On Sunday I will make the winding trip to St Tiernan’s Park, Clones, to spectate as a neutral if there is such a thing on Ulster final day.
It is one of those rare times when you can be overcome by the occasion on hearing the first beat of Amhrán na bhFiann where you can’t help but morph into a Down or a Tyrone supporter.
At home when the kids play our national anthem on their tin whistle I’d always end it with a roar “come on Armagh” or “come on Cross”.
It seems the natural thing to do.
Down will take great heart from Roscommon’s win in the Connacht final where they deservedly beat a highly fancied Galway with considerable easy.
Equally, Tyrone will have learned lessons to ensure they are not smitten.
However to make direct comparisons between Down and Roscommon would be far off the mark.
Roscommon have been developing nicely under Kevin McStay.
They played their football in Division 1 of the Allianz league and whilst they were relegated, it meant they have been competing at the highest level against the best teams in the land.
They have learned a lot about themselves, about their pedigree and their mental resolve and they’ve improved with every passing game.
Reflect back on many of Kevin’s post match interviews and you will remember him saying (paraphrase) ‘we played really well, there were a lot of good performances, if we make some minor tweaks we will become more competitive’.
Down have scraped through an indifferent league where there have been rumblings of discontent between players and management with suggestions that their experienced players are growing inpatient sitting on the bench.
Roll on June 4th where a local derby win over Armagh provided an opportunity to draw a line in the sand and for everyone to commit 100% to the county cause.
My view at the time was that this win was merely a sticking plaster that would be whipped off when they came up against a seasoned campaigner in Monaghan.
Thankfully, no one took my advice seriously.
Down are a conundrum.
There are no marquee forwards yet they kick some fine scores, their midfield pairing have chemistry and complement each other but would not be considered in Ulster’s top 6 midfielders.
Their defensive structure has withstood the challenges to date but with the exception of Darren O’Hagan, would not be feared.
So in anticipation of this final I ask myself what does this Down team bring to the table?
What they have is an incredible workrate surpassed only by their self-confidence and belief in each other.
Each player seems to know his role and will execute it with precision.
Mooney will bolt out of defence soloing a ball and off load to a team mate. In previous years he would have ran into trouble or shot wildly.
Similarly, Kevin McKernan has matured into a fine leader when once he tried to do too much by himself there is now measure to his play.
They are a team whose synergy epitomises the concept of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts.
Their manager, Eamonn Burns can rightly bask in the plaudits he receives for this transformation.
Whilst high workrate and a potent team ethos are essential ingredients required to climb a mountain, one wonders if it is enough when pitted against a genuine contender?
Tyrone are a different animal to any they’ve faced thus far.
They are a top five team.
Their high and intense workrate is rarely mentioned because it is a given. They are clinical in front of goals, unlike Armagh.
They are never complacent, unlike Monaghan.
They are hungry to replicate their heroes of 03, 05 and 08.
They want to atone for their flop against Mayo last Summer. Critically, they have quality players in key positions.
They have improved from last year. Players like Conal McCann and Kieran McGeary have slotted into this team like a bolt into a nut.
They’ve shed their robotic look for a more dynamic 21st Century android feel.
One wonders if Honda are selling more than just cars around Dungannon.
I foresee Down throwing everything at Tyrone in the first-half.
They will want to bolster their self-confidence early on by scoring a few points and making in-roads on Tyrone’s formidable defensive system.
This system is very solid as evidenced in the Donegal championship encounter and also in the league games versus Kerry and Dublin.
But they always struggle with the running style and physical strength of Mayo.
Down have pace, they will also need patience.
Unfortunately for Down I can also see Tyrone wanting to take charge of this encounter from early on.
Tyrone are masters at identifying opposition’s strengths.
They have been bitten by Down before and there’s no county like Tyrone to hold a grudge until it is settled five times over.
By Sunday evening Tyrone will be crowned Ulster champions and the Anglo Celt cup will return to the Moy in the hands of Sean Cavanagh for the 15th time.
As for which county name I’ll be roaring after the conclusion of Amhrán na bhFiann, you will have to wait until 3.30pm to find out.
