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13th Mar 2022

Padraig Hampsey sent off for shouldering Cormac Costello onto the tarmac in Omagh

Niall McIntyre

Dublin 0-13 Tyrone 0-8

It’s Tyrone-Dublin, it’s hot, it’s heavy and it’s hardly the type of place you’d expect someone to stand back and smile as they hold the door for you.

Padraig Hampsey wasn’t holding the door for Cormac Costello and Cormac Costello wasn’t standing back to smile at Padraig Hampsey. The ball ran away from the two of them and up into the Healy Park stands when, with Dublin leading by eight points and with Hampsey surely a little bit frustrated at that fact, the Tyrone man couldn’t stop himself from shouldering into the Dublin forward.

It was hardly a shoulder to move boulders but with Hampsey on a yellow card at the time, and given that it was on solid ground and alongside the railings, it was a dangerous move and it wasn’t clever. Costello went down, making the most of it, it has to be said, but after a conversation with his linesman, referee Barry Cassidy gave the Tyrone captain his marching orders.

He wasn’t happy to receive what was his second red card of this League, nor was his manager Fergal Logan – who had a few words with Derry referee after the game – but they can’t have too many complaints about this one.

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Strangely, with Richie Donnelly making a huge impact and with Niall Sludden coming into the game, Tyrone grew into it from then on but the damage had already been done. The damage was done by the brilliant Dean Rock, by Brian Fenton and a born-again Ciaran Kilkenny. Rock scored two typically brilliant points from play, as well as another fisted effort while Fenton dominated a first half in which Dublin moved and played like they haven’t done all year.

They were back to their best and as they watched Tyrone getting played off Healy Park, the travelling supporters were singing Come on You Boys in Blue.

Kilkenny too, looked back to his best as he made light work of the Tyrone defenders to also kick two points from play and that man Costello done his bit up front. In defence, Davy Byrne marshalled Cathal McShane and Michael Fitzsimons was his steady, reliable self.

The Dubs have a bit of life in them yet.

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