Allianz Football League Division Two, round two: Galway v Tyrone (Pearse Stadium, 2pm tomorrow)
WHILE northern eyes turn towards all the Ulster derbies in this division, the bookies – as ever – keep a cool head.
Tellingly, those accountants calculated Galway to be joint second-favourites for promotion, along with Derry, so on the Tribesmen's home turf this is arguably Tyrone's toughest game.
The Red Hands found it hard enough to edge past Cavan in Healy Park last Sunday, albeit in conditions that made the ball as easy to control as a freezing bar of soap.
Galway impressed much more with their eight-point victory in O'Moore Park, again with a caveat, that Laois are expected to be relegated.
Injuries appear to have ruled out two of Tyrone's most experienced players, skipper Sean Cavanagh and playmaker Peter Harte, with only Colm Cavanagh having made more appearances than the latter (although Justin McMahon has also had 94 Red Hand senior run-outs).
Still, the Tyrone team looks stronger than that which lined out against the Breffnimen, bearing in mind that Harte only came off the bench.
Ronan McNamee returns at full-back, shifting McMahon out to centre half-back, so Rory Brennan shifts across to right wing-back and Niall Sludden is named at wing-forward.
Another big boost is the inclusion of Darren McCurry, who came on for the second half last Sunday, while Niall Morgan takes over in goals from Mickey O'Neill.
Those Edendork clubmates could both improve the free-taking frailties that manager Mickey Harte spoke of post-match, saying: "The big thing is, and we've been talking about this for a while now, is that our return from free kicks is not of the standard that it needs to be to be the top level, so that's something we have to really work on."
Certainly without Harte and the elder Cavanagh Tyrone will hope those St Malachy's men are accurate from placed balls.
Galway seem set to be without an important player in that regard due to injury, Gary Sice, but they do have Paul Conroy and Damien Comer to call on, as well as Eddie Hoare. Besides, only one of their 3-12 tally last weekend came from a free.
The hosts' greater area of concern may be in defence, with half-backs Liam Silke and captain Gary O'Donnell the only backs in Portlaoise who also lined out in last year's All-Ireland exit against Donegal.
Injuries have kept out the experienced pair of Gareth Bradshaw and Finian Hanley, but Declan Kyne did fairly well at full-back against Laois. Kyne was at least a panellist last year, as was Johnny Heaney, but corner-backs David Wynne and Eoghan Kerin are new to the senior scene.
They're not a particularly tall full-back line either, although neither are Tyrone's inside-forwards – McCurry, Connor McAliskey, and Ronan O'Neill are all 5'10" – so 6'5" midfield call-up Padraig McNulty could find himself sent further forward at times, perhaps with stand-in skipper Mattie Donnelly dropping back into midfield.
The Red Hands do have the height to take on Conroy and Fiontán Ó Curraoin but are more likely to work the ball short out from the back anyway.
Comer's tally of 2-2 last weekend will not have gone unnoticed, and Conroy can pose a threat further forward too, so McNamee, McMahon, and Cathal McCarron will be kept busy. Yet with Collie Cavanagh so adept at dropping back to protect his defence, the Red Hands should have the height and the experience to cut out high balls in towards their defensive 'square'.
With a full-strength side, Galway would certainly fancy their chances of winning tomorrow.
After all, the Tribesmen have reached the last 12 of the past three All-Ireland SFCs, including making it to the quarter-final against Kerry in 2014. Last season they defeated Armagh and Derry before being knocked out by Donegal.
This is their fifth consecutive season in Division Two, but their boss Kevin Walsh has obviously set his sights on getting them back to the top table.
Like Tyrone in the McKenna Cup, Galway won their 'pre-season' tournament, the FBD Connacht League, edging out Roscommon in the decider. Comer also netted two goals in that match.
Galway started the same 15 in that final and the League opener, so there's consistency of selection despite the absentees.
However, Tyrone appear to have the tools to carve out another victory before the League's three-week break.
Their inside-forward trio, with O'Neill and McCurry also able to drop deeper and create, offer a potent scoring threat. Galway will have to close down the space between the lines of their defence much more quickly than they did against Laois.
Defensively, with wing-forwards Sludden and Conor Meyler shuttling up and down, the Red Hand system is hard to break down, so Galway will need the likes of Adrian Varley and Shane Walsh to be on top form, and hope that Danny Cummins can make an appearance.
Although Tyrone haven't won in Pearse Stadium for some years, they did triumph at Tuam four years ago in the last League meeting and should return home with the two points again.
Galway: TBC
Tyrone: N Morgan; A McCrory, R McNamee, C McCarron; R Brennan, Justin McMahon, T McCann; C Cavanagh, P McNulty; N Sludden, M Donnelly, C Meyler; D McCurry, C McAliskey, R O'Neill.
Substitutes: M O'Neill, M Bradley, L Brennan, C Clarke, P Hampsey, HP McGeary, K McGeary, C McCann, C McShane, D Mulgrew, B Tierney.
