MAYBE it’s the natural maturing process or he knows Tyrone have another generous bite at the All-Ireland in front of them – but Conor Meyler says he’s learning to let go of disappointments on the field.
Speaking at yesterday’s AIB senior football championship launch, the 2021 All-Ireland winner admitted he struggled to sleep after Tyrone snatched defeat from the jaws of victory against Monaghan in last month’s Ulster Championship joust.
One of the most fanatically prepared athletes you’ll encounter on the inter-county circuit, the affable Omagh man feels he’s evolving all the time both on and off the field.
“You can look it in different ways,” he says of his renowned preparation.
“For me, I haven’t missed a minute of football in the last couple of years. That’s positive. There are some good performances in there as well even though we’ve lost games.
“You have to learn that there are a lot of things you can’t control. I don’t know if that’s maturity or you delve a wee bit deeper into yourself – but that’s the game. If we were judging [ourselves] every year on winning the All-Ireland, then I don’t think we’d be playing for too long.
“So what is it that makes me go back? I love playing. I have some admiration for players who can play consistently at that level, taking the injuries and the setbacks along the way, that’s a tough road. So I think there is a lot more to it than winning Ulster titles or All-Ireland titles.”
He adds: “For me, I’m learning to let go of that…Although we lost to Monaghan, and I was tossing and turning that night [thinking], what could I have done better, you realise that’s sport, that’s football.
“You have to take the highs with the lows. We have games coming thick and fast and you get a chance to rectify it.
“I remember a very smart coach told me one time: ‘You are last week’s news very quickly – good or bad.’
“So you learn to move on and I’d like to think we’re going to get more chances with the new format. I don’t know how it’s going to go, but I’m excited by it.”
Tyrone have been cast into what some observers have already nicknamed the ‘Group of Death’ alongside Westmeath, the winners of the Connacht final between Galway and Sligo and the losers of the Ulster decider featuring Derry and Armagh.
The new Championship format is new terrain for everyone with the provincial winners and runners-up having just one week to prepare for the start of the round robin series while Tyrone will have had five weeks due to their first round provincial exit.
“It’ll be interesting to see how it pans out now, especially in regards to next year,” says Meyler.
“Is there a benefit of going the whole way and winning the Ulster Championship? Potentially, yes. I’d love another Ulster Championship medal but when you look at the route you have to go for the likes of Derry or Armagh – they’ve had some really tough games and have to come down, reset and go again.
“That’s going to be a challenge. At the same time, they are fairly battle-hardened then, they know their squad and know who to rely on in the big games. There is no question winning games and building momentum will stand to you as well. We’ll soon see who it stands to and who gets it right.”
Meyler also rejects the notion that Tyrone are perhaps further away than ever from landing Gaelic football’s biggest prize this year given how they failed to game-manage the second half against Monaghan and how Derry subsequently battered Monaghan.
“Derry were phenomenal. Their shooting percentage was through the roof, their attack to shot ratio, everything, they are really on form.
“Does it make me feel like we’re further away? No, to be honest. I still think this year, more than any year, the All-Ireland is so open. Most teams will be looking at that and thinking teams can beat each other.
“We had what we had with Dublin a number of years ago where they were dominant and there was a fear factor with them as well. They were that stand-out team. At the moment, I don’t think we have that, although Derry are on an upward trajectory and I’m really impressed by them. If we were to draw them down the line, I wouldn’t be fearful either.”
