Magnificent Derry made it two wins from two Allianz Football League Division 1 games as they presented Mickey Harte with victory over his native county in front of 11,629 spectators at a packed Celtic Park.
Derry played with the strong wind at their backs first half but led by only three at the break and Tyrone would have fancied their chances.
However, Tyrone’s second half fight back never materialised, as they shot 10 wides after half-time and went 33 minutes either side of the break without troubling the scoreboard.
In contrast, Derry went through the gears with Cormac Murphy terrorising the Red Hand backline and teeing up Conor Glass for a last minute lobbed goal that capped a hugely impressive display from the Ulster champions.
Murphy’s match-winning contribution in Tralee earned him a first league start at the expense of Declan Cassidy but otherwise it was as you were from the 15 that left Kerry with the two points. Tyrone meanwhile welcomed back Darren McCurry but his return was offset by the loss of the influential Peter Harte.
Backed by the considerable Celtic Park breeze, blowing in from the Brandywell end, Derry failed to translate it into any real superiority on the scoreboard in a first half that felt flat in the wake of the game’s huge build-up.
Derry deployed Conor McCluskey on the dangerous Darragh Canavan and in the first half at least the pair cancelled each out but it was probably the visitors who changed ends the happier, with Derry ahead by three at 0-08 to 0-05.
The opening exchanges saw both counties fashion decent goal chances but neither was able to capitalise. After Cormac Murphy had teed up Shane McGuigan for Derry’s opener, Paudie McGrogan played in Niall Loughlin for a second point, ignoring the unmarked Conor Doherty inside screaming for a pass.
Sixty seconds later Padraig Hampsey came to Tyrone’s rescue with a great block on a goalbound Ciaran McFaul shot after the Ulster champions opened up the visitors once more.
But Tyrone settled to their task, Ciaran Daly getting them on the scoreboard on six minutes and better should have followed two minutes later when Ruairi Canavan released Aodhan Donaghy through on goal only for Odhran Lynch to produce a superb save with his legs.
Stung into action, Derry reeled off points through Murphy, McGuigan, Padraig McGrogan and Ethan Doherty to move five ahead at 0-06 to 0-01 by the 16th minute but instead of pushing on the Oak Leafers stepped back and Tyrone took advantage, outscoring their hosts by 0-04 to 0-02 over the remainder of the half to give the game a different complexion.
A brilliant Niall Morgan free against the elements was followed by efforts from Donaghy and Darren McCurry (free), a run punctuated by a free from McGuigan at the other end for 0-07 to 0-04.
Another Canavan free was cancelled out by a lovely Ethan Doherty point but even with Derry leading 0-08 to 0-05, the Red Hands will have been quite content with their first half display.
Any notions the wind was going to win the game for Tyrone however were banished within seconds of the restart when McCurry watched his free blown wide. Indeed within the opening eight minutes of the second half Tyrone hit four wides and saw one effort drop short.
Friends reunited: Derry boss Mickey Harte and Tyrone jint-manager Brian Dooher shake hands at full-time
By contrast, the elements changed nothing about the way Derry played. Controlled and efficient in possession, Murphy was the Oak Leaf wildcard and his pace and trickery was causing all sorts of trouble.
Indeed the Magherafelt flyer grabbed the opening two scores of the second half and looked to have set up a goal for Glass at the back post until the umpire signalled he had taken the ball wide in the build-up.
It was a let off for Tyrone and Derry went even closer on 50 minutes when Morgan was forced to brilliantly touch Paul Cassidy’s drive onto the crossbar. Conor Doherty follow up for a point but Tyrone were hanging on.
Ethan Doherty’s point took Derry’s lead out to 0-12 to 0-05 on 53 minutes and when Seanie O’Donnell eventually split the posts for Tyrone on 57 minutes it marked the end of a 33-minute scoring drought for the Red Hands.
The closing minutes saw Derry hold possession and Tyrone almost resigned to their fate but there was still time for Glass’ coup de gras, lobbing home Derry’s first goal of the county season from 30m.
They didn’t need it, but it was a lovely icing on the Derry cake after two wins from two league games
Tyrone scorers: Ciaran Daly (0-1), Niall Morgan (0-1, 1f), Aodhan Donaghy (0-1), Darren McCurry (0-1, 1f), Darragh Canavan (0-1, 1f), Sean O’Donnell (0-2), Brian Kennedy (0-1), Ciaran Daly (0-1).
Derry: Odhran Lynch, Conor McCluskey, Chrissy McKaigue, Diarmuid Baker, Conor Doherty (0-01), Gareth McKinless, Padraig Grogan (0-01), Conor Glass (1-00), Brendan Rogers, Ethan Doherty (0-03), Cormac Murphy (0-03), Paul Cassidy, Niall Loughlin (0-01), Shane McGuigan (0-03, 1f), Ciaran McFaul.
Subs: Niall Toner for G McKinless (36), Ryan Scullion for O Lynch (46), Declan Cassidy for N Loughlin (57), Donncha Gilmore for C Glass (70), Emmett Bradley for P Cassidy (70)
Tyrone: Niall Morgan (0-01), Conall Devlin, Padraig Hampsey, Aidan Clarke, Ruairi Canavan, Michael McKernan, Ben Cullen, Brian Kennedy (0-01), Tarlach Quinn, Niall Devlin, Aodhan Donaghy (0-01), Seanie O’Donnell (0-02), Darren McCurry (0-01f), Darragh Canavan (0-01f), Ciaran Daly (0-01).
Subs: Michael McGleenan for B Cullen, 50mins; Joe Oguz for R Canavan, 57mins; Conor Cush for D McCurry, 61mins; Nathan McCarron for M McKernan (inj), 64mins;
Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan)
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