Tyrone demonstrate that a gulf in class still exists between them and their neighbours

THE EXPECTATIONS of a close encounter in the Ulster final were dashed after 20 minutes. It soon became apparent that Monaghan were simply not up to the challenge.

In contrast, the appetite and level of intensity in Tyrone’s performance means they have to be seen as serious contenders for the All-Ireland title yet again. There were certainly no indications of age being a barrier to their progress yesterday.

Dick Clerkin and Owen Lennon battled well in the early stages before conceding the initiative in midfield. Tyrone’s half-backs began to attack with menace and created scoring opportunities throughout the game.

Tomas Freeman needed to take the early scoring opportunity that he was presented with but, unfortunately for Monaghan, they never truly recovered from the setback of his miss. His brother Damien also went on to miss a goalscoring chance.

When such opportunities are not taken at this high level they are invariably punished, especially by a team as clinical as Tyrone.

The way Mickey Harte’s half-backs attack with such abandon is almost like total football. Despite constant forays into the opposition’s half the defenders remain organised at the back and are rarely caught out of position.

Tyrone’s ethos was typified by Cathal McCarron. The corner-back is a relative newcomer to the side but he still had the audacity run the length of the pitch to offer himself as an attacking outlet. That is indicative of the trust that each player has in one another.

In Colm Cavanagh they also have a greater physical presence in midfield. His work around midfield releases his brother, Seán, to do damage in the forward line, where he is most effective.

The only area they will be seeking to improve upon will be the return from kickable chances. If they can integrate Stephen O’Neill back into the team that problem should take care of itself.

After 20 minutes Monaghan were a side shorn of confidence who seemed to run out of ideas in the final third of the pitch. I stressed beforehand that Monaghan needed their half-forwards in particular to track back and cover their markers. This did not happen enough. Admittedly, Vincent Corey was a huge loss in the defence but Monaghan appeared rudderless.

Paul Finlay and other key players did not perform to their capabilities. Too often they ran into cul-de-sacs, allowing Tyrone to turn possession over. Physically, Monaghan may be ready for their game with Kildare at the weekend but psychologically they may need more time to get over transpired to be a humiliating defeat at the hands of Tyrone.

While Monaghan mourn their defeat, Roscommon celebrate a worthy victory in the Connacht final. It was a heartwarming result and Fergal O’Donnell deserves full credit for the effective deployment of his game plan.

He saw it as imperative that Roscommon play with the wind in the first half to establish an early lead. Roscommon dominated in midfield with Karol Mannion and Michael Finneran imposing themselves to win the vast majority of breaking ball.

David Casey, David Keenan, David O’Gara and Cathal Cregg all acquitted themselves well and tormented Sligo with their relentless running. But one man took centre-stage.

Donal Shine deserves all the accolades he is bound to receive after his display yesterday. It was, for me, the finest individual performance of the year so far in the championship. His free-taking ability and penchant for hitting scores at critical times marked him out as exceptional.

Kevin Walsh must have forgotten to tell his players not to foul. Such was Shine’s precision from the dead ball that every free within 45 minutes was as good as a score for Roscommon. The question at half-time was whether Roscommon could sustain that same intensity for the duration of the second half.

The answer was unequivocally affirmative. They worked hard to stop Sligo’s half-backs attacking and in the end Roscommon’s sheer work-rate dragged them over the line.

Sligo will look back with disappointment. The tag of favourites certainly did not suit them and David Kelly was marshalled superbly by Seán McDermott. Sligo’s shot selection left a lot to be desired, as shots from distance and wide angles were favoured over working the ball into more scoreable positions. It meant that their forwards were starved of possession.

Perhaps their attitude might have been different had they been playing Mayo or Galway. They may have believed some of the hype that had been written about them. Again it will be a difficult task for Kevin Walsh to steer them beyond the next round following such a disappointing defeat.

In the build-up a lot to the Dublin/Armagh clash a lot of emphasis was placed on Dublin’s much-maligned defence. I’m delighted Rory O’Carroll and his fellow defenders came through the encounter with such aplomb. It will certainly build their confidence as they prepare for an intriguing clash with Louth. Dublin’s work rate in defence and their ability to tackle without fouling were noteworthy.

Bernard Brogan was superb but he will need more support from his fellow attackers this weekend. His brother, Alan, in particular must contribute more if Dublin are to progress further.