AS the football season nears the business end, former Tyrone player Mark Donnelly feels the Red Hands are coming to the boil nicely.
Following a disappointing League season, Tyrone lost narrowly to Donegal in Ulster before treading a path through to the last 12 of the All-Ireland SFC where they will face Sligo next Saturday. A win there would see them get a crack at either Monaghan or Mayo for a place in the semi-finals.
And while Donnelly feels that the side did not play to its full potential against either Limerick or Meath, he believes the strong second half showing against Tipperary demonstrated the true capabilities of what he regards as a potent Tyrone team.
“You just saw the increase in intensity and the leaders really stepped up – the likes of Mattie Donnelly, Sean [Cavanagh] and especially Peter Harte - I thought really lifted their game,” said Donnelly.
“I think in the second half of the last game they definitely showed what they can do and how they can lift it up a gear.
“Then the other lads got in behind and gave a massive performance and the form of Darren McCurry and Connor McAliskey is great to see. They’ll be hoping to continue that going into the last stage of the Qualifiers.”
Although the Carrickmore man, who won an Ulster SFC with the Red Hands, agrees that Tyrone “probably have had an easy enough run” to this stage of the Championship, he recalls years when they were not so fortunate.
“It’s just the luck of the draw. I remember in 2012 when I think one of the first Qualifiers we got was Kerry in Killarney and sure, that was us out,” he said.
As for the challenge of the Yeatsmen, Donnelly describes it as “a very winnable game” and says that he felt that way even prior to Sligo’s trouncing by Mayo in the Connacht decider.
“Even before the Connacht final – once I heard that they may be playing Sligo – I’d have been very confident and I’m sure that the players themselves will be thinking ‘it’s a very winnable game’ and another game to give men experience and build a bit of momentum towards a quarter-final,” he said.
Should Tyrone see off the challenge of Sligo and advance to a clash with Ulster champions Monaghan in the last eight – which will be the case should Donegal beat Galway – Donnelly says that is “again a very winnable game”.
“Last year, Monaghan pipped us by a point in Clones and again if a few decisions had went our way, we probably would have beaten them, so there’s very little between the two teams and a big performance there and Tyrone will find themselves in the last four of an All-Ireland,” he added.
Continuing in speculative mode, the other possible quarter-final opponent is Mayo and Donnelly can well recall the campaign, just two short summers ago, which ended in arguably a harsh All-Ireland semi-final defeat for the O’Neill county.
“If you look back two years ago – against Mayo, we were, I think five points up going into the last five minutes of the first half,” said Donnelly.
“Then Maurice Deegan gave Mayo probably a soft enough penalty at the start of the second half and it changed the whole complexion of the game. So with a bit of luck we were only probably 35 minutes away from an All-Ireland final.”
But what of the million dollar question – can this Tyrone team win an All-Ireland? Donnelly is still well in the loop, being “very close with big Joe [McMahon]”
as well as other players such as Conor Clarke, Aidan McCrory and Peter Harte who call up to use the gym in his garage.
The 31-year-old is certain of one thing – manager Mickey Harte will be will be steeling the conviction of his troops, urging them to trust that their ability can carry them to the top of the mountain once again.
“They had to pick themselves up after the relegation and they put up a massive performance in Ballybofey (against Donegal) which instilled a lot of confidence in the management and players,” said Donnelly.
“Mickey will be instilling that belief and he will be fully telling the boys that there is an All-Ireland in this team and the belief will be there.
“If they get to the last four – they are only one big performance away from an All-Ireland final and then once they are there, as we well know from history – Harte doesn’t lose many finals.
“I think he will also believe that he has got the panel of players and the experience there – a lot of boys have played Championship football and there are a lot of new boys in too which has freshened the thing up. You would want to use both of those factors going into the last few games.”
