Tyrone 0-21 Sligo 0-14
The masters of the qualifiers come again, Tyrone now back in the All-Ireland football quarter-finals for the 11th time in 15 seasons.
Not all of those have come through the back door, but after a largely predictable if not uneventful round four qualifier victory over Sligo, manager Mickey Harte can now look forward to a return trip to Croke Park next Saturday – to play either Ulster champions Monaghan or Connacht champions Mayo.
They might not be showing All-Ireland-winning potential, not yet any way, but Tyrone were certainly far more inventive than Sligo, with the far greater spread of scorers too: nine players contributed here, Darren McCurry helping himself to 0-8, four from play, with Seán Cavanagh and Mattie Donnelly hitting three each all from play.
Cavanagh was actually named man-of-the-match by some observers, although not this one: he also hit five wides and could actually have been a lot busier in front of goal. Peter Harte was relatively quiet too, and yet Tyrone played as if keeping something in reserve, which they may well have to produce if they are to have a greater say in the destination of this year's title.
Still, it’s now Tyrone’s fourth qualifier win this season – having already beaten Limerick, Meath and Tipperary – and so brings that masterful qualifier record to: played 29; won 24, drew one, and lost four. They were fully deserving of the seven-point win, knowing it might well have been more.
Sligo at least prevented Tyrone from scoring a goal, having conceded six against Mayo in the Connacht final, with Ross Donavan making two goal-line clearances towards the end. But they relied on veteran Mark Breheny to keep their points ticking over, and the goal they needed to give them any hope of rattling Tyrone never even threatened to come.
Instead, this game was effectively about Tyrone taking care of business, although not without a little swagger. Indeed Tyrone have still never lost a round four qualifier under Harte (previously beating Laois in 2004, Monaghan in 2005, Mayo in 2008, Roscommon in 2011 and Meath in 2013).
Tyrone are also the only team to win the All-Ireland through the back door as beaten provincial finalists, that feat achieved in 2005 – the season they lost to Armagh in the Ulster final
Sligo were simply unable to raise any weighty resistance against Tyrone. They trailed by double scores at half-time – Tyrone up 0-12 to Sligo’s 0-6 – and there was never likely to be an easy way back from there.
Sligo did hit the first two scores of the second half, reducing the deficit to four points, yet followed that brief run with two wides in succession. In the play immediately afterwards Mark Bradley tagged on another for Tyrone, and the game slipped ever away from Sligo.
TYRONE: N Morgan (0-1, a free); A McCorry, R McNamee, R Brennan (0-1); R McNabb, Joe McMahon, P Harte (0-1); C Cavanagh (0-1), M Donnelly (0-3); T McCann, M Bradley (0-2), C Meyler; D McCurry (0-8, three frees, one 45), S Cavanagh (0-3), C McAliskey (0-1).
Subs: C McCann for Meyler (48 mins), P McNulty for Bradley (58 mins), Justin McMahon for Joe McMahon (60 mins), R O'Neill for McAliskey, D McBride for Colm Cavanagh (63 mins), C Clarke for Donnelly (69 mins).
SLIGO: A Devaney; D Maye, K Cawley, R Donavan; B Egan, E Flanagan, B Curran; S Gilmartin, C Breheny (0-1); N Ewing, 11 M Breheny (0-6, two frees), N Murphy (0-1); D Kelly (0-1), P Hughes (0-3), A Marren (0-2, both frees).
Subs: K McDonnell for C Brehony (34 mins), J Hynes for Gilmartin (56 mins), C Davey for Ewing (58 mins), L Bree for Maye (63 mins), K Sweeney for Hughes (69 mins).
Referee: Rory Hickey (Clare)
