Disappointing defeat for Mayo in Tyrone

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Tyrone 1-15

Mayo 1-11

Omagh

A second half implosion consigned Mayo to their second league defeat in seven days in Omagh tonight. The Green and Red had been well-positioned at the interval, three points clear and playing slightly the better football but the introduction of star forward Darren McCurry rejuvenated Tyrone and left Mayo floundering in their wake.

This was a disappointing display from the league champions and sees them being dragged towards the foot of the table after leading the division before their recent trip to Tralee.

At the end of the opening 35 minutes Mayo went to the dressingroom a goal to the good after a period where patience was required in abundance. It took the guests some time to get a rhythm going in attack, given the amount of home boys in front of them, but as the minutes passed Mayo began to find room and opportunities.

The critical score of the half arrived after 25 minutes when Cillian O'Connor blazed a penalty into the top corner of Niall Morgan's net.

The spot kick was awarded when Jordan Flynn was fouled at the end of a patient and probing Mayo attack. The guilty party Cormac Quinn was flashed a black card, somewhat harshly it seemed on first viewing from distance.

O'Connor had started the game in place of Aidan O'Shea in one corner of the attack, while Conor McStay had come in for Ryan O'Donoghue in the other, with Matthew Ruane starting at midfield in place of Jack Carney and Michael Plunkett replacing Donnacha McHugh at the back.

The match started on a sour note for Mayo when Diarmuid O'Connor picked up a leg injury in the opening minutes and had be replaced by Carney.

Tyrone were first to trouble the umpires when the excellent Darragh Canavan kicked a fine point but they wouldn't score from play again for the rest of the half.

At the other end, Cillian O'Connor converted frees while Stephen Coen landed a beauty from the right wing and Conor McStay clipped over a point near the end of the half.

The Mayo scramble defence was clearly evident and effective during the first with Flynn, Enda Hession, Plunkett and Diarmuid Duffy among those to catch the eye in this regard.

However, any sense of comfort Mayo experienced at half time quickly vanished when two points from Canavan and another from the newly arrived McCurry balanced the scores after four minutes of the new half.

Mayo were rocking and Tyrone were rolling as the home side completely ruled the roost around the middle.

A superbly-struck free from Rob Hennelly temporarily stopped the rot but McCurry was causing all sorts of problems and equalised again with a classy point. 

At the other end, there was hesitancy when scoring opportunities arose.

The story was different for Tyrone and when Peter Harte threaded a ball through the Mayo defence, Canavan easily muscled his way through and shook the roof of the net. Mayo looked panic-stricken and Tyrone cut loose.

Seanie O'Donnell raced through and blazed over when a goal was there for the taking, McCurry hit two and Canavan added one of his own.

Flynn kicked one in reply at the other end, but the Mayo attack wasn't functioning and the hesitancy to shoot from central areas got worse.

The gap was out to five, 1-12 to 1-7 going down the stretch and it didn't get much better before the end despite eight minutes of additional time at the end.