Football

Super 8s could bring back defensive style says Conor Gormley

Tyrone stalwart Conor Gormley at the launch of the EirGrid GAA Football U20 All-Ireland Championship. EirGrid, the state-owned company that manages and develops Ireland's electricity grid, enters its first year of sponsoring this competition after being title sponsor of the EirGrid GAA U21 Football Championship since 2015. #EirGridGAA . Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Tyrone stalwart Conor Gormley at the launch of the EirGrid GAA Football U20 All-Ireland Championship. EirGrid, the state-owned company that manages and develops Ireland's electricity grid, enters its first year of sponsoring this competition after being t Tyrone stalwart Conor Gormley at the launch of the EirGrid GAA Football U20 All-Ireland Championship. EirGrid, the state-owned company that manages and develops Ireland's electricity grid, enters its first year of sponsoring this competition after being title sponsor of the EirGrid GAA U21 Football Championship since 2015. #EirGridGAA . Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

FORMER Tyrone defender Conor Gormley believes that a counter-attacking style of football could become prevalent again during the Super 8s – but that it will be difficult for any team to physically sustain over a long period of time.

The Red Hands have won back-to-back Ulster titles, hitting the two highest average scores in the provincial championship since the 1930s, while playing an often-criticised brand of football.

They have adapted somewhat in the spring of this year, with Stephen O’Neill’s influence on their attacking play obvious as they embarked on a policy of keeping two men up in the full-forward line almost all of the time.

Their use of the kick pass has increased and while there were teething problems, particularly in the early part of the league, they have looked like a more fluent attacking unit in recent weeks.

Under the influence of strength and conditioning coach Peter Donnelly, Mickey Harte’s side had been heavily reliant on a powerful running game.

The Donegal side that won the 2012 All-Ireland title played a similar style of football and their energy deserted them the following year, and again after they reached the 2014 All-Ireland final.

That style has been slowly replaced at the top level in recent years, with a return to a more orthodox approach paying dividends for the likes of Dublin, Mayo and Kerry especially.

Gormley feels that the Super 8s could lead to the return of a more tentative approach during the round-robin series, and admits that he thinks such a style of play could take its toll on the Tyrone players in the medium term.

“I wonder how the longevity of players will stick that – can they keep that going for 10 years? That’ll be interesting to see within Tyrone, can they sustain that over a long period and be competitive at the highest level with the toll on the body?

“From a spectator point of view, you’d maybe hope that there is more open, attractive football. But you might find come the Super 8s that it might revert back a wee bit, depending on your team’s position at the time.

“That’s Tyrone’s team at the minute, that’s what they have and that suits them best at the minute to play that sort of counter-attacking type of football.

“I know a lot of people criticise defensive football but you can see then who the good footballers are on a team – who can pick the pass? Who can make their mind up when you only have a second or two on the ball? Who can pick holes?

“That’s what’s made the good players over the past number of years stand out, who are the smart players when they have the ball and even when they don’t have it.”

Three-time All-Ireland winner Gormley, who is a full-time schools coach with Tyrone county board, believes that the winner of his county’s clash with Monaghan will go on to lift this year’s Ulster title - but that Dublin will retain Sam Maguire once more.

“Dublin are going to win the All-Ireland as far as I can see. I can’t see them being stopped unfortunately this year.

”Ulster’s a tough one. Whoever comes out of the Tyrone-Monaghan game’s in a very strong position to win it.

"Donegal are pushing hard again, but I think whoever wins the Tyrone-Monaghan game will win Ulster.

“Being biased, I’ll tip Tyrone to do it. They maybe have a wee point to prove after the Dublin game last year, they could pip Monaghan and go on to win the Ulster title.”