Canavan lifts the Allianz NFL trophy for the second year in a row

Tyrone 0-21 1-8 Laois.

Tyrone proved far too good for a disappointing Laois outfit in Sunday's Allianz National Football League final at Croke Park.

The much-vaunted Laois attack was almost totally snuffed out by a tight-marking Tyrone defence.

At the other end of the field, the performances of man-of-the-match Owen Mulligan, Brian Dooher and Stephen O'Neill showed that the Tyrone forward line is not just about Peter Canavan.

Not that "Peter the Great" as Canavan was described by new GAA president Sean Kelly when he accepted the NFL trophy, had a bad match with the Errigal Ciaran veteran top-scoring with six points.

Gerard Cavlan even chipped in with three tremendous points after he was introduced early in the second half which shows that Mickey Harte will have a few selection posers ahead of the Ulster Championship game against Derry.

With Cormac McAnallen, playing in a holding role a la Brian McGilligan, Sean Cavanagh was once again able to produce some vigorous running from midfield.

Owen Mulligan was named man-of-the-match

Canavan hit the first score in the opening 60 seconds and by the 18th minute, the Red Hands led by 0-6 to 0-0.

The lead could have been even greater at that stage as Canavan seemed set to score a goal in the ninth minute before over-elaboration cost him the opportunity.

The fifth point from the boot of Mulligan was particularly impressive and he went on to hit another glorious long-range effort late in the half.

Laois' 19th minute goal, fisted home by Ian Fitzgerald for his team's opening score, threatened a revival.

The 10 minutes before the interval saw Laois continue to look dangerous and Damien Delaney's superb 34th minute score left Tyrone only two points clear.

However, Canavan's injury time point left a goal between the sides at the interval.

Tyrone were fortunate to still have the full quota of players at that stage as centre half-back Gerard Devlin had been guilty of a cynical stamp on Colm Parkinson.

The Championship will be a new ball game Mickey Harte

Referee Michael Collins, after having been alerted to the incident by an umpire, took the slightly strange decision of only giving the Tyrone man a yellow card.

Lively substitute Ross Monnolly hit the opening score of the second half for Laois but any prospect of victory for the Leinster county was then snuffed out by five successive Tyrone scores.

The industrious Dooher should have scored a Tyrone goal in the 48th minute and was guilty of another glaring miss late on.

Laois boss Mick O'Dwyer ransacked his attack in the second half but, Monnolly apart, the newcomers did little better than those who had started.

The Leinster side's last chance came and went in the 54th minute when Tyrone goalkeeper John Devine made a fine near post save to deny Monnolly.

With 12 minutes left, Tyrone led only by five but Laois were already beaten by that stage.

In the remaining minutes, Tyrone hit six scores as against a single point for Laois.

Mickey Harte was able to give some late action to Chris Lawn, Ryan Mellon and Declan McCrossan, all fit again after bouts of injury and illness.

We won't read too much into the win Mickey Harte

Devine produced another tremendous save in injury-time to deny Fitzgerald after the ball had come back off the woodwork.

But it was one of the few moments of concern for a Tyrone team that had conclusively retained their NFL title.

Earlier, Westmeath defeated Limerick 2-12 to 1-14 in an exciting Division 2 final.

Martin Flanagan's goal in the final minute of normal time was the crucial score.

Even after that, Limerick wasted three great chances to force a replay.

Limerick led 1-8 to 0-8 at the interval with Westmeath's Rory O'Connell's fumble leading to the goal after a Muiris Gavin free.

Gary Dolan's goal in the third quarter then levelled the contest but Limerick regrouped to lead by two points with time almost up.

However, Flanagan's goal earned Westmeath their second Division 2 title in three seasons.

Tyrone: J Devine, R McMenamin, C Holmes, M McGee, C Gormley, G Devlin, P Jordan, C McAnallen (0-1), S Cavanagh (0-1), B Dooher, B McGuigan (0-1), S O'Neill (0-4), E McGinley (0-1), P Canavan (0-6), O Mulligan (0-3). Subs: G Cavlan (0-3), C Lawn, R Mellon (0-1), D McCrossan.

Laois: F Byron, T Kelly, C Byrne, J Higgins, D Rooney, K Fitzpatrick, D Conroy, P Clancy, N Garvan, C Parkinson (0-1), I Fitzgerald (1-1), M Lawlor, B McDonald, D Delaney (0-2), S Kelly. D Miller (0-1), D Sweeney (0-1), R Monnolly (0-1), C Conway (0-1).

Referee: M Collins (Cork).