Tyrone 3-16
Kildare 1-21
SUBSTITUTE MARK DONNELLY stole a sensational Allianz League victory for Tyrone in Newbridge with a 72nd minute match-winning goal.
Kildare looked all set for victory after leading for most of the game and carrying a five-point advantage with 70 minutes on the clock.
But Ronan O’Neill’s goal gave Tyrone some hope and Donnelly’s net blast with time almost up proved to be a dramatic winner.
It was tough on Kildare as they led by seven early in the first-half and by that five-point margin late on.
But the battling performance proves that the spirit of Tyrone legend Cormac McAnallen remains strong.
The former captain and All-Ireland winning defender passed away exactly a decade ago.
He was well represented in Newbridge by fellow Eglish club man Emmet McKenna who shot an important 1-2.
McKenna’s 29th minute goal hauled Tyrone back after a terrible start as Kildare moved 0-7 to 0-0 clear.
By half-time, Tyrone had reduced their arrears to a single point and trailed by just 1-9 to 0-13.
Kildare appeared to give themselves room to manoeuvre with a Tom O’Connor goal after the restart.
The big full-forward proved tough to handle and Kildare enjoyed the lead for all of the second-half until those two late goals.
Eoghan O’Flaherty notched seven points to keep Kildare apparently in control but they were suckered firstly by O’Neill and then by Donnelly.
Scorers for Tyrone: Ronan O’Neill 1-5 (0-3f), Emmet McKenna 1-2, Mark Donnelly 1-1, Mattie Donnelly 0-3, Conor McAlliskey 0-2, Niall Morgan (0-1f), Darren McCurry (0-1f) and Sean Cavanagh 0-1 each.Scorers for Kildare: Eoghan O’Flaherty 0-7 (0-7f), Darroch Mulhall (0-1f, 1 45) 0-4, Tomas O’Connor 1-0, Paddy Brophy 0-3, Cathal McNally and Sean Hurley 0-2 each, Mick O’Grady, Tommy Moolick and Paul Cribbin 0-1 each.
TYRONE: Niall Morgan; Aidan McCrory, Conor Clarke, Barry Tierney; Ciaran McGinley, Peter Harte, Ryan McKenna; Conan Grugan, Colm Cavanagh; Emmet McKenna, Ronan O’Neill, Sean Cavanagh; Darren McCurry, Mattie Donnelly, Conor McAlliskey.
Subs: Ronan McNamee for Harte 27 (black card), Mark Donnelly for Grugan h/t, Ronan McNabb for Ryan McKenna 47, Niall McKenna for McGinley 51, Kyle Coney for E McKenna 59.
KILDARE: Shane Connolly; Mick O’Grady, Mick Foley, Hugh McGrillen; Paul Cribbin, Fergal Conway, Kevin Murnaghan; Tommy Moolick, Gary Whyte; Cathal McNally, Eoghan O’Flaherty, Sean Hurley; Darroch Mulhall, Tomas O’Connor, Paddy Brophy.
Subs: David Hyland for Conway 47, Padraig Fogarty for O’Connor 56, Padraig O’Neill for McNally 57, James Gately for Whyte 66, Fionn Dowling for Mulhall 67, Daryl Flynn for Moolick 71.
Referee: P O’Sullivan (Kerry).
