Mickey Harte's side seemed to tire in the closing stages

A sharper Mayo side led for the opening 45 minutes but Tyrone then fought back to level when Stephen O'Neill cracked in a magnificent goal.

But amazingly, O'Neill's strike was the final Tyrone score as Mayo pulled clear in the closing stages.

Peter Canavan came on as a sub in the first half but made little impression.

Mayo's running and passing game showed decisively how to breach the blanket defence method favoured by last year's All-Ireland champions.

The Connacht champions cut open the Tyrone defence as early as the fourth minute but not for the only time in the contest, they were content to take a point when a goal chance seemed on with Trevor Mortimer supplying the finish.

By the 15th minute, Mayo were 0-4 to 0-1 ahead with Conor Mortimer striking the score after a great run from Peadar Gardiner.

I felt when Stephen O'Neill scored the goal, we'd have the energy to take victory Mickey Harte

Mayo were 0-6 to 0-3 ahead when Canavan came on for Shane Sweeney in the 22nd minute with Ciaran Gourley moving from centre half-forward back into the defence.

Kieran McDonald's superb long-range free in the 25th minute was another example of his superb first half contribution.

McDonald's performance yet again showed that he is finally producing his Crossmolina form for his county.

Late in the first half, Tyrone picked up their game and the lively O'Neill had a sniff of a goal chance before electing to take his point in the 27th minute to cut Mayo's advantage to 0-7 to 0-5.

A thumping point in first half injury-time from Gerard Cavlan mean Tyrone were still two in arrears at the break at 0-7 to 0-9.

Tyrone made the better start to the third quarter but a couple of efforts came back off the woodwork - something that happened on four occasions in all.

After the goal, we missed the next couple of chances and we needed those scores Mickey Harte

Mayo then responded again to stretch into a 0-12 to 0-9 advantage by the 44th minute with Conor Mortimer and excellent midfielder David Brady among the scorers.

Then came O'Neill's spectacular finish which would have deflated many an opposition.

After O'Neill's goal, the match was scoreless for seven minutes but after some sloppy play, Trevor Mortimer then fisted Mayo back into the lead.

Further Alan Dillon and Brady points increased Mayo's lead to three by the 61st minute and by that stage, Tyrone were looking distinctly tired and lacking in ideas.

Mayo endured a few late jitters with McDonald missing two glorious chances to hit the insurance point.

However, the margin became four a minute from the end of normal time when free-taker Dillon brought up his total to six and the game was up for Tyrone.

Mayo: P Burke, C Moran, D Heaney, G Ruane, P Gardiner, J Nallen, F Costello, D Brady (0-3), R McGarrity (0-1), J Gill, K McDonald (0-1), A Dillon (0-6), C Mortimer (0-3), T Mortimer (0-2), B Maloney.