Tyrone beat Meath as Galway pip Monaghan in Division One

Tyrone recovered from a slow start to beat Meath 1-14 to 1-9 in Division One of the Football League as Galway edged out Monaghan 1-14 to 0-16.

Darren McCurry hit 1-6 of Tyrone's tally at Omagh as the second-half introduction of Mark Bradley helped the Red Hands take control.

Galway held on to beat the Farney men in a thrilling Salthill contest as Monaghan's fightback fell just short.

Robert Finnerty's 14th-minute goal proved the crucial score.

The league debutant's three-pointer helped Galway lead 1-8 to 0-8 at the break - after Conor McManus had a penalty saved by Conor Gleeson - and the Tribesmen extended their advantage to five early in the second half.

However, Monaghan chipped away at Galway's lead as Conor McManus brought up his tally to 0-6 but after the Farney men got on terms, the home side moved two up ahead again and held on despite 10 minutes of injury-time, after five had been called.

Tyrone were comfortable winners in the end as Meath's strong first-half challenge petered out badly but Mickey Harte is unlikely to have been impressed by his team's defending in the opening period.

The Royals wasted three glorious first-half goal chances as the Tyrone defence looked porous during the opening period.

Cillian O'Sullivan was denied by Niall Morgan in the opening moments of the game and squandered another gilt-edged opportunity with Ben Brennan also missing out on a seemingly certain goal as he failed to control a pinpoint pass from the impressive James McEntee.

McCurry netted Tyrone's goal in the 10th minute after being set up by Ronan O'Neill although Bryan McMahon immediately responded with a Meath three-pointer to level proceedings.

Despite Meath bossing possession, McCurry's 1-3 tally helped the Red Hands lead 1-5 to 1-4 at half-time with Niall Morgan and impressive wing-back Liam Rafferty also on target.

As Tyrone adopted a more defensive set-up in the second half, they snuffed out Meath's challenge with Bradley's introduction for Frank Burns helping to spark the Red Hand attack.

Bradley kicked two lovely points but it was his movement that gave the Tyrone forward a much more cohesive look.

The Red Hands hit five out of six scores to move into a 1-10 to 1-5 advantage and Meath were unable to respond effectively in the closing stages.

In contrast, Galway and Monaghan served up a Salthill thriller as Shane Walsh played a captain's part for the home side by producing a magnificent display which included six points.

In many ways, the game was a shootout between Walsh and Conor McManus who finished with the same tally for Monaghan, which included three points for play.

With the sides going man the man, the first half saw wonderfully open fare as the lead changed hands early on before Finnerty's 14th-minute goal put Galway 1-4 to 0-4 ahead.

With Monaghan still three down just before the break, they were presented with a glorious opportunity to get on terms but McManus' weekly-struck penalty was saved at full-length by Gleeson.

Padraig Joyce's side looked set to pull away early in the second half as they hit three out of four scores to move five ahead.

However, five unanswered points by the visitors tied the match by the 59th minute as substitute Aaron Mulligan fired an equaliser

Amid rising tensions, respective backroom men John Concannon and Conor Laverty shouldered each other on the sideline at one stage.

Walsh's sixth point was quickly cancelled out by a McManus score as the sides were level again in the 64th minute only for points from subs Damien Comer and Matthias Barrett to nudge Galway two ahead again by the 67th minute.

Either side of those two Galway points, Christopher McGuinness seemed certain to notch a potentially match-winning goal for Monaghan after being set up by McManus but the shot was brilliantly blocked on the line by Gary O'Donnell.

Galway held on despite the 10 minutes of injury-time, with McManus' astonishing 50-metre free from the sideline the sole score in added time.

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE RESULTS

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