Ulster MFC Final ReplayTyrone 0-15 Down 0-8 Tyrone held tight to their title at Casement Park yesterday evening as they swept past Down in this replay.
Tyrone began with four points in the opening 12 minutes before Down raised a flag. Ray Mulgrew tossed over two free-kicks in the second and third minutes. Full-forward Colm Cavanagh added a point on 10 minutes, with Steve Donaghy adding to the tally.
It took Down some time to come to grips with the speed and precision of the opposition. It seemed they were a little confused with the switches in the team as very few players remained in the line-out positions.
Martin Clarke pointed Down frees in the 13th and 16th minutes to stop Tyrone's gallop but the holders shot into an 0-7 to 0-2 lead after 23 minutes.
Patrick Downey was sent in to midfield in place of Bernard McLoughlin after 25 minutes and the Drumgath teenager helped to neutralise Tyrone's grip in the middle of the park.
Two more pointed free-kicks by Clarke were separated by another Mulgrew point from a placed ball to leave Tyrone ahead, 0-8 to 0-4, at half-time.
Before the break Downey was lucky to stay on the field when he was yellow carded after tangling with Shane O'Hagan. O'Hagan was also booked.
It looked as if Down meant business after the resumption. Clarke flashed over a 45 after three minutes and two minutes later added another point to narrow the gap to 0-8 to 0-6 but the surge didn't last. Tyrone moved into gear again with points from O'Neill (free), Marc Cunningham and Colm Cavanagh.
Down battled bravely with Padraig Mageehan cutting out a number of raids but a punch was lacking in attack. The required goal was not to be given away by a vigilant winners' defence that performed soundly throughout.
Tyrone now march on to the All-Ireland quarter-final against Roscommon next month while Down go through the back door to face Connacht winners Galway.
TYRONE: D McCann; N McGinn, P Marlowe, D Burke; B Boggs, N Kerr, M Murray; R Mulgrew (0-4, 3 frees), S O'Hagan; C O'Neill (0-3, 3 frees), M Cunningham (0-1), S Donaghy (0-1); G Devlin, C Cavanagh (0-5), R McCrory. Subs: G McCaughey for O'Hagan (30 mins); PJ Quinn (0-1) for Boggs (33 mins); C McCarron for Devlin (46 mins); J Kelly for McCrory (49 mins).
DOWN: M McAllister; L Howard, S Parr, P Mageehan; W Russell, J Colgan, R Lynch; B McLoughlin, J Boyle; S Doran, R Kelly, B McArdle; M Clarke (0-6, 5 frees), S Sands (0-1), M Farrell. Subs: P Downey (0-1) for McLoughlin (25 mins); D Lavery for Sands (47 mins).
Referee: A McAlynn (Derry).
