Tyrone 0-13 Armagh 1-10
Runaway leaders Tyrone were halted as they had to settle for a draw against a battling, relegation threatened Armagh team under the Healy Park floodlights in Omagh.
Three points each from Ronan O’Neill and Connor McAliskey paved the way for Mickey Harte’s side to a 0-08 to 0-06 advantage at the break, with Stefan Campbell firing over three Armagh frees.
When Armagh lost Watters to a second yellow card, the omens were not good.
But they never gave up and substitute Niall Grimley punched in a Tony Kernan ball for a dramatic injury time goal to tie the scores.
And this point could yet be vital in their bid to stay in Division Two.
A crowd of over 4,000 braved the elements to watch an absorbing encounter.
With Mattie Donnelly and Colm Cavanagh being the lynchpins in the centre of the park, the odds were stacked in the home side’s favour.
And with the wind favouring them in the second half, few would have rated Armagh’s chances.
Tyrone led by four points late on, boosted by two Darren McCurry frees, before Watters was sent off following his second booking with 12 minutes left on the clock.
But substitute Tony Kernan proved to be inspirational figure and landed a long range effort before he provided the delivery for another substitute, Grimley, to punch to the net deep into stoppage time.
Tyrone: N Morgan, A McCrory, P Hampsey, C McCarron, N Sludden, R Brennan, T McCann, C Cavanagh, M Donnelly, P Harte, R O’Neill (0-05, 3f), R Donnelly (0-02), D McCurry (0-02, 2f), S Cavanagh, C McAliskey (0-03).
Subs: M Bradley (0-01) for Hart (5), B Tierney for Sludden (51), Conall McCann for McAliskey (56), P McNulty for R Donnelly (59)
Armagh: P Morrison, A Mallon, C Vernon, S Heffron, M Shields, S Connell, A Forker (0-01), J McElroy, E Rafferty, R Grugan, M McKenna, C O’Hanlon, C Watters (0-02), S Campbell (0-06, 5f, 1 ’45), G McParland.
Subs: T Kernan (0-01) for O’Hanlon (h-t), N Grimley (1-00) for Rafferty (55), S Forker for McPaland (59), A Findon for McKenna (63), J Hall for Campbell 68)
Referee: P Neilan (Roscommon).
- Sat, 9 Nov 2024
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