Comac Murphy inspired Derry defeat Tyrone at packed Celtic Park

Derry 1-12, Tyrone 0-09

After a week dominated by 'outside noise', Derry did their talking on the pitch as Cormac Murphy inspired the Oak Leafers to an emphatic victory over Tyrone in front of 11,629 spectators in Celtic Park.

It began with all eyes seeking out Mickey Harte and Gavin Devlin as they met Tyrone in opposition for the for time, yet the afternoon finished with most focused on the Magherafelt flying machine who already looks to have provided the Ulster champions with an added attacking dimension.

Murphy's ability to work in tight spaces, to create and take scores, coupled with acceleration that frightens the life out of defenders meant that far from being about the Derry management, this was a game about Derry's continued evolution which Harte appears to be overseeing nicely.

With Murphy almost unemployable at times on his full league debut, Derry played with the strong wind at their backs first half but led by only three at the break and Tyrone would have fancied their chances.

However Tyrone's second half felt flat as they shot 10 second half wides and went 33 minutes either side of the break without troubling the scoreboard. In contrast, Derry went through the gears with Murphy teeing up Conor Glass for Derry's first goal of the county season to cap a hugely impressive display.

It was Murphy's match winning cameo in Tralee that earned him a first league start at the expense of Declan Cassidy but otherwise it was as you were from the 15 that left Kerry with the two points. Tyrone meanwhile welcomed back Darren McCurry but his return was offset by the loss of the influential Peter Harte.

Derry deployed Conor McCluskey on the dangerous Darragh Canavan and in the first half at least the pair cancelled each out but it was probably the visitors who changed ends the happier with Derry ahead by only three at 0-8 to 0-5.

The opening exchanges saw both counties fashion decent goal chances but neither was able to capitalise. After Murphy had teed up Shane McGuigan for Derry's opener, Paudie McGrogan played in Niall Loughlin for a second point that ignored the unmarked Conor Doherty inside. Sixty seconds later Padraig Hampsey came to Tyrone's rescue with a great block on a goalbound Ciaran McFaul shot after the Ulster champions opened up the visitors once more.

But Tyrone settled to their task, Ciaran Daly getting them on the scoreboard on six minutes and better should have followed two minutes later when Ruairi Canavan released Aodhan Donaghy through on goal only for Odhran Lynch to produce a superb save with his legs.

Stung into action, Derry reeled off points through Murphy, McGuigan, Padraig McGrogan and Ethan Doherty to move five ahead at 0-6 to 0-1 by the 16th minute yet instead of pushing on the Oak Leafers stepped back and Tyrone took advantage, outscoring their hosts by 0-4 to 0-2 over the remainder of the half. A brilliant Niall Morgan free against the elements was followed by efforts from Donaghy and Darren McCurry (f), a run punctuated by a free from Shane McGuigan at the other end for 0-7 to 0-4.

Another Canavan free was cancelled out by a lovely Ethan Doherty point but even with Derry leading 0-8 to 0-5, the Red Hands will have been quite content with their first half display.

Any notions the wind was going to win the game for Tyrone however were banished within seconds of the restart as McCurry watched his free blown wide. Indeed within the opening eight minutes of the second half starting Tyrone had hit four wides and saw one effort drop short.

By contrast, the elements changed nothing about the way Derry played. Controlled and efficient in possession, Murphy was the Oak Leaf wildcard and his pace and trickery was causing all sorts of trouble. The Magherafelt flyer grabbed the opening two scores of the second half and looked to have set up a goal for Glass at the back post until umpire signalled he taken the ball wide in the build-up.

That was a let off for Tyrone but Derry went even closer on 50 minutes when Morgan was forced to brilliantly touch Paul Cassidy's drive onto the cross bar. Conor Doherty follow up for a point but Tyrone were hanging on.

Ethan Doherty's point took Derry's lead out to 0-12 to 0-5 on 53 minutes and when Seanie O'Donnell eventually split the posts for Tyrone on 57 minutes, it marked the end of a 33 minute scoring drought for the Red Hands.

The closing minutes saw Derry hold possession and Tyrone almost resigned to their fate but there was still time for Glass' coup de gras, lobbing home Derry's first goal of the county season from 30m. They didn't need it, but it was a lovely icing on the Derry cake after two wins from two league games.

Derry scorers: Conor Glass (1-0), Shane McGuigan (0-3, 1f), Niall Loughlin (0-1), Cormac Murphy (0-3), Padraig McGrogan (0-1), Ethan Doherty (0-2),

Tyrone scorers: Ciaran Daly (0-1), Niall Morgan (0-1, 1f), Aodhan Donaghy (0-1), Darren McCurry (0-1, 1f), Darragh Canavan (0-1, 1f), Sean O'Donnell (0-2), Brian Kennedy (0-1), Ciaran Daly (0-1).

Derry: Odhran Lynch, Conor McCluskey, Chrissy McKaigue, Diarmuid Baker, Conor Doherty, Gareth McKinless, Padraig Grogan, Conor Glass, Brendan Rogers, Ethan Doherty, Cormac Murphy, Paul Cassidy, Niall Loughlin, Shane McGuigan, Ciaran McFaul. (Subs) Niall Toner for G McKinless, 36mins; Ryan Scullion for O Lynch (inj), 46mins; Declan Cassidy for N Loughlin, 57mins; Donncha Gilmore for C Glass, 70mins; Emmett Bradley for P Cassidy, 70mins.

Tyrone: Niall Morgan, Conall Devlin, Padraig Hampsey, Aidan Clarke, Ruairi Canavan, Michael McKernan, Ben Cullen, Brian Kennedy, Tarlach Quinn, Niall Devlin, Aodhan Donaghy, Seanie O’Donnell, Darren McCurry, Darragh Canavan, Ciaran Daly. (Subs) Michael McGleenan for B Cullen, 50mins; Joe Oguz for R Canavan, 57mins; Conor Cush for D McCurry, 61mins; Nathan McCarron for M McKernan (inj), 64mins;

Referee: Noel Mooney