Tyrone beat Cavan 1-15 to 0-11 in McKenna Cup final

Eugene Keating is challenged by Dermot Carlin

Tyrone recovered from an early deficit to run out comfortable 1-15 to 0-11 winners over Cavan in the McKenna Cup final at the Athletic Grounds, Armagh.

Cavan led 0-8 to 0-5 approaching half-time, but a Plunkett Kane goal saw the sides go in level at the interval.

The Red Hands were three points ahead when Cavan had Killian Brady sent-off and Mickey Harte's side then dominated.

The impressive Kyle Coney scored five points for Tyrone, while Cavan's man-of-the-match Cian Mackey landed three.

The decider had originally been scheduled for Saturday 25 January at Brewster Park but the pitch was deemed unplayable and the Ulster Council opted to play the rearranged game in Armagh to avoid a possible second postponement.

Tyrone were bidding for a third McKenna Cup title in a row but made a slow start as they struggled to cope with playing against the breeze and the scoring threat posed by their opponents.

Darren McCurry was unable to start because of flu and Tyrone's UUJ players Matthew Donnelly, Ronan O'Neill, Connor McAliskey and Barry Tierney were not included either in light of their forthcoming Sigerson Cup semi-final against UCD on Friday.

Watched by a crowd of 4,597, points by Martin Dunne (2) and Eugene Keating saw Cavan enjoy a three-point lead after 10 minutes.

Tyrone responded with a Coney point and a Niall Morgan free, but Keating restored his side's two-point advantage.

Morgan pointed with an excellent strike from the 45m line, but Mackey and Keating responded, before Sean Cavanagh's score left it 0-6 to 0-4.

Two points from Dunne gave Cavan some breathing space again, but Morgan's third free reduced the deficit and Plunkett found the net after finishing from a rebound.

Mackey recorded the first score of the second half, but two Coney frees and two points from Paddy McNeice put the defending champions firmly in the driving seat.

Brady received a black card, following an earlier yellow, so Cavan were forced to play the remainder of the match with 14 men.

Mark Donnelly pointed after a number of errors in the opposing defence and Coney added a further two points to his earlier tally before the end of the game.

Niall McKenna, substitute Ciaran McGinley with a superb long-range point, and McNeice also contributed points while David Givney and Mackey landed scores for Terry Hyland's side.