Roscommon stayed with Tyrone for 40 minutes but ultimately the more experienced Red Hand men prevailed in the Round Four All-Ireland SFC qualifier at Croke Park on Saturday.
The final score, 3-19 to 1-14, did not reflect the balance of the game, but Sean Cavanagh’s two goals helped swing it to Tyrone.
Cavanagh opened the scoring for Tyrone but Cathal Cregg soon pegged it back. The teams would be level eight times in a fantastically open and entertaining first 35 minutes of football.
Donie Shine and Senan Kilbride were tormenting the Tyrone defence with Conor Gormley and Joe McMahon struggling to cope with the pair.
Kilbride, who showed no signs of his shoulder injury, got his first on 10 minutes to tie it at 0-3 apiece and minutes later it took a superb block by Conor Gormley to deny Shine the game’s opening goal.
But the Rossies would get the breakthrough on 27 minutes when a punched clearance by Pascal McConnell fell to Karol Mannion and he stroked home a stunning goal to put Roscommon up by four points.
However, just like last week against Armagh, Tyrone rallied before the break and a storming solo run by Sean Cavanagh ended with the four-time All-Star firing past Geoffrey Claffey into the Roscommon net.
His brother Colm then levelled it before Peter Harte put Tyrone ahead and Roscommon’s continual wastefulness in front of goal – they had nine first-half wides - would ultimately cost them.
Kilbride would level it for the eighth time but Cavanagh landed the final score of the half, putting Tyrone ahead 1-9 to 1-8 at the break.
Mickey Harte introduced Owen Mulligan and Brian Dooher and Tyrone went more direct and it turned the game. Brian McGuigan, Mark Donnelly, Sean O’Neill, Peter Harte and Philip Jordan all landed scores and soon Tyrone were five clear.
Frees from Shine and Kilbride brought them back into it but Tyrone pulled away again, this time decisively. Colm Cavanagh, Peter Harte (2) and Gormley stretched the lead as Roscommon faded and after Sean Cavanagh hit the crossbar, he found the net for the second time with five to go.
Donnelly also raised the green flag before the final whistle, giving Tyrone an 11-point win.
The result flatters Tyrone but an impressive second-half display of power football and a deep bench should send Dublin a warning for next week.