Tyrone tactics leave mark

According to those in the know football has changed. Kerry were on the receiving end of the new style at Croke Park yesterday. Two of their senior men, Declan O'Keeffe and Séamus Moynihan, talked about how their side were unable to deal with the defensive blanket that hindered their natural attacking game.

Moynihan spoke with clarity in relation to how the Ulster champions' rigid 13-man defence squeezed the life out of Kerry: "I always felt we could come back in the second half and just get a couple of scores. But we had to fight so hard for the scores. Nothing against Tyrone, fair dues to them, but football has changed. The day of still staying in your position has gone.

"Our forwards were completely crowded out. The midfield area was like New York city, going down Time Square, it's crazy. We didn't react to it, I suppose we just don't play football like that down in Kerry. We'll have to change, I suppose."

O'Keeffe paid tribute to the victors but looking at his own team's brand of football he felt its day may be done. "Things have to change. The whole concept of football has changed, possibly we might have to go along with that. The northern teams have brought it down and they are the template now. People mightn't think it is the most attractive but they are the winners.

"It's a very weird kind of football. Mass defence is a relatively new thing. I suppose Armagh brought it in and perfected it last year, Tyrone and Donegal have gone along the same lines really."

Manager Páidí Ó Sé was his usual tight-lipped self but when queried about the clinical nature of the contest he refused to condemn the way in which Tyrone achieved victory.

"It's the first time I have ever played against a team with these kind of tactics, but they are within the rules. Whether it's cynical or not they are in an All-Ireland final and that's what really matters to them. It's immaterial what I think about it.

"The hungrier team won and the one thing we didn't want to happen actually happened: by giving Tyrone an early start and an early confidence. There was still hope in the dressing-room at half-time, the lads were very upbeat. Even all through the second-half they left no stone unturned, they left everything on the pitch - the better side won."

On whether John Crowley had a legitimate appeal for a penalty he said it was probably too late to have made much difference. He insisted that despite not having the answers to their opponents' game it was not the end of the road for this crop of players.

"Kerry will always be there. Kerry came back after last year's All-Ireland. Okay we were beaten today but we did work back into an All-Ireland semi-final, I've no doubt this team will come back."

At this statement a breath was taken by the surrounding hordes in anticipation of the ensuing retirement speech. However, it did not come.

"I've been involved in football for quite a long time, since 1973, and I think I owe it to myself, and I owe it to my family, not to be making such a decision today or tomorrow or the day after."