Tyrone go down despite win over Dubs on day of drama

Darren McCurry excelled for Tyrone against Dublin but the Red Hands' victory didn't prove enough for them to remain in Division One as other results went against them

Tyrone suffered relegation from Division One of the Allianz Football League despite an impressive 2-20 to 1-16 win over Dublin on a dramatic day of action.

With Armagh hammering Derry 4-24 to 1-18 and Kerry always looking in control as they beat Galway 3-24 to 2-19, Tyrone were left hoping that Donegal could be their salvation by defeating Mayo.

The Castlebar contest proved a tense affair as Dara O Baoill had a late penalty chance to put Donegal ahead only to see his tame effort saved by Mayo keeper Colm Reape.

Had O Baoill converted the spot-kick Donegal would have moved 1-18 to 1-17 ahead but instead, Mayo went on triumph 1-18 to 1-16 as they not only survived the drop but also ended up qualifying for next weekend's Division One decider where they will face the Kingdom.

Tyrone, alongside Armagh, ended up on seven points from their seven games which under normal circumstances would be sufficient to avoid relegation but the Red Hands drop to Division Two with both sides remarkably ending up with the same scoring difference of +7 - even though the Orchard men would have survived in any case by dint of the head-to-head after winning their round-two encounter.

Canavan responds after O'Callaghan goal

After beating an understrength Donegal side in Letterkenny last week, Tyrone were not overly fancied going into their contest against a Dublin who looked particularly strong in attack given the presence of the likes of Con O'Callaghan, in-form Sean Bugler, Niall Scully and Cormac Costello.

O'Callaghan did notch an early goal after Niall Morgan was caught out of his goals but a Darragh Canavan major soon had the Red Hands ahead and two Darren McCurry two-pointers helped the home side storm into a 1-14 to 1-4 advantage by half-time.

Canavan tallied 1-3 in the opening half with Kieran McGeary maintaining his recent resurgence by firing over a two-pointer and Mattie Donnelly, Peter Harte and Morgan also getting on the scoresheet.

Michael McKernan's goal after the restart increased Tyrone's advantage to 2-16 to 1-6 and while two-pointers from Ciaran Kilkenny, Costello and Lorcan O'Dell saw their lead trimmed somewhat, the home side were never in danger of being caught.

However, the happiness of the home supporters soon turned into a sense of disappointment as word came through of the missed Donegal penalty in Castlebar and some Tyrone fans opted to attempt to beat the traffic before the end.

Donegal's Finbarr Roarty blasted a glorious goal chance over the Mayo bar moments after Eoin McHugh had netted for Jim McGuinness' side

Donegal made a strong start in Castlebar as an O Baoill two-pointer helped them lead 0-6 to 0-2 but 1-1 from Jack Carney - the goal coming after a slick passing movement - got Mayo on terms before two Frank Irwin scores and another Carney point left the home side 1-7 to 0-6 ahead at half-time.

Jim McGuinness' side fought back following the restart with Eoin McHugh's goal and a Finbarr Roarty point getting them on terms - although the latter score probably should have been another major as the defender blasted over the bar after cutting through the centre of the Mayo defence.

A Ryan O'Donoghue point and two pointer - either side of another Carney score - pushed Mayo five up again but Donegal replied in kind to draw level again helped by scores from Conor O'Donnell, Aaron Doherty and Shane O'Donnell.

At that stage, Donegal seemed to have the momentum but while a point from half-time substitute Michael Langan put them ahead at 1-15 to 1-14 with nine minutes remaining, a Paul Towey score levelled the contest once more before Matthew Ruane swung over a superb two-pointer for Kevin McStay's side.

Next came the penalty at the other end of the field which seemed a soft enough award by referee Joe McQuillan before Reape spread himself to make a comfortable stage.

Mayo had a further scare as a fierce Hugh McFadden goal attempt came back off the angle of the crossbar and post but the home side held on to preserve a Division One status that had looked parlous after their opening defeats by Dublin and Galway.

Conor Turbitt were credited with Armagh's third goal after Derry keeper Ben McKinless was adjudged to have carried the All-Star's high ball over his own line while under pressure from an opponent

Armagh always looked to have the edge against already-relegated Derry at the Athletic Grounds but their task was made considerably easier by Shane McGuigan's red card - after he picked up a second yellow - which came after probably the Oak Leafers' most encouraging period of the game.

After trailing 0-10 to 0-5, Derry had cut Armagh's advantage to only two points after two Niall Toner scores and a Mark Bradley point but McGuigan's second yellow - seemingly for something off the ball as the players waited on an Armagh kickout - ended the brief period of Oak Leaf momentum.

Points from Conor Turbitt and Peter McGrane extended Armagh's advantage to 0-12 to 0-8 at half-time and the match was then emphatically put to bed in a five-minute period after the resumption when all the home team's goals arrived.

The opening two goals came as Ross McQuillan and Barry McCambridge pounced to net rebounds which had come back off the Derry woodwork.

Armagh's third goal did seem questionable as Derry keeper Ben McKinless was deemed to have carried the ball over his own line after being barged into by an opponent following the keeper's fielding of a high ball from Conor Turbitt.

There was some delay before an umpire's frantic signalling of the green flag.

Darragh McMullen soon added Armagh's fourth major and while black cards were handed to home duo Turbitt and Jemar Hall and Derry's Conor Doherty, the game petered out in the closing stages with Anton Tohill hitting the Oak Leafers' late goal.