IT’S OFFICIAL: form in the National Football League is irrelevant when it comes to the championship. Tyrone retained the Ulster title despite being relegated to Division Two, while new Connacht champions Roscommon dropped to Division Four.
Division One winners Cork looked unstoppable until they met Kerry. Runners-up Mayo seemed like a serious proposition until the championship, that is, started and as Conor Gormley puts it: “The men stand up.”
Tyrone’s relegation has more to it than meets the eye. Manager Mickey Harte has been at the helm for eight seasons now. Despite a few additions along the way, most of the team have been there since the 2003 breakthrough.
Harte identified the need to freshen up the panel so, during the league, players were given an opportunity to force their way into the starting 15. It had a dual effect as senior players realised the need to hit form to ensure they retained their position.
“We tried a lot of players out in the National League and it didn’t work out for us but there are a lot of championship winners in there,” said Gormley.
“The boys knuckled down. We knew what we had to do. Come championship time it is when the men stand up.”
Twenty-five-year-old Cathal McCarron forced his way into the side and stayed there earning plaudits from all who witnessed the excellent man-marking job the 6ft 1in (1.85 metres) corner back did on Monaghan’s Tommy Freeman last Sunday.
Colm Cavanagh’s abiding presence in midfield means elder brother Seán remains in the forwards while Enda McGinley was an unused substitute in the dismissal of Monaghan. Kevin Hughes is not for budging either.
Like most results over the weekend, the experts were miles off with their predictions. There was a general expectation that Monaghan would push an aging Tyrone to the brink.
“We put the league behind us,” Gormley continued. “Fergal McCann, Tony Donnelly and Mickey looked hard at it. A lot of credit has to go to Mickey Harte. He gives this team a lot of hunger and desire. He keeps pushing us on. He seems to be coming up with new ideas for us the whole time. That’s got a lot to do with our success.”
Give us an example? No chance. Some things remain sacred in the camp. “I don’t want to reveal too many secrets. Training has been excellent. Fergal has been different every time. Nothing is repeated. Always something new. You look forward to going to training.”
It is forgivable when Gormley follows up the line of question about how these Tyrone players manage to stay motivated with a reel of cliches.
“There is a great hunger in this team. Guys like myself (still only 29) and Brian Dooher (34) have been about a long time. Philly Jordan (30) and Ryan McMenamin (32) as well.”
The other 30-year-olds who started against Monaghan were Kevin Hughes and Pascal McConnell, while Brian McGuigan came in.
“A playing career is very short,” adds Gormley. “You have to take whatever you can get, grab it with both hands. You’ll be sitting up in the stands long enough. We can’t sit back or someone else will grab it on you.”
