RED LETTER DAY

DIARMUID MARTIN delivered the Hammer blow to secure All-Ireland MFC success for Tyrone - as Kerry's title hopes went west.

- By PAUL KEANE

Martin came into the Red Hands team for Joel Kerr, who is under contract at West Ham United since the start of July.

It was a like-for-like replacement because Martin oozed class with a brilliant display and the match-winning score.

Tyrone trailed by four points with 11 minutes to go in Newbridge and were still a point down deep into stoppage time but Peter Colton, who'd earlier netted from the penalty spot, tied the game up at 1-15 apiece.

And Martin capped a fine game with his third point in the dying moments to clinch Tyrone's first title since 2010, their ninth in all.

The Red Hands have already claimed back-to-back Under-20 titles and their seniors will play Kerry next weekend, so a landmark treble remains on.

Boss Gerard Donnelly praised powerful forward Martin for his decisive role in the victory.

Donnelly said: "I knew that he would have a big game. I said, 'Diarmo, you'll come in and you're going to have a big day' - and he scored the winner! You just couldn't script it.

"He's had injuries but every week Diarmuid has been getting sharper and sharper and we just unloaded him for the final and he got three points from play."