CATHAL McShane was in two minds before eventually opting to go with his gut – and the decision to turn down a potential Aussie Rules career last year was fully vindicated when Tyrone got their hands on Sam.
The Red Hands ended a 13-year wait for All-Ireland glory when they out-thought and out-fought Mayo on Saturday, with McShane sprung from the bench to deadly effect, scoring a crucial goal with his first touch as Tyrone sealed the deal in the second half.
Yet it could have been so different for the 2019 Allstar full-forward.
In January 2020, he looked poised to accept the offer of a contract with Adelaide Crows, having impressed during a 10-day trial Down Under. But the pull of home proved too strong.
McShane believed there was an All-Ireland in this emerging crop and, on Saturday, they got their rewards.
“Everybody asked me the question, why wouldn't you go to Australia? Why do you want to stay with Tyrone? I think today answers that question,” he said.
“This is what it's all about, this is what I grew up with in my club Owen Roe’s, dreaming of winning Sam Maguire. Watching Peter Canavan, Brian Dooher lift Sam Maguires, that's the icing on the cake really today, just to get over the line and make sure Sam is coming back to Tyrone.
“I know when you get beat in a final, it always seems like a long, long way back. I feel that we've learned a lot from the 2018 final so even coming in today - in my mind, I know the other players as well - they really were using the experience of the 2018 final, the wee things that went wrong that day, that they wouldn't do it today.
“We did that well and again it was just a matter of being ruthless, being clinical out there.”
This year was in stark contrast to his breakthrough campaign in 2019, when McShane finished top scorer in the Championship after being deployed as a juggernaut full-forward.
After being sidelined with a broken ankle and damaged ligaments for much of the period in between, the 25-year-old was used as an impact sub by joint managers Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher, making goalscoring cameos in the defeats of Kerry and Mayo.
“You're just coming on, you're trying to make an impact straight away.
“The move that actually happened [for his goal on Saturday], we've worked on. It's not just a fluke or whatever. We try to make the most of the opportunity that arises and thankfully the ball rattled the net, so I was delighted.
“You're probably changing your game and maybe that mentality of starting a game. Suddenly you come out of the warm up, you're straight into it, you're on a high, you're in the game and everything's go, go, go.
“But obviously as a sub you have to come off and maybe chill out again and relax and just prepare yourself mentally for the battle and when you're needed. I had a good insight to when I would be needed today.
“No matter when you come on, there's no better feeling than sticking it in the net straight away.”
It is his job now to try and nail down a starting spot with the new All-Ireland champions next year but, after the nightmare of his recovery from a broken ankle, McShane was delighted to have been able to play any part at all.
“It was a very bad injury - whenever I did the research and got the full diagnosis, the chances of doing that kind of injury was one or two per cent. It’s very rare. At the start we thought it mightn’t be too bad but it progressed to be worse.
“There were many dark days over lockdown. Even being in the gym myself at home, being in five or 10 minutes and realising ‘this isn’t going to work’… there’s a lot of emotion comes along with it.
“I got great help with physios and different men throughout, I just can’t be thankful enough to them, they’ve really helped me and driven me on. My family, my friends, my girlfriend, they’ve all helped.
“Listen, that’s the past, we just look forward now. I’ve worked really hard, I think I’ve shown out there I’m more than capable, it’s just a matter of getting more minutes.
“Today was meant to be and I’m just so delighted and so proud to be back out on the biggest stage possible, representing Tyrone, and doing my family and friends proud.”
