John Fogarty
IF trust is the motto for Dublin right now then pride is Tyrone’s. No doubt about it. There’s a fury inside them to right wrongs. Undermine misconceptions. Soften coughs. Prove that age hasn’t crept up with them. Defending their honours, reminding people of them.
Speaking to The Irish Examiner last week, Philip Jordan revealed last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Dublin was what motivated him to extend his inter-county career into 2011.
Rumours have since developed Jordan has quit the panel but the ferocity of spirit within the camp persists.
Talking after their professional win over Kildare at the weekend, Conor Gormley spoke of how inspired Tyrone are about showing they still have it.
“I think there were a lot of people who were very quick to write off the boys off, especially the older players,” said the Carrickmore man, admittedly no spring chicken himself in the world of intercounty football at the age of 30.
“There is a lot of hunger in these boys and you want to keep winning. You want to stay at the top and while the chance is there, and while we are still able to lace the boots we will still give it a good shot.”
Gormley’s last point is a pertinent one as it does appear the men who brought three All-Ireland titles to Tyrone in five years are determined to eke out every ounce of effort for one more crack at winning Sam.
As Jordan said himself, they’re not around for another Ulster title.
Tyrone players are entitled to speak as boldly as that. Even if it does appear Mickey Harte is relying on men whose hunger many would suspect has long been satiated, they are strenuously arguing it’s not. Raging against the accusation they’re raging against the light.
On the basis on how good they’ve got with each of their last four wins in Division 2, the indications are they are harnessing their anger well.
The way in which they quickly worked the ball up the field against Kildare and the wind in the second-half, player upon player providing support on each other’s shoulders, didn’t just echo a Tyrone of old; it emulated it.
The sense of loyalty built up since 2003 is stronger as it’s ever been. Look at how Gormley extolled the virtues of Brian Dooher, who came on a substitute in Dungannon on Sunday. A remarkable footballer whose last couple of seasons haven’t exactly been up to his impeccable standards.
“He is like an iron man, he can go on and on and on. If you can keep up to Brian Dooher, you will be doing well.
“He is a leader on our team and it will be a sad day if he does retire but thankfully he is out with us this year and he is going well.”
Look at how Gormley glowed at the return to form of Brian McGuigan. Another stalwart who hasn’t been at his best in recent seasons.
“He had a couple of bad years with injuries. He has shown in the last couple of league games the amount of ball that he gets on is unbelievable.
“Thankfully he is in our team and I don’t have to mark him, only in training. He is a great lad and he has put in a great effort over the winter.”
That allegiance has always served Tyrone well. Even when Sean Cavanagh and Harte clashed over issues such as the GPA, International Rules and revelations in the latter’s book, it never affected Tyrone’s football.
The bond now shared is setting the record straight. Tyrone are still kicking themselves they got themselves into a position of being relegated last year – even if it was on scoring difference.
“If you get stuck down in Division Two you could be there for three or four years and not be able to get out of it,” said Gormley of their urgency to get back into the top flight.
“We would prefer to get back up straight away. We were disappointed with last year, getting relegated was not something that you want on the CV so there is a big push now to get back up into Division One and if we win next week, we can do that.”
Yes, promotion to Division 2 is a goal but the added bonus of playing a final in Croke Park and exorcising a few ghosts seems just as important to them.
“The last couple of years were disappointing to get beat by Dublin and Cork. It would be good to get back and lay that thing to bed of having two defeats in a row there,” remarked Gormley.
“That’s where you want to be at the end of the year, and that’s where you want to be at the end of the league, in a final in Croke Park.”
Starting as they mean to go on, attempting to finish as they started... Tyrone have never stopped being Tyrone. But maybe they needed reminding as much as ourselves.
Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/pZZPGxdVnD8/post.aspx
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