s fisted effort.
Unlike a number of championship games this year where the second half has transformed a lifeless game, this contest remained just as tedious after the restart.
Gerard Cavlan’s well executed point ten minutes into the second half reduced the deficit to a single point, but that was Tyrone’s first score since the 22nd minute of the game. Not the form of champions.
Tyrone then suffered a demoralising blow just two minutes later when Derry corner forward Paddy Bradley scored the only goal of the game.
Bradley, fortunate moments earlier not to have received his second yellow card, got the slightest of touches to a dropping ball, which goalkeeper McConnell should have cleared.
Anthony Tohill, selected as Ireland captain for the International Rules series in Australian this October, kept the scoreboard ticking over with a brace of frees before Stephen O’Neill reduced the gap with two successive points for Tyrone.
Art McRory’s side, however, failed to capitalise on their brief momentum and sloppy, lethargic marking gifted Bradley and Johnny McBride points to seal the victory for Derry.