Tyrone edge Armagh in Dr McKenna Cup opener

A crowd of 7,180 flocked to the Athletic Grounds as Tyrone beat Armagh 2-13 to 0-17 to open their Dr McKenna Cup campaign with a victory.

Goals in each half from Lorcan McGarrity and Mattie Donnelly paved the victory for Malachy O'Rourke's men.

Armagh started with 10 of the side that featured in last year's All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Kerry, with Daniel Magee, Dan McCarthy and Fergal O'Brien all making their inter-county debuts.

Tyrone started with four players that featured in their All-Ireland last four defeat to the eventual champions Kerry, with Oisin O'Kane, Peter McCaughey, Conor O'Neill and Oisin Gormley all making their senior county debuts.

The two sides will meet again in the Ulster SFC preliminary round at the Athletic Grounds on 12 April.

Next in the Dr McKenna Cup, Armagh go to Down on 7 January before Tyrone entertain Down in the final group game on 11 January.

Jarlath Og Burns got the game's first score on three minutes, while the evergreen Mattie Donnelly replied to get the Red Hands up and running from the very next attack.

Daniel Magee and Ross McQuillan edged the hosts ahead before Ben Cullen and Ruairi Canavan pointed to level the sides at three apiece after 11 minutes.

The Tyrone purple patch continued as Joe Oguz's neat kick-pass inside found Michael Conroy who passed to Lorcan McGarrity. The Carrickmore man only needed the deftest of touches to finish to the net.

Canavan landed a free for Tyrone to extend the lead to four before Armagh would take over, hitting seven scores without reply.

The pick of that burst was Conor Turbitt's two-point free which punished Tyrone's failure to keep three players in defence.

Michael Conroy landed a free for Malachy O'Rourke's side on the stroke of half-time, their first in 18 minutes, as Armagh went in with a 0-10 to 1-5 lead at the break.

Conaty and Canavan traded scores early in the second half before Donnelly fisted Tyrone's second goal to the net after fine set-up play from Canavan and Conor O'Neill.

O'Brien hit two in a row for Armagh before Conaty had a goal chance saved by Oisin O'Kane.

The two sides continued to trade blows before the Red Hands hit the final four scores of the game.

Darren McCurry kicked three points off the bench to put one between the sides before Lorcan McGarrity levelled the game with five to play.

Ben Cullen edged Tyrone ahead before Donnelly pointed with the final action of the game to seal a two point win for Tyrone.

Armagh: Ethan Rafferty; Peter McGrane, Aaron McKay, Joe McElroy; Ross McQuillan (0-1), Daniel Magee (0-1), Jarlath Og Burns (0-2); Callum O'Neill, Andrew Murnin (0-2); Darragh McMullan, Dan McCarthy, Fergal O'Brien (0-2); Oisin Conaty (0-3), Oisin O'Neill (0-4), Conor Turbitt (0-2, 1x2pf).

Subs: Conor Magennis for R McQuillan (HT), Padraig O'Keefe for J McElroy (41), Aaron O'Neill (0-1) for O O'Neill (49), Sean Conlon for D McCarthy (54), Ryan Duffy for D McMullan (63).

Tyrone: Oisin O'Kane; Nathan McCarron, Michael McKernan, Peter McCaughey; Ben Cullen (0-2), Frank Burns, Cormac Quinn; Joe Oguz (0-1), Conor O'Neill; Ronan Cassidy, Ruairi Canavan (0-3, 1f), Oisin Gormley; Michael Conroy (0-1, 1f), Lorcan McGarrity (1-1), Mattie Donnelly (1-2).

Subs: Niall Devlin for F Burns (HT), Seanie O'Donnell for C Quinn (HT), Cathal Donaghy for O Gormley (HT), Darren McCurry (0-3, 1f) for M Conroy (38), Oisin McCann for C O'Neill (38), Aidan Clarke for P McCaughey (41), Mattie Og McGleenan for R Cassidy (51).

Referee: Diarmuid Boylan (Monaghan)