GAELIC FOOTBALL: GAVIN CUMMISKEYtalks to Wexford manager Jason Ryan, who weighs up the evolution of Dublin's squad game in comparison to Tyrone's

JASON RYAN is still a long way off being ready to watch the Limerick game again. But the Wexford football manager did sit through Tyrone’s eventual dismantling of Roscommon last Saturday.

One word came immediately from his lips. “Efficiency.”

“It was a contrasting performance to their losing to Dublin last year when they missed a lot of chances,” he said.

Seventeen wides to be exact.

“They were clinical in everything they did last weekend. They soaked up all of the Roscommon pressure and then seemed to say: ‘Right, that’s the best you can trouble us with – look what we can do to you.’

“They have an awesome bench to bring in, with so much experience.”

Ah yes, the 20-man game that Mickey Harte has perfected. Dublin manager Pat Gilroy also embraces the role of the impact sub as a fundamental part of Dublin’s blueprint to end 16 years without Sam Maguire.

We can’t quite get Ryan to say who will win. He does, however, provide an interesting insight into the evolution of Dublin’s squad game in comparison to Tyrone.

“It is remarkable how Mickey Harte gets teams to time their run so well. But Dublin will be looking forward to it. They are in a good place. They are confident and if they stay injury free . . .”

At this point he seems to remember Harte’s reserves last Saturday included Brian Dooher, Owen Mulligan, Stephen O’Neill, Enda McGinley, Davy Harte and Justin McMahon. That bunch has 16 All-Ireland medals between them.

“Dublin do have a good squad but they also have certain players who are better than others. The Dublin team that starts games is definitely better than the team that finishes matches. To me, that’s a big factor.

“The Tyrone team that starts and finishes? I’m not convinced which is better. The one that starts is probably the best one to start but the one that finishes is certainly the best team to finish.

“I don’t necessarily think Dublin have that yet.”

This may well prove the decisive factor on Saturday night at a stadium that promises to welcome at least 60,000 people.

Ryan makes two other insightful remarks, firstly, about the qualifiers and then Bernard Brogan’s form.

He doesn’t believe the Leinster champions’ four-week lay-off is a major advantage to Tyrone. “Tyrone could be tired. It takes a lot out of you playing games in a row.”

Was it a factor with Kildare when the game went into extra-time last weekend?

“The view is the qualifier route helps but it is very tiring. You have your travelling and then recovery for a few days. And then back to it. The games help but we are not professional. It takes its toll after a while.”

Nor does he feel Brogan’s performance in the Leinster final defeat to Wexford can be simply written off as freak occurrence. The footballer of the year struggled to put the ball over the bar and was eventually replaced.

Ryan is adamant he was marked exceptionally well on the day by fullback Graeme Molloy.

“Just look at where Bernard Brogan was forced to shoot from. Apart from his first shot which was an absolutely sublime point from the right-hand side, he was kicking from really tight angles and on the right wing with his right foot and left wing with his left foot. Graeme kept forcing him to the outside where he had to shoot from.

“Because he gets so many of their scores there wasn’t as many runners coming off him as other teams would have. Normally they get the ball up to him and he is able to do damage straight away.

“Graeme didn’t get the credit, I felt, he deserved. It wasn’t just a case of Bernard having an off day. He was shackled.”

A duty that could be handed to Joe McMahon this weekend. Or maybe Conor Gormley after his impressive shadowing of Roscommon’s star performer Donie Shine. Or maybe even Martin Swift despite an ugly nose break. And don’t forget Ryan McMenamin.

Tyrone have plenty of men willing to embrace such a challenge.