All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final: Tyrone 0-11 Dublin 2-17
THEY say there is no room for sentiment in sport, but even the hardest heart would have felt a flicker of emotion as Sean Cavanagh bid farewell to Tyrone and a glorious inter-county career yesterday.
It is 15 years since he burst on to the scene as a cocky teenager, bagging 1-2 on his Championship debut against Armagh, and the Moy man walks away having accumulated three All-Irelands and six Ulster titles.
But the dream of adding one more to the collection, one last glorious swansong at Croke Park on the third Sunday in September, was ripped away by a ruthless Dublin team with no time for romantic sensibilities.
Jim Gavin’s men deal in the cold, hard currency of winning trophies and, on their home patch yesterday, moved a step closer to a possible three in-a-row after dispatching the much-anticipated Tyrone challenge with alarming ease.
It was a cruel way for Cavanagh to finish, though the Hill paid him the ultimate tribute as they jeered him from the field when he made the long walk to the line 15 minutes from time.
He had known this moment would come, having decided last autumn to give it just one more lash, but that doesn’t make it any easier once the time finally comes.
“I’m trying not to make it emotional but it’s tough at the final whistle,” admitted the 34-year-old as he spoke deep in the bowels of Croke Park.
“Like any person, it’s nice to have your family around, the two girls were there.
“It’s all I know, representing Tyrone and just loving my county like anyone else. I grew up supporting my county, I’ll always support the county.
“I’ve done my best. I’ve tried, I’ve given everything I possibly can for as long as I possibly can. I’ve had an amazing journey, I’ve been very lucky and successful in so many ways.
“The time comes just to pass the baton on to some fantastic lads. I’ve told them in there that I’m so sorry that I couldn’t help bring the success that some of the older
guys helped to bring me at any stage.
“It’s not for the want of trying. Everyone in that group tried their best and we’ve just come up against probably the greatest GAA team I’ve ever played against.”
