Allianz Football League: Galway edge out Tyrone as Armagh & Down earn big wins
- Published
Rob Finnerty's three points helped Galway take an early lead in Omagh
Galway's strong second half saw off Tyrone 1-10 to 0-12 in Division One of the Allianz Football League as Armagh and Down sit top in Divisions Two and Three after thumping wins.
Tyrone were 0-8 to 0-6 ahead midway through the second half in Omagh when Cathal Sweeney struck the vital goal.
Earlg goals from Conor Turbitt and Rory Grugan set up Armagh's impressive 2-16 to 0-8 win over Kildare.
Down top Division Three after beating previously unbeaten Antrim 1-15 to 1-6.
Pat Havern struck 0-6 with Ceilum Doherty's late goal sealing Down's win after Patrick McAleer's Antrim major.
Heaney stars in Galway win
Orla Bannon at Healy Park
Galway were the better side in the crucial final quarter at Healy Park with Johnny Heaney superb, while Tyrone lacked potency up front after the substitution of Darragh Canavan.
Ciaran Daly and Conn Kilpatrick hit the last two points but Galway held on.
The game was finely poised in the second half and Galway, who failed to register a score in the second quarter, showed a lot of character.
They played with all the urgency and tempo while Tyrone - bar a brilliant second quarter - were unconvincing for long spells.
While there was no shortage of effort, Tyrone took the wrong options at times and Galway grew in confidence with each turnover.
Brian Dooher took sole charge of Tyrone at Healy Park with Feargal Logan currently unavailable because of health issues
There were two halves within the first half.
Galway were the better side in the opening quarter and kept possession really well with Tyrone living off scraps.
Rob Finnerty was on fire early on for Galway scoring 0-3, including two from play.
He won an aerial battle with Aidan Clarke to fire over the opening point after three minutes and by the time he scored his third in the 15th minute, Tyrone had seen enough and moved Padraig Hampsey onto him.
After that, his influence waned.
Galway were 0-4 to 0-2 up after 15 minutes but didn't score again before the interval.
Tyrone really grew into the game in the second quarter and played a quick tempo, pressing game hitting four points in a row - three from play from Harte, Morgan and Darragh Canavan.
Harte's left-footed curler in the 26th minute was Tyrone's first from play.
Morgan charged through the middle and blazed his shot over the bar, before Darragh Canavan put Tyrone ahead for the first time in the 29th minute.
Niall Morgan kept Tyrone's hopes alive with a brilliant second-half save but the Red Hands were unable to get on terms by the finish
Connor Gleeson saved Conn Kilpatrick's piledriver with his feet in the only real goal chance of the opening half.
Morgan tagged on a free from the 45m line to give Tyrone a two-point interval lead.
The game was finely poised in the third quarter, Conall Devlin with a point after a dinky Morgan pass, and it was all to play before Sweeney's major turned the game decisively Galway's way.
Michael McKernan floated over a lovely point in a good response for Tyrone, but with Sean Kelly and Heaney driving forward, Galway took advantage of turnovers and punished the home side ruthlessly.
Tyrone now sit in sixth spot in the table having earned just two points from their opening three games while Galway jump to fourth place on three points.
Man of the match Conor Turbitt hit 1-5 in Carlow as Armagh inflicted a 14-point hammering on Kildare
Armagh outclass struggling Lilywhites
By Kieran Lynch
Armagh edged ahead of Donegal on points difference in Division Two after they claimed a 14-point victory over struggling Kildare at Netwatch Cullen Park.
The Orchard County's win up sets up a mouthwatering top-of-the-table clash with Jim McGuinness' side at the Athletic Grounds next Sunday, which is a game that will be live on the BBC iPlayer and Sport website.
In Sunday's match, Armagh flexed their firepower with Conor Turbitt finishing with 1-5, Oisin Conaty with 0-4 and Rory Grugan with 1-1.
Armagh were on top from start to finish and stormed into a 1-2 to 0-0 lead after six minutes. Kildare were picked off in possession in their own half and Greg McCabe played Turbitt in on goal to finish low and hard.
Armagh's lead was extended to seven points before the 20-minute mark when Blaine Hughes' kick-out was fielded by Andrew Murnin. He played Conaty, who fed the ball to Grugan, and Grugan picked his spot and fired in Armagh's second goal.
The visitors led by 10 points at the break and were in cruise control throughout the second period.
Although their attack cooled off, they kept control of possession and did knock over some superb scores, particularly from Stefan Campbell and Turbitt.
Armagh's 14-point victory over improved their scoring different to +27 - one better than Donegal's following their big win over Fermanagh on Saturday.
Down prove too strong in Ulster derby
Paul McIntyre at Corrigan Park
Down proved too strong in the top-of-the-table Division Three Ulster derby at Corrigan Park.
Patrick McAleer's goal wiped out Down's early three-point advantage but four Pat Havern points helped Down to a two-point half-time lead.
Antrim battled gamely in the second half, but a late Down goal from Ceilum Doherty confirmed Down's top-of-the-table spot.
In a bright opening period, Down raced into an early three-point lead with a James Guinness point coming either side of two Haveron frees.
The Saffrons were finding it difficult to break down the visitors' rearguard, but they were thrown a lifeline in the 12th minute thanks to a fine finish to the net from McAlee, who was on hand to take advantage after an Eoin Hynds effort had dropped short.
But that goal failed to ignite Andy McEntee's men and by the 28th minute, Down had re-established a three-point advantage.
Antrim made an encouraging start to the second-half with Michael Byrne's 47th-minute free levelling the contest at 1-5 to 0-8.
But it was Down who found that extra gear and an unanswered 1-4 in the final 10 minutes confirmed a third straight win for Conor Laverty's side.
After starting the day in second spot in the table, the defeat dropped the Saffrons to fifth place after Westmeath secured their third straight win and with Sligo and Clare above the Saffrons on scoring difference after also moving to fourth points following respective wins over Limerick and Offaly.