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NY GAA: The week's reports from Gaelic Park

EUGENE KYNE

Irish Voice Columnist

Published Thursday, July 16, 2009, 9:59 AM

Updated Thursday, July 23, 2009, 5:58 PM

Action from Gaelic Park in the Bronx, New York.

Man of the match: Adrian Tate (Roscommon).

Referee: Paddy Gormley (Rockland).

Tyrone Makes a Statement

Tyrone 1-9 Cork 1-6

Tyrone won this encounter of undefeated sides with a brilliant defensive performance that limited Cork to seven scores, with just three coming in the second half.

While John Murtagh gets the awards for his displays up front, it is the no name defense that suffocates by its pressure and tenacity. With five of the six defenders home-based in New York, they are bucking the trend of summer sanctions being vital in that area.

Even more impressive was their ability to limit the amount of frees they gave up in scoring position which is crucial at this level.

The game of the day burst into action from the get go. Francie Cleary had a point fisted over after two minutes, but immediately Tyrone moved the ball quickly in the other direction.

A long ball from Eamonn Lyons was received by Murtagh inside the full back. The flying forward had the tightest of angles but found the left side of the net with a brilliant finish. He followed it with a tremendous point, with Eamon Lyons then grabbing their third.

Cork was at sixes and sevens, but they regrouped and steadied the ship. It began when the ball was worked out from the defense by Denis McCarthy to Colin Daly. The Skerries man ran at the Tyrone defense before slipping the ball to Joe O’Neill in front of goal. The wee man found the net with a perfect low shot.

After a Pakie McMullan score for Tyrone, Cork attacked again. Frees from J.P. Boyle tied up the contest with 25 minutes gone, but both sides will rue wides that finished of moves.

Indeed, a host of ball was dropped around the 45 at both ends when runs were being made. It kept the scoring low after the opening flourish.

Murtagh had a free in the first minute of the second half, but it was the only score for either side in the first 10 minutes. Both sides were battling, with McCarthy, Sean Lordon and Paddy Harrington impressive at the back for Cork, while Joe Bell, Seamus Skeffington and Gerard McCullough were doing a lot of cleaning up at the Tyrone end. All were negating forward advances with timely interceptions and dogged defending.