THROUGH the years a thousand 50-50s have been won and lost, reputations have been made and destroyed, boys have become men and men boys. On either side of the Moy River they remember the glory days and curse the ones that got away.
We all have our personal favourite when it comes to Armagh versus Tyrone but for Paddy Tally (and probably all Tyrone people) 2003 stands out.
Of course, that’s no surprise because it was the day the Red Hands slew the reigning All-Ireland champions to win their first Sam Maguire. Tally was in Mickey Harte’s management team that day and tomorrow he’ll be in the crowd watching six of the St Mary’s players he guided to this year’s Sigerson Cup do battle as the Ulster neighbours meet at Croke Park for the first time in a dozen years.
AW: The nerves will be jangling in both camps. Did any Tyrone players get too wrapped up in the occasion in 2003?
PT: It was the first time in an All-Ireland football final for a lot of the boys. I remember I had to speak to one player before the game. He was very nervous.
AW: Who was that?
PT: No names!
AW: But he was feeling it?
PT: Oh yes, on the morning of the match he was sitting at breakfast and his face was white and he had a big game ahead of him. But it was matter of turning it on its head and saying ‘you’re ready to go – you’re nervous for a reason.’
AW: Did he have a good game?
PT: He had a serious game. There’s always going to be nerves, it’s a massive occasion.
Armagh and Tyrone played four Championship games on-the-trot at ‘Headquarters’ in the first half of the last decade. There was the 2003 final, the 2005 Ulster final draw and replay and that year’s All-Ireland semi-final classic.
“They were big, big games at Croke Park in front of full houses, it was a great era,” recalls Tally who has also been involved in Derry and Down backroom teams.
“Even the League matches that time were hell-for-leather.
“The one we always remember was 2003 because we won our first All-Ireland. It said a lot for Armagh for them to get back to that final after they’d won it the year before and we only got through that day by the skin of our teeth.
“It was a very, very tight game but all the games were spicy.”
Tyrone reached this stage by running through Ulster’s 3Ds – Derry, Donegal and Down. Meanwhile, Armagh took the scenic route. Dumped out of Ulster by Down, they recovered and have built momentum over a four-game run that culminated in a tour de force against Kildare last Saturday.
Now we’re at the quarter-final stage and as the Sam Maguire gets closer the stakes get higher.
“The quarter-finals are where it really kicks off,” says Tally.
“Now you have your best eight, the teams that have been showing the best form. Kerry and Dublin can nearly be guaranteed a quarter-final every year and they can set their training schedule for a bit later in the year.
“With Ulster it’s different, especially if you’re going for an Ulster title and Tyrone were really going for it this year. They were really in peak condition early but that won’t make a lot of difference because they’re well managed and they’ll be coming good again for the quarter-final.”
With Dublin and Monaghan also in the hat, last Sunday’s draw could have kept the teams apart. But Tally says this is the pairing fans of both counties had hoped for.
“It renews the old rivalry because Armagh haven’t been around for a while now,” he said.
“The last time they got to the quarter-finals they didn’t meet Tyrone and there wasn’t as much hype about them.
“This Armagh team has four wins under their belt and they’ll have no fear of Tyrone. Why would they after their performance against Kildare?
“It’s bonus territory for them, they’re into the quarter-final and they won’t be playing with pressure because they’re not expected to win whereas Tyrone will be expected to advance to the semi-final, so there’ll be a bit more pressure on them.”
This is the Championship we’ve been waiting for after several dull years. So far we’ve had a series of exciting games with Ulster teams right in the mix – five reached the last 12 and three have made it to the final eight.
“I think Saturday will be a special day in Croke Park,” Tally predicts and you can hear the excitement in his voice.
“You’re going to have Tyrone v Armagh and the house is going to be full when the Dubs come in against Monaghan. It’ll be a massive day and to have three Ulster teams in it is great.
