BOTH Mickey Harte and Terry Hyland have predicted an open, end-to-end game today, which may be just what Ulster needs after an uncharacteristically sedate start to the provincial championship.
Compared to the normally ultra-competitive nature of most games in the Ulster Championship, Cavan and Tyrone have had what could not unkindly be called summer strolls into today’s semi-final.
Take Cavan. In most observers’ eyes, they had their quarter-final against Armagh won by half-time. Although the game would have been a three-point one going into the final 10 minutes if Breffni ’keeper Raymond Galligan hadn’t saved Stefan Campbell’s penalty, Cavan boss Hyland has said he was confident his charges could’ve upped their game in response to see the match out.
Which is probably true. Cavan were good against Armagh. Cian Mackey pulled the strings from the half-forward line, free from the constraints of a man-marker. Gearoid McKiernan ran the show at midfield, kicking three fine points from play in the process, while Martin Reilly was a menace on the wing.
What they will encounter today will be a different beast altogether though. Tyrone will afford players of the stature of Mackey nowhere near the same amount of space and Cavan can expect the rare tackles they were riding with ease against Armagh to be both more numerous and intense in their delivery.
As for Tyrone, they did what they have done with regularity against Derry this season in their quarter-final - beat them with a fair bit to spare. Again, this game was over by half-time, with the Red Hands trotting into an 11-point lead thanks a three-goal blitz of the Oak Leafs on their home turf. Ronan O’Neill was in ruthless form that day, hitting 2-2, while Peter Harte chipped in with the other goal to put the game to bed.
Mattie Donnelly ran the show for Tyrone, covering every blade of rain-sodden grass on the Celtic Park pitch, while Seán Cavanagh made his interventions when it mattered. Tyrone’s strength in depth is also impressive, with Darren McCurry kicking four points when brought into the fray against Derry.
What is most impressive about Tyrone, though, is the fine balance they appear to have achieved between a deadly-efficient attack and a solid, teak-tough back-line - the quarter-final against Derry was the O’Neill county’s seven consecutive Championship match where they haven’t conceded a major. This stat alone will surely give Terry Hyland and Cavan food for thought.
When it came to April’s Division Two league final between these two sides, Tyrone had the definite edge. Cavan’s attacking trio of Seanie Johnston, David Givney and Gearoid McKiernan were held to just five points at Croke Park that day, three of them from play. At the other end, Connor McAliskey was in fine form, kicking 0-5 all on his own, while Ronan O’Neill was again among the goals.
If Tyrone were to keep as tight a grip on the likes of Johnston, Givney and McKiernan this afternoon, it’s hard to see from where else Cavan will find the scores necessary to advance to the Ulster final.
On the other hand, this is perhaps the most even match up we have seen in the provincial championship so far this year. At some point, Ulster must live up to its reputation for tight, fiercely contested battles and if this, coupled with the managers’ forecast of open end-to-end football, is what transpires, we could be in for a cracker.
Fingers crossed.
