Omagh date that warms soul

Gaelic Games/NFL semi-finals: The progress of Galway and Tyrone has been significant for very different reasons, writes Ian O'Riordan.

In normal circumstances Tyrone and Galway wouldn't be deemed surprise arrivals into the league semi-finals. This season, though, has been a little different, and ahead of Sunday's meeting in Omagh the respective managers reflected on the reasons when present yesterday at the Dublin headquarters of league sponsors Allianz.

For Tyrone manager, Mickey Harte, the 2004 season will always be remembered as the one when they lost their team captain Cormac McAnallen. No matter what happens in the last stages of their quest to win a third successive league title - let alone defend that All-Ireland title - the sudden death of McAnallen will continue to fill much of their thoughts.

"It's always going to be there, a sort of cloud hanging over our heads," said Harte. "We're doing our best to move on, and we know we will best serve his memory by being the best we can be. But we'll never get away from the fact he is gone. It hits you on many occasions, and every night at training we remember Cormac in our own way. And that will go on for a long time.

"But that's a good thing in many ways, because he's such a positive guy to remember. There's just no telling the long-term effect it will have on our players, individually and collectively. But we have to go on, and fight our own corner now, because the sympathy can't go on forever and we understand that."

In those circumstances reaching the league semi-final in such convincing fashion has been particularly satisfying: "Yeah, and we're very pleased with that. But I don't hide the fact that I like to win games, and like to be in competitions as long as you possibly can be, because it's the best place to be. If you're in the habit of winning it can only heighten your chances in the championship."

On current form, Tyrone will start Sunday's game at least as favourites to progress to the final. Yet Harte hasn't been fooled by Galway's league inconsistency and knows that their desire to win the league will ensure a tight contest.

"All that's up for grabs this weekend is a place in the final. So that's the first step. But we appreciate everything we can win in Tyrone and it's a dangerous situation when you start to think you've too many titles. I don't think that will ever be the case in Tyrone. We know there will be many times when we won't be in a position to contest these titles anymore."

It was interesting the way Galway manager John O'Mahony didn't read too deeply into that inconsistency either. The 17-point defeat to Wexford on home ground might still be fresh in the minds of Galway supporters but the manager will always know better.

"Well I suppose it takes a reasonably good team to put in a performance like we did against Wexford," he said, "and still make the league semi-finals. It was the worst performance I think this team has ever put in, either league or championship. And there was only some improvement against Cavan the last day.

"But I still have a lot of confidence in the players. We've sat down and talked about it since and have put in some hard work. I don't think we're as bad as we looked that day. It came as a shock to all of us. But I don't think we were the only inconsistent team in the league."

And now that Galway are there, O'Mahony wants to make a push for outright victory: "At the beginning of the year we would have wanted to be in the league semi-final, and we're really delighted to be there now. We're playing the All-Ireland champions now and a team that has won it all and, like ourselves maybe three or four years ago, has now set all the markers.

"So we'll know on Sunday evening exactly how near or how far away we are from the standard that it will take to have a good summer. And we'd love to eradicate some of our inconsistencies before the championship."

The other main talking point about this game was the venue, after both managers had announced their desire for the GAA to take it to Croke Park.

"That's no disrespect to Omagh because they've hosted our home league games very well this year," said Harte, "but I think it has devalued the significance of the league semi-finals, not playing them at GAA headquarters. The International Rules games with Australia were promoted heavily and because of that it was a great success at Croke Park. So if they do it with that game then certainly it can be done for our own games."

O'Mahony agreed, but admitted that his team are satisfied just to get another day out: "I'd agree that Croke Park should have been made available. But in another way I know Galway are lucky to be playing in any venue."