All-Ireland Masters' Football final: Tyrone v Dublin (today, Ballinagh, Co Cavan, 4pm)
TYRONE and Dublin meet for the second year in a row in today’s All-Ireland Masters football final, with the Ulstermen closing in on back-to-back titles.
The Red Hands have taken an unbeaten path to the decider at Ballinagh, Co Cavan, winning all six of their group games before defeating Clare in the semi-final.
But they face a Dublin side still smarting from last season’s narrow defeat and primed for a backlash.
Tyrone’s bid for a third Over 40s title has been boosted by a positive fitness assessment on ace attacker Stephen O’Neill, who has been struggling with a hamstring problem.
He is joined by team-mates from the treble All-Ireland winning sides of the Noughties, Conor Gormley and Ciaran Gourley.
Gormley captains a highly motivated group of footballers who have developed an effective style of play that has seen off all challengers this season.
However, they face their toughest test to date against a Dublin side that dug deep to come from behind to beat Kerry in the semi-final.
Gormley and Gourley are lynchpins of a defence that includes Aidan Brady and Liam Patterson.
Fermanagh’s Allstar midfielder Marty McGrath is partnered at midfield by Donal McAnallen, with O’Neill a key member of the attack, along with Martin Grimes and Ollie McCreesh.
Dublin, with former Sky Blue favourite Denis Bastick in their side, have formidable performers in Niall Crossan, Brendan McManamon, Donal Ryan and Kevin O’Carroll, with Shane Guckian a defensive rock at full-back.
Tyrone’s four-man management team, headed by Joe Leonard and Eugene Bradley, along with Joe’s sons Damian and Kieran, will send a determined and ambitious team onto the field this afternoon.
“If we can get back-to-back titles, with 20 counties now competing, it would be a great achievement,” said Joe.
“Anything can happen on any given day, so we have to be prepared for everything.”
“Everybody is fit. Stephen O’Neill has been troubled by a hamstring injury, but he has been training.
“Liam Patterson had a broken hand, and there was no point in chancing him in the semi-final when we were going so well, so we decided we would need him more the next day.
“A couple of boys have niggling injuries, but that’s going to happen with Over 40s.”
Dublin, with a number of survivors from last year’s beaten finalists, are back in the decider aiming to go one better in 2022.
“You can guarantee that, they’ll definitely be looking for revenge.”
But Tyrone have already beaten the Dubs in this year’s group phase at Cloghan, Co Monaghan.
“The last day we played them, it was tit-for-tat, but in the last 20 minutes we were too fit for them, and the big field suited us better.”
Team trainer Damien Leonard is hoping his exacting sessions will have given the players an edge in fitness and conditioning.
“Damien has our boys in great shape. But fair play to them, for Over 40s, they’re incredibly fit, and there’s not a pick of weight on one of them.
“The over 40s game has its critics, but the ability that the players have and the fitness levels, are unreal, and the standard of football is very high. It has come a long way,” said Joe, now in his 33rd season of involvement in the Masters game, as player and manager.
