Mayo suffer under Tyrone power in the still Omagh air

An inspired second-half display, spearheaded by substitute Darren McCurry, helped Tyrone secure a 1-15 to 1-11 victory over Mayo in Division 1 of the Allianz National Football League at O'Neills Healy Park in Omagh.

Trailing by three at the break (0-4 to 1-4) following a rather insipid opening 30 minutes, Tyrone were like a different team after the break and Mayo simply had no answer.

Kevin McStay's charges did try to get back into the game late on, with Fergal Boland and their own inspirational sub, Ryan O'Donoghue, leading the charge, but they had no answer to the Tyrone power plays, McCurry and Darragh Canavan in inspired form in the Red Hand county's attack.

Canavan's goal on 47 minutes gave put Tyrone into the lead for just the second time in the game (1-8 to 1-5), and they never looked back after that.

Mayo made a number of changes to the announced starting team – Michael Plunkett for Donnacha McHugh, Matthew Ruane for Jack Carney, Cillian O'Connor for Aidan O'Shea and Conor McStay for Ryan O'Donoghue – and were further rocked after just five minutes when Diarmuid O'Connor had to depart due to injury, Carney coming in for him.

With all the changes it took Mayo a while to settle, and Tyrone took the lead when Canavan, under some pressure, scored in the seventh minute.

Canavan was mostly well shackled by Sam Callinan, one of a number of Mayo players – among them Jordan Flynn and Enda Hession – to make some telling interceptions during that opening half. Furthermore, once Mayo got to the rhythm of the game, they prospered. Tyrone were content to let them dicate possession in the hope that they would be able to catch them on the break, but that materialised only infrequently.

Cillian O'Connor opened Mayo's account with a free in the ninth minute and added a second after a quarter of an hour, with a sweet Stephen Coen point from play sandwiched between.

Hopes that the Green and Red might pull away were quashed when Peter Harte landed two frees in quick succession to level the matters.

Then the referee intervened as Jordan Flynn by Cormac Quinn was fouled on his way to goal. While the foul was outside the big square, the referee deemed it a clear goal-scoring opportunity and indicated a spot kick. O'Connor sent the penalty high to the top left of Niall Morgan's goal, and Mayo suddenly had a gap on the scoreboard and numerical advantage as Quinn was flashed a black card for stopping Flynn in his tracks.

Conor McStay followed up with another Mayo point – he might have fancied a goal but the angle was tight and he took the safer option – but they failed to put any further daylight between themselves and Tyrone, wides suddenly becoming a feature of their play.

In injury time Darragh Canavan landed a free, and there were just three between the sides (1-4 to 0-4) with the full second half to play. Mayo would rue not making further inroads.

McCurry made his presence felt with an early free, and when he added another following one from play by Canavan the scores were level (0-7 to 1-4) with just five minutes of the second half played.

Mayo stopped the rot when Robbie Hennelly pointed a long-range free from a tight angle, but McCurry levelled once more with a beautiful sliced effort, and he was involved in the move too that led to Canavan's goal.

Once into the lead, Tyrone never looked back. McCurry and Canavan continue to punish the Mayo rearguard and while O'Donoghue, Fergal Boland, sub Bob Tuohy and Rory Brickenden scored some very impressive points, the hosts could always maintain a gap on them.

In the end they had four to spare (1-15 to 1-11) and from going into the game still perhaps thinking of reaching the league final, Mayo now have to start thinking about accruing sufficient points in the remaining three games to ensure relegation is avoided.

Tyrone: Niall Morgan; Conall Devlin, Padraig Hampsey, Aidan Clarke; Michael McKernan, Cormac Quinn, Niall Devlin; Brian Kennedy, Conn Kilpatrick; Ciarán Daly, Peter Harte (0-2f), Joe Oguz; Cormaic Donnelly, Darragh Canavan (1-4, 1f), Seanie O'Donnell (0-1).

Subs used: B. Cullen, D. McCurry (0-8, 6f), K. McGeary, R. Canavan.

Mayo: Rob Hennelly (0-1f); Jack Coyne, Rory Brickenden (0-1), Sam Callinan; Michael Plunkett, Stephen Coen (0-1), Enda Hession; Diarmuid O'Connor, Matthew Ruane; Diarmuid Duffy, Fergal Boland (0-2), Jordan Flynn; Cillian O'Connor (1-), 1p, 2f), Tommy Conroy, Conor McStay (0-1).

Subs used: J. Carney, R. O'Donoghue (0-2), E. McLaughlin, D. McHale, B. Tuohy (0-1).

Referee: B. Cawley (Kildare).