TYRONE - 1-8 GALWAY - 0-9: Tyrone became the first team to defeat All-Ireland champions Galway when they had a two-point win at rain-soaked Ballinasloe yesterday.
Referee Brian White held a pitch inspection an hour before the throw-in before giving the game the go-ahead. Close on 2,000 loyal fans turned up at Duggan Park, where torrential rain fell for most of the 70 minutes.
Players had to contend with the very heavy and slippery pitch and gradually a greasy ball became harder to control. Full marks to both sides for endeavour but the home side, who fielded without five of their All-Ireland winning side, just could not cope with a fitter and hungrier Tyrone side.
Tyrone were quicker to settle and a steal of a goal in the eighth minute was the winners' decisive score. The quick thinking of Peter Canavan caught the Galway defence off-guard as he punted a quick free into the path of full forward Stephen O'Neill, who flicked the ball past the advancing Galway goalkeeper Alan Keane.
Galway, with wind advantage, had seen a Tommy Joyce shot come off the woodwork before the same player slotted over Galway's first point in the seventh minute.
After O'Neill's goal, Galway's Kieran Comer (three frees), Matthew Clancy and Paul Clancy traded points with Ger Cavlan (two) and O'Neill.
Then, in the 27th minute, a Tommy Joyce goal attempt was parried by Conor Gormley and the follow-up by Joyce was saved by goalkeeper Peter Ward before Canavan pointed a free to leave the visitors in front by 1-4 to 0-6 at half-time.
The second half saw the Galway side line out with two number 17 jerseys, one worn by Connie Joyce and the other by Kieran Comer. Inside a minute Comer kicked his fourth free before adding another Galway point from play inside 30 seconds.
This was to be Galway's last score for 27 minutes as O'Neill put Tyrone back on level terms with a free (1-5 to 0-8) and Brian Dooher finished off a great move started by Sean Teague to put the winners ahead.
In the following seven minutes Tyrone saw a great volley from O'Neill saved by Alan Keane and they shot four dreadful wides, all of which should have found the target.
But O'Neill, who had tormented the Galway defence all through, broke the deadlock in the 26th minute with a point and two minutes later was on target again with a free before substitute John Donnellan pointed a Galway free in the 29th minute for the last score for his side.
Seconds later Tyrone defender Brian Robinson was sent off following his second booking but still Galway failed to penetrate the Northern side's defence in which Robinson, up to his dismissal, Chris Lawn and Sean Teague were rock solid.
Tyrone midfielder Cormac McAnallen more than held his own against Joe Bergin, while Brian Dooher did Trojan work in defence as well as attack when the going got tough. Man of the match O'Neill started at full forward, reverted to the 40 in the second half but seemed to be involved in most of the attacks on the Galway goal. Canavan was always a danger while Kevin Hughes deserved more success for his efforts.
Galway, who badly missed the leadership of Padraig Joyce up front, had their best defenders in Michael Comer, Gary Fahey and Kieran Fitzgerald. At midfield Joe Bergin started well while Kevin Walsh made a huge impact when he was introduced in the second half.
TYRONE: P Ward; C Gormley, C Lawn, B Robinson; R McMenamin, S Teague, C Meenagh; C McAnallen, J Quinn; B Dooher (0-1), S O'Neill (1-4, two points frees), G Cavlan (0-2); P Canavan (0-1), K Hughes, B McGuckin. Subs: C Gormley for Meenagh, J Gormley for Quinn, C Holmes for Cavlan, B McGuigan for McGuckin
GALWAY: A Keane; M Comer, G Fahey, R Fahey; D Meehan, K Fitzgerald, M Ó Collarain; S Ó Domhnaill, J Bergin; P Clancy (0-1), J Fallon, M Clancy (0-1); D Savage, K Comer (0-5, four frees), T Joyce (0-1). Subs: K Walsh for Ó Domhnaill, J Donnellan (0-1) for Clancy, D Cronin for Joyce.
Referee: B White (Wexford).
Tyrone ... 1-8
Galway ... 0-9
