In the second of a nine-part series, Cahair O'Kane selects his best 15 footballers to represent each Ulster county over the past 20 years. Today it’s Tyrone
Tyrone
1Pascal McConnell
OF the 15 spots on the team, none has greater competition. But that’s nothing new to Packie McConnell, whose whole career was spent battling with John Devine for the number one slot. They shared it back and forward from 2003 – when it was Devine’s – through to Niall Morgan emerged in 2013. McConnell played in their other two finals and was just that fraction more distinctive in his shot-stopping.
2Ryan McMenamin
HIS unmistakability always made McMenamin stand out from the crowd that little bit more. The hair, the beard, the wiryness. Mostly, though, you’d have recognised him because he was in the personal space of whomever he was sent to mark. Ricey was tireless in his duties, and the pace and energy he brought to the counter-attack all the way from corner-back was like a look into the future.
3Cormac McAnallen
McANALLEN was shaping as a promising midfielder but as the 2003 campaign went on, Tyrone just couldn’t scratch the itch they had at full-back. Mickey Harte called on the Eglish man to drop back after Down bombarded them with high ball in the drawn Ulster final. It had the ultimate transformative impact on their season as he collected an All-Ireland medal and an Allstar. Named captain for the following season before tragedy struck and robbed Tyrone football of one of its brightest lights.
4Joe McMahon
BIG Joe was one of Mickey Harte’s best, most reliable and most versatile soldiers. Won his two All-Irelands at full-back and yet rarely spent a day in between playing at number three. Going from scoring 1-1 against Dublin in the ’08 quarter-final to teaming up with brother Justy and doing the famous Twin Towers job on Kieran Donaghy and Tommy Walsh was the ultimate display of his adaptability.
5Mattie Donnelly
WITH the team being revamped after 2013, the Trillick man has been a mainstay of everything they’ve become since. As they became so proficient in the running game, Donnelly was at the heart of it. When they needed to find something different, they moved the two-time Allstar into the attack and he provided it. He’s a brilliant sweeper but a far more effective man when Tyrone get him on the ball near goal. He gets in ahead of current team-mate Peter Harte.
6Conor Gormley
SURE the block itself is enough to justify The Block himself, but in a way boiling his career down to even such a monumental moment in time undermines just how good Gormley was. Whether it was as an orthodox six, at full-back or as the sweeper, Gormley stood out a mile for his reading of the game and the bravery he brought to proceedings. There weren’t too many ever got the better of the Carrickmore man, who won Allstars in all three All-Ireland winning years.
7Philip Jordan
IN the discussion around the great wing-backs, Philip Jordan’s career will stand up alongside any of them. He contributed 2-16 in championship games between 2003 and 2010, but while he was a good finisher, it was a lot more. The defensive side of his game wasn’t always given its due credit, but it was often hidden by the shadow of his attacking abilities. Four Allstars made him the most decorated of all the Tyrone defenders from that era, which says it all.
8Sean Cavanagh
COMING off the successful minor and under-21 teams, Cavanagh’s introduction to the team was pivotal to Tyrone getting across the line in 2003. Went on to have a magnificent career that included five Allstars and the Footballer of the Year award as he led them to a third crown in ’08. At his best coming from deep, bamboozling defenders with that trademark shimmy. Was still a leading light right up until retirement in 2017.
9Colm Cavanagh
IT took him a long time to emerge from his brother’s shadow but over the past few years, Colm Cavanagh has become Tyrone’s ultimate leader. Developed into a fine midfielder but it was in dropping into the sweeping role that he really came to national prominence, winning two Allstars. Alternating between the two roles, he has pinned the whole thing together in both defence and midfield. It’s a coin toss to put him ahead of the grossly unfortunate Kevin Hughes.
10Brian Dooher
AT the time, Dooher seemed almost like a freak of nature. Strong, robust, it was the quiet way that he just seemed to pop up on every loose ball going, no matter whether it fell in front of Tyrone’s goal or out on the sideline or on the edge of the ‘D’. The famous point against Kerry, bouncing his way down the sideline off men, was so special in that it boiled him down into 12 seconds. Another who excelled in the big years, winning Allstars in ’03, ’05 and ’08.
11Brian McGuigan
IT’S as if the traditional number 11 role died when McGuigan faded off the inter-county scene. The Ardboe man ghosted around looking for ball and when he got it facing the opposition’s goal, he could almost anything he wanted with it. His vision, his passing ability, his decision-making, they were all exemplary. An Allstar in ’03, his decision to return home from Oz to play in ’05 was massive for Tyrone.
12Enda McGinley
NO matter what job Mickey Harte asked him to do, McGinley did it with the minimum of fuss. Most of the time, it was operating out as the third midfielder, where he’d find himself on mountains of ball. At times he was asked to play as an orthodox midfield man, most notably in 2008, when he did it so well that he ended up with his sole Allstar. Went on a great scoring run that year. The kind of player every team needs.
13Owen Mulligan
HE wasn’t always the most consistent but when Mulligan was good, he was brilliant. Scored one of the great all-time goals against Dublin in 2005, which was all the more significant because Tyrone seemed in such bother in the game. Being named man of the match in that year’s final capped his best season, which had seen him dropped in early summer and go on to win his Allstar. A brilliant finisher, he could go off right or left, and always had that eye for goal.
14Peter Canavan
FROM scoring ridiculous tallies with efforts from impossible angles and of ludicrous levels of difficulty, as well as his ability to thread a pass like no other man, there were simply none as good as Canavan. Injuries were starting to take their toll towards the end and yet he still had it in his locker to score as sumptuous a goal as he did in the 2005 final, his last game. Finished up with six Allstars (three in the 2000s) and a Footballer of the Year gong (1995).
15Stephen O’Neill
AS Canavan neared the end, the quiet man from Aughabrack took over as the shining light in the Tyrone attack. O’Neill was a great ball-winner and was just as good a finisher with a bigger range. Often caught the eye with spectacular efforts, but he also did the simple things well. Won an Allstar in his breakthrough year and was the best forward in Ireland by 2015, when he rightfully won the Footballer of the Year award. Retired briefly through injury but returned and only finally gave in after the 2013 season.
