TYRONE’S style of play in recent weeks is simply about getting results and being “flexible” in terms of the way they set up, says Mattie Donnelly.
The Trillick ace’s move into the attack during the early part of the year was widely heralded, but he has been playing in defence again since Tyrone were gazumped by Donegal in the Ulster semi-final.
Mickey Harte has since reverted to the running game for the qualifier wins away to Longford and Kildare, in which they scored 4-47.
With Padraig Hampsey and Donnelly’s brother Richie both on the injured list, but expected back this weekend against Cavan, Mattie Donnelly hinted that the change may not be a permanent one, and that his own positioning could also be altered again before the summer is out.
“We’re trying to be flexible in the amount of strings we have to our bow. The last few weeks have been about getting results, and the football we’ve been playing has been to get results.
“That’s all we’ve been focussed on. I haven’t thought anywhere down the line.
“It’s about flexibility. We’re down a few men around the middle. That’s not to say I won’t revisit it, but for now because we’re down a few men, I’m asked to do a job.
“There were a few boys doing a bit of damage around the middle in the first half, I was asked to do a job in the second half [marking Fergal Conway] and it’s just about being flexible enough to do that.”
Tyrone’s win in Kildare was their tenth straight victory in the qualifiers since they were beaten by Armagh in 2014, during which time they’ve also won two Ulster titles.
Out of 20 championship games against opposition from Divisions Two, Three or Four of the leagues in that time, they’ve lost just once and won 18.
Donnelly said that while their conditioning is a factor in their fine qualifier record, their primary focus still had to be on the skills of the game.
“Any team with ambitions of getting to the Super 8s have a lot of work in the bank from a physical perspective. That will give you that robustness to get through the games.
“We do have a lot of depth to our squad. But that will only take you to the line, but it still comes down to the basics and the skills that will get you over the line. That’s where we need to place a lot of focus.”
A place in the Super 8s will be at stake on Saturday when they meet Cavan in Clones. The Breffnimen haven’t beaten Tyrone in league or championship since 1983, and are coming off the back of a demoralising Ulster final defeat by Donegal.
Donnelly hasn’t experienced round four of the qualifiers as a beaten provincial finalist (Tyrone haven’t lost an Ulster final since 2005), but says he expects Cavan to use the lure of the Super 8s as their prime motivation for getting back up.
“There’s pros and cons both ways. The teams coming off the loss will have two weeks’ rest to lick their wounds, and all those teams will have serious ambitions of getting to the last eight.
“They’ll have set out to get to the Super 8s and that carrot’s still dangling there for them. They’ll be extremely hungry, extremely fresh.”
