Sport

Evergreen Sean Cavanagh the key to Tyrone's resurgence

Sean Cavanagh in action for Tyrone against Cavan at Clones last Sunday<br />Picture by Colm O'Reilly &nbsp;
Sean Cavanagh in action for Tyrone against Cavan at Clones last Sunday
Picture by Colm O'Reilly  
Sean Cavanagh in action for Tyrone against Cavan at Clones last Sunday
Picture by Colm O'Reilly  

UNLIKE a lot of pundits or sports writers, I don’t take any of my predictions or prophecies too seriously. If I’m being honest, I have actually forgotten by Sunday who I tipped in The Irish News just a few days earlier.

Unfortunately, over the years a few of my readers have taken my forecasts on board and wagered a few pounds in the hope of bolstering their weekly earnings, albeit to no avail. Yet, like Tony Blair after the Chilcot Report, I refuse to apologise as I thought I was doing the right thing at the time.

What I have noticed over the last decade-and-a-bit of being a columnist is that a lot of people take almost perverse delight when I get it wrong, but I suppose that’s the Irish mentality as I have found that you are at your most popular when you make a hash of things.

After predicting Tyrone had the potential to push for Sam Maguire later in the year, I was heckled after the drawn game with Cavan that my knowledge about the game was equivalent to a nursery school child, or words to that effect only significantly stronger.

I have also noticed over the years I should not say anything nice about counties bordering Armagh, in particular our lovely neighbours from across the Moy, not even if they deserve it as it would be better not to highlight them in any way.

However,  I was brought up (battered) to embrace Christian values. And whether it annoys people or not I have always given credit where it’s due. So last Sunday evening I afforded myself a wry smile after Tyrone’s demolition of a decent Cavan outfit in the replay. And even though I took little personal joy from their performance, I have to admit to admiring what was a very entertaining style of football based on intensity, unbelievable fitness levels and a forward unit of genuine quality.

Mattie Donnelly continues to be the real deal, while Peter Harte was outstanding in both his athleticism and finishing. And even though Tiernan McCann sometimes looks like he just walked off a catwalk in Milan, he is pivotal in their system of turning defence into rapid attack.

There is only one player left on this team who I played against in my career - Sean Cavanagh. And while I always admired his undoubted talent it would be fair to say that the Moy man sometimes did not always get the credit he deserved outside of his own county.

He has been pilloried unfairly at times during his career with many pointing a finger at a propensity to buy cheap frees. Yet I have to say his  overall performance last weekend after 15-plus years of county football was quite remarkable.

You expect players of his age to be slowing down and leaving the hard yards to his younger team-mates. However, he was in the middle of everything, winning dirty ball and throwing himself around like a young stag belying his many years of service. You get the feeling that maybe Cavanagh, like a few others, realises that this extremely well-balanced team may provide him with the best leaving gift ever.

Mickey Harte and Peter Harte were quick to downplay their win, both claiming in post-match interviews that conceding 2-17 will not win them tighter matches against better teams. Don’t be fooled because they conceded 2-8 when the game was over in the last quarter and  had practically replaced their whole defence.

The Ulster final between Tyrone and Donegal should be looked forward to, not because it will be anything like the high-scoring encounter we witnessed last weekend, but because they are two teams who adopt relatively the same system and who have been very evenly-matched in the recent past. Tyrone look slightly more full of running than Rory Gallagher’s men currently, but  I would say physicality-wise Donegal may just have the edge so it’s all to play for.

REGARDING my own county, well we were always going to create history last weekend as either the first team to be beaten twice and still be in the Championship after three rounds or, as it sadly transpired, the first team to be beaten three times in a disappointing campaign.

Many people are questioning whether the Armagh management should stick or fold, but the big question we have to ask ourselves is would we be in a better place should ‘Geezer’ (below) and co decide to call it a day? I don’t think we would be, so in the name of continuity and seeing out what was a five-year plan, and considering he still wants the role, we have to back the management team to remain and battle on through adversity.

Monaghan, meanwhile, now have only a few days turnaround and face a well-rested Longford team. Because of home advantage they should have licked their wounds sufficiently to gain a place in the next round.

Elsewhere, Pete McGrath has overseen many coups against more formidable opposition in his time as a county manager, but getting a result in Castlebar against Mayo may just be a bridge too far for the Fermanagh manager. Mayo were hugely disappointing against Galway, but they should be stung back into winning ways against an Erne team that will fight to the bitter end but may well come up short.

Derry, like Monaghan, have home advantage which I believe is of huge benefit in the Qualifiers. The Oak Leafers will have to perform better than they did against Louth to progress to the next round, but I feel that Damian Barton’s men may just shade it against a Meath team that capitulated like many others have done down the years against the Dubs in a Leinster semi-final.