Tyrone 1-18 Louth 1-10GIVEN HIS outstanding track record, it seems absurd to suggest Mickey Harte was "under pressure" in Drogheda on Saturday night but his side responded with an emphatic eight-point victory over a disappointing Louth.

After appearing rusty in the opening stages, Tyrone found their stride with three quick points from Martin Penrose, Tommy McGuigan and Seán Cavanagh.

Louth seemed to settle when Darren Clarke netted at the end of the first quarter. However, that was to be their only score of the first half and Tyrone had pulled four clear by the time Enda McGinley found the net. Three more points in the remaining five minutes of the half left the visitors with a 1-10 to 1-0, interval lead.

Louth improved after the break as Brian White was introduced to a flagging midfield sector, but for all their endeavour, the home side still found themselves nine points in arrears, 1-15 to 1-6, as the third quarter drew to a close. Shane Lennon passed up an opportunity to put some respectability on the scoreboard by blazing a penalty over the bar in the dying minutes.

TYRONE:J Devine; R McMenamin, J McMahon, PJ Quinn; D Harte, C Gormley, P Jordan (0-1); R Mellon (0-1), E McGinley (1-1); B Dooher (0-1), B McGuigan (0-3), T McGuigan (0-1); M Penrose (0-1), S Cavanagh (0-4), C McCullagh (0-5, one free). Subs: D McCaul for McMenamin (63 mins), J McMahon for Mellon (64 mins), M McGee for Quinn (65 mins), C Cavanagh for T McGuigan (68 mins), C Holmes for McGinley (70 mins).

LOUTH:S Reynolds; J Neary, M Fanning, J Carr; B McArdle, D Finnegan, R Finnegan; P Keenan, R Carroll; A Reid, A Hoey (0-1, free), D Reid; M Stanfield, S Lennon (0-3, one pen), D Clarke (1-3, one free). Subs: B White (0-3, two frees) for A Reid (half-time), C Judge for McArdle (48 mins), J Murray for Carroll (55 mins), A O'Brien for Finnegan (61 mins).

Referee:J McKee (Armagh)