Sport

Marty O'Reilly knows criticism comes full circle as Tyrone find themselves in the firing line

Donegal's Marty O'Reilly doesn't expect Tyrone to be affected by the criticism of their style of play, as the counties prepare to renew their rivalry tomorrow afternoon. Picture by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Donegal's Marty O'Reilly doesn't expect Tyrone to be affected by the criticism of their style of play, as the counties prepare to renew their rivalry tomorrow afternoon. Picture by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile Donegal's Marty O'Reilly doesn't expect Tyrone to be affected by the criticism of their style of play, as the counties prepare to renew their rivalry tomorrow afternoon. Picture by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

DONEGAL know what it’s like to face down criticism. While ‘puke football’ was used as a stick to beat Ulster football with during the Noughties, the Tir Chonaill became the go-to county for blanket-bashing analysis after the turn of the decade.

The ultra-defensive style deployed by Jim McGuinness, based around minding the house before breaking in numbers at explosive pace, was groundbreaking in terms of the success it yielded.

A first Sam Maguire in 20 years, a second All-Ireland final two years later and three Ulster titles over the course of four seasons was nothing short of miraculous considering their low ebb at the end of 2010

Yet still, from 2011 until McGuinness’s departure in 2014, Donegal continued to draw praise and derision in equal measure.

The legacy remains. Even last weekend on The Sunday Game, host Des Cahill gently chided guest pundit and former Donegal player Kevin Cassidy for suggesting Cavan had paid the price for an overly defensive approach in defeat to Monaghan.

However, if imitation is indeed the greatest form of flattery, then the Glenties man must have spent the last five years blushing.

In a recent radio interview, Irish News columnist Enda McGinley explained how right the way through underage, his Errigal Ciaran club-mate Mickey Harte would have been “dead against this sense of falling back and this sense of blanket defence”.

But coming out on the wrong side of close Ulster Championship battles with McGuinness’s men led Mickey Harte into a rethink. Move with the times or be left behind.

As a result, the criticism has come full circle; now it’s the Red Hands fending off the arrows.

Having first come into the panel under McGuinness and current boss Rory Gallagher five years ago, Marty O’Reilly has witnessed at first hand just how fickle GAA fandom - and punditry - can be.

Donegal used it as a weapon, embracing an ‘us against the world’ siege mentality, and the Sean Mac Cumhaill’s clubman expects Tyrone to do the same.

“I definitely do,” he says when asked if he feels the criticism directed at tomorrow’s Ulster semi-final opponents has been over the top.

“Tyrone are a fantastic team, make no mistake about it. They’re one of the top teams in the country.

“That’s why, when you’re at the top, you receive criticism. Look at the Tipperary hurlers, they’re receiving criticism and they’re All-Ireland champions.

“It just shows that criticism might be too easy handed out. We’re well aware that Tyrone are a fantastic team.”

Donegal learned that the hard way in last year’s provincial decider at a sun-drenched Clones – the same venue as tomorrow’s latest renewal of one of this fierce rivalry.

Then, Tyrone battled back from four points down early in the second half to seal a two-point victory after a hugely dramatic final 10 minutes. The previous July there was a single score in it when Donegal lost out to Monaghan on the same stage.

“It was just disappointing that we couldn’t hold it out,” continued O’Reilly.

“The scores at the end [from Peter Harte and Sean Cavanagh] were absolutely fantastic but it’s just a pity that, when Patrick [McBrearty] got the point just after half-time and we were four clear, that we didn’t kick on.

“It wasn’t to be, but that’s why we’re back this year. You go back in January with the aim of winning an Ulster title – if anyone says they’re not back to win the Ulster title, they can’t be telling the truth.

“I’ve no doubt everyone on the Donegal side really has the ambition to win the Ulster title this year and go much further.”

With the departure of so many loyal footsoldiers, and the influx of a huge number of talented youngsters from Donegal’s underage production line, only now does this really look like Gallagher’s team, rather than the remnants of McGuinness’s reign.

Through the League, the dynamism that had been lacking in recent years returned. Those who raised eyebrows when the U21 panel was named to compete in the Dr McKenna Cup were left to eat humble pie as young men like Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Caolan Ward, Jason McGee, Ciaran Thompson, Micheal Carroll and Jamie Brennan looked to the manor born.

Cantering to a 16-point win over Antrim is one thing though, getting the better of a seasoned Tyrone outfit quite another.

But O’Reilly insists he never had any doubt the new breed could rise to the challenge eventually.

“Credit to Rory, Richie Thornton, Maxie and Brendan, it’s not an easy challenge for them to take on 14 or 15 U21 lads. It was an uphill battle for them,” says the 24-year-old.

“Rory and Maxie would have worked with a lot of those boys, so it wasn’t as if they were brand new to the set-up. They were there or thereabouts and a lot of them would’ve worked under Rory.

“Myself and the likes of Eoin McHugh and Ryan McHugh would’ve spent a lot of time working under Rory and Maxie as well.

“The transition has been smoother than most people thought, but it doesn’t surprise me one bit because Rory’s well able to shake things around.

“Rory’s putting his own stamp on it. Thankfully it’s going very well and probably, a lot of the time, Rory didn’t receive the respect he deserved as assistant manager with Jim and obviously now as the main man.

“You know, in the last couple of Ulster finals, we’ve only lost by a point or two. It’s just small margins and thankfully now this year’s been going good, but Tyrone’s going to be a huge challenge.”