Allianz National Football League Division One: Tyrone 0-19 Cavan 1-9
TOP of Division One and scoring points for fun - not even the county board’s “tentative request” for £15 from each player could dampen the mood in the Tyrone camp.
Before making his way back to the Red Hands changing room yesterday afternoon, Sean Cavanagh was happy to address the expenses issue that has made media headlines in recent weeks.
An email sent to a Dublin radio station by an unnamed Tyrone player had criticised the county board for asking players for a £15 contribution towards sports gear, as well as outlining other expenses issues.
“I wouldn’t say it added extra pressure,” said Cavanagh.
“It was something that happened. To be honest, most of the players had a bit of a laugh about it.
“I’ve still no idea where it [the email to Newstalk radio station] came from – that’s being genuine.
“It was something that happened and nobody paid £15. The county board paid the full expenses of it.”
After completing his first full game of the year for Tyrone, Cavanagh added: “It obviously hit the media, but in-house it wasn’t something that we worried were very much about.
“It was very much a case of head down and move on and have a laugh about it. There’s a fairly relaxed bunch of guys in there. So, no, it didn’t take any of our focus away.”
Asked to confirm whether or not the county board had asked players to contribute £15 each, Cavanagh smiled: “There was a tentative request for it – and it was tentatively refused, is probably the best way of putting it.”
Heading into yesterday’s rearranged NFL tie with Cavan, the Red Hands were unbeaten and within striking distance of leaders Dublin.
But, Cavan hadn’t read the script, producing their “best 35 minutes of football” in Division One this season, according to boss Mattie McGleenan.
A terrible defensive lapse allowed the visitors to sneak a goal, through Gearoid McKiernan, just before the interval.
Despite trailing by four points, Tyrone blitzed the Breffni men in the second period with substitute Mark Bradley turning the game in the home side’s favour with three brilliant scores.
Fellow substitute Ronan O’Neill chipped in with two points from play while Cavan could only muster one score in a dismal second half display.
Despite his lack of size, Mickey Harte insisted there would always be a place in the modern game for cerebral players such as Bradley.
“He doesn’t want the ball 16 feet in the air,” said Harte, “he wants it at a place where he can get it, and when he gets it he can make things happen with it.
“It’s a question of using your game intelligence to play to the best of the abilities of your players. That’s what good teams are about.
“People like Mark Bradley have certainly a place in the modern game provided that people around them know how to use them.”
While Mattie McGleenan highlighted the positives of an excellent first half performance, he was miffed by Cavan’s second half “capitulation”.
“That’s the best 35 minutes we’ve put in,” said the Cavan manager, who is still chasing his first win in the top flight.
“We hit 10 scores today and that’s more than we’ve done in Division One, so that’s a plus for us. But at this level you have to string two halves together – we didn’t do that.
“You can’t concede 19 scores. At this level you’re punished… Young [Mark] Bradley came in and tortured us in the second half.”
Tyrone have scored just one goal in their opening four NFL games, but it's a statistic that Harte is not concerned about.
“Goals will come," said Harte.
“We got 19 points and I don’t think that’s a bad return on any day of the week. Any day you get 19 scores it’ll take a serious team to beat you.”
