A HAMMERING in Kerry lit Tyrone’s fuse last year and Paudie Hampsey hopes the All-Ireland champions’ defeat in Armagh will do the same this season.
Only three months after the embarrassment of a 16-point loss in Killarney, Hampsey was climbing the steps of the Hogan Stand to receive the Sam Maguire. Not unexpectedly after the highs of last season, Tyrone haven’t started this year that impressively and, following two losses in the McKenna Cup, a draw against Monaghan and that six-point reverse in Armagh, the Red Hands have work to do starting with Kildare at Healy Park on Sunday.
“We are hoping to find a spark again,” said Tyrone skipper Hampsey.
“We haven’t had a great start to the League but hopefully off the back of the defeat to Armagh we can sort of ignite a spark again and get going.
“Coming off the back of the (team) holiday, I feel we're maybe a couple of weeks behind other teams but we're getting up to pace again. I know our first-half performance wasn't that good (against Armagh) but I think our second-half performance was.
“I thought the lads performed well and we did well enough to get it back to four points but unfortunately we couldn't get the win.
“It's been a tough enough start to the League, the draw with Monaghan and the defeat to Armagh. We'll be looking forward to this weekend and to hopefully getting our first win on the board. We're getting up to speed again with the week’s break and then back in now against Kildare, hopefully we can get the win.”
Since their All-Ireland triumph, Tyrone have had to replace a handful of reliable and experienced performers who decided to call time on their inter-county careers. Hampsey says new players have come into the panel and they’re keen to make a mark and prove the Red Hands aren’t one-season wonders.
“I think there is a lot more in this team,” he said.
“I feel there is a nice mixture of youth and experience. Our oldest player on the panel is in around 31-32 so I think there’s still a right few years in those experienced players and the youth that have took part in the League so far and the last year, they’re really pushing on well. So we’re hoping we can get to another level and push on from last year.
“I suppose starting out any year the goal is to reach the peak and to lift Sam but we know it really starts at the first round of the Championship against Fermanagh - that’s where it begins. We’re not really looking any further than that to be honest. We know how tough the Ulster Championship is. It’s going to be a tough one again and we’ll need a bit of luck along the way.”
Forwards Cathal McShane (returning from injury) and Conor McKenna (retracing his steps in Gaelic Football after a spell in Aussie Rules) weren’t at their absolute best last season so there could be more to come from them as well.
“Cathal had a bit of bother with injuries and Conor was only back from Australia so an extra year will do him the world of good,” said Hampsey.
“We all know how good Cathal was in 2019, he was phenomenal so hopefully with a few more games under his belt, we’ll get him up to a level that he can perform at.”
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PAUDIE Hampsey admits “things got out of control” against Armagh at the Athletic Grounds. The Red Hands were second best against their bitter rivals and, after chaos descended, the punishment was decisive - straight red cards for the Tyrone skipper as well as Peter Harte, Michael McKernan and Kieran McGeary.
Tyrone’s appeal against the red cards handed out that evening by referee David Gough was heard at Croke Park last night. The affair is an unwanted sideshow because, after two defeats in the McKenna Cup, a draw against Monaghan in their Division One opener and that six-point loss to Armagh, Tyrone urgently need to get back to winning ways.
“It was a derby game with two Ulster teams, two neighbouring counties so I just feel that things maybe got out of control,” said Hampsey.
“It's one we're not proud of ourselves as a county and as players but look, I don't think there was much really in it. For my own self, there wasn't much in it to be honest. But look, it happened and we're not proud of what happened.”
The previous night there had been flash-points during the Kerry-Dublin clash in Tralee: Plenty of macho shoving, wrestling and dragging - but no cards. Does Hampsey feel that the ‘physical Ulster’ stereotype contributed to referee Gough’s handling of events in Armagh?
“It’s hard to know on that one,” he says.
“It’s probably more the game itself - it was a big derby between ourselves and Armagh - maybe that’s why it got more coverage.
“I wouldn’t really say that some teams get picked on more, through social media or whatever. I wouldn’t pass any remarks on that but look, it is what it is, David saw what he saw and so did his linesmen and umpires and I suppose they’re trying to do without those skirmishes and stuff so that’s his call and you sort of have to respect it and get on with it really.”
The five red cards (Armagh’s Greg McCabe was also dismissed) were the main talking point after the game but the disciplinary breakdown shouldn’t detract from the Orchard county’s superiority on the day. Hampsey sees Armagh – who cruised to victory over Dublin in their Division One opener - and Rory Gallagher’s Derry as among the contenders for this year’s Ulster Championship.
“Armagh definitely were sharp - especially in the first half we were finding it hard to break them down,” he said.
“They were getting back behind the ball and whenever they were turning us over, they were getting ahead of the ball at pace and fair dues to them, they are in great shape and their conditioning seems to be at a high standard at the minute.
“They have some great players as well on top of that, so they’ve got a mixture of both and they are going to be a really tough opposition this year to beat.”
Tyrone and Donegal have dominated the Ulster Championship since Armagh’s last provincial triumph back in 2008. They’ve won five Anglo-Celts each with Monaghan (2) and Cavan taking the others. The early signs suggest that another very competitive Championship is brewing.
“Ulster is always a tough one to go and win, so many good teams involved and Armagh and Derry are going so well at the minute,” said Hampsey.
“If you look at last year even, Derry had a chance of beating Donegal, and Armagh you could probably say had a chance of beating Monaghan. Look, it's always such a hard Championship to win and it's going to be the same this year.”