“Unfortunately, at the end of the day at least one of those Ulster teams will be gone. But the Ulster teams have shown that they can really compete and don’t rule out Monaghan giving Dublin their fill of it – Monaghan have been getting better and better and now they need a big performance.
“All three teams do. Tyrone’s Ulster run was fantastic and their performances have been getting better and better.
“Maybe you would question the quality of Ulster this year – it may not have been as strong as it was over the last few years. So Tyrone may be a wee bit untested, but to get another Ulster team is just perfect for them.
“It’s a big game, it’s Armagh and they’ll have no problem getting up for it.”
If Tyrone do produce their best, Tally feels they should win tomorrow. Back-to-back Ulster champions, the Red Hands are used to this stage but Armagh have form and confidence too.
“I fancy Tyrone to win it and I think it goes back to the fact that they’re further on than Armagh,” he said.
“Armagh have done super to get to where they are, there’s a lot of good players in their team and last Saturday, when the game was in the melting pot, and people were waiting for Kildare to come back, it didn’t happen.
“Armagh just kept getting better and better. Kieran McGeeney used his bench very well, he brought on fresh legs and they all had an impact. Ethan Rafferty scored a massive point when they needed it… You could see he (McGeeney) had it well thought out.
“There’ll be a bit more competition in the squad and the boys that are starting will have to play really well to hold their starting place because the other boys will be chomping at the bit to get in – they all want to play against Tyrone at Croke Park.”
Armagh’s fluent, attacking performance against Kildare last Saturday rekindled memories of the turn of the late 90s/early 2000s when, with McConville, McDonnell, Marsden and Clarke in their pomp, they lit up Croke Park. But Tyrone average a whopping 23 points per game and Tally feels that their firepower will see them through.
“Their scoring ratio has been super so far,” he said.
“The amount of boys that are scoring from play is impressive and when you’re racking up those sort of totals and scores are coming from everywhere it leaves it very difficult for Armagh to deal with.
“That’s very positive for Tyrone. They have a range of boys now who are able to step up and take scores and they’re coming from half-backs, midfield, half-forwards… They’re not relying on two or three inside forwards to do it.
“If you look at Jamie Clarke’s performance on Sunday, it was so, so good and you’re thinking: ‘Can he perform like that again?’ There won’t be as much space afforded to him as there was against Kildare.
“I’d be confident Tyrone would have the scoring power to take them over the line, but it’ll be a battle and Armagh won’t give Tyrone the room that they had previously.
“So far Tyrone have been able to get out ahead of Derry, Donegal and then Down. Then they have had to go out and chase the game which opened up a lot of space for Tyrone to exploit.
“Armagh will probably be a bit cuter than that. They’ll not want Tyrone to get a lead and if they can keep it tighter they’ll make it more difficult for Tyrone to get a run on them.”
SIX of Tally’s 2017 Sigerson Cup-winning side will be involved tomorrow. There are four from Tyrone and two from Armagh who also have ‘Ranch’ old boys Aidan Forker and James Morgan in their ranks.
“It’s great for all the boys,” said Tally.
“The current Ranch boys have had a great season so far and it’s great to see them stepping on to the next level now.”
Conall McCann (Tyrone)
He has nailed down a starting place in midfield over the last couple of matches. It’s great for him because he’s been showing great form for Killyclogher and for St Mary’s – he was super this year in the Sigerson.
Kieran McGeary (Tyrone)
We always expected him to come through. He was captain of the U21 side that won the All-Ireland and now he’s starting to really show the player that he is.
Conor Meyler (Tyrone)
He isn’t starting at the moment, he didn’t start the last game, but we know the quality Conor has.
Cathal McShane (Tyrone)
He has been in the panel a couple of years now and he always offers something different when he comes on.
Oisin O’Neill (Armagh)
Oisin didn’t start the last game, but when he came on you can see the class he has.
Aaron McKay (Armagh)
Aaron plays right on the edge but he is a very effective defender and he can hold his own with anybody. It is his first year in there and he’s only learning the trade but he’ll become a very good player.
