Tyrone send out warning in seeing off challenge of Mourne men
Tyrone will take some stopping when they hit the All-Ireland ‘There is a feel-good factor just like we had any year we did well’
WHEN it was all over, he wore a smile as bright as the ball of fire that lit up the Clones sky all afternoon.
Sean Cavanagh surveyed the chaos, with one of his two daughters cradling in the crook of his arm, and declared it to be another unforgettable day.
By his elevated standards, his sixth Ulster medal was something less than remarkable — he was gone to the bench by the 48th minute — but this was the sweetest of farewells.
‘To stand here with my wife, my children and my brother (Colm) is really, really special; this is what the GAA is all about, knowing that we are going to have these memories in the years to come.
‘It is sad to think that it is coming to an end but I have had an amazing career and to walk away on a sunny day like this in Clones is a memory I will take into retirement,’ he gushed.
The danger, one that Dublin, Kerry and, most likely, Mayo should most definitely heed, is that this picture postcard moment should not be confused for the perfect farewell.
That party is planned for Croke Park and there was enough on view yesterday to suggest when Tyrone hit the All-Ireland series in August, they will take some stopping.
It was not that there was anything stunning about this performance that saw Tyrone defend their Ulster crown for the first time since 2010, just reaffirmation that the notion of a big three in Ulster is in the grave with Donegal and Monaghan.
And the realisation that this is a far better, stronger, and, in terms of squad depth, more equipped team than the one who came up one-point shy of Mayo last year.
Of course, it goes without saying that they will face tougher tests than this on a day when the final scoreline made a mockery of the narrative of the contest.
It hinted at a game that was fluid and open, but the reality was that Down were only allowed to apply the cosmetic blusher — they scored more than half (eight points) of their final tally in the final quarter — when this thing was long dead.
In truth, Tyrone were not even close to their best, there was no revisiting of their foot-perfect display against Donegal — the dozen wides and four attempts dropped short a reminder of that — but when they needed to be, their control was absolute.
Given the winners’ domination, Down had reason to be pleased to be trailing by just two points (0-7 to 0-5) at half-time and yet they had reason to nurse some regret, too. In a first half so turgid and tactical it could have been played on a chess board as easily as on St Tiarnach’s manicured grass, Down created and spurned the only goal chance of the half.
It was gilt-edged; Jerome Johnston in the 35th minute gobbling up the rebound after Darren O’Hagan’s effort for a point had come off the upright, and off-loading to Darragh O’Hanlon who blazed wide when left one-on-one with Tyrone goalkeeper Niall Morgan. But even had O’Hanlon’s shot found the net, it would hardly have provided a buffer against what followed.
Against Monaghan, Eamon Burns’ team had brought a cocktail of aggression, organisation and a semiexpansive gameplan which allowed them to sting on the counter, not least through Connaire Harrison and Jerome Johnston in their inside line but that simply was not an option here. ‘We probably weren’t getting ball to them in the right areas, which was probably a tribute to the way they were set up. ‘In the first half we were a bit tentative in the way we attacked them,’ admitted Burns afterwards. But then they had no other choice; they could not win the physical battle to break the running lines — although Ryan Johnston had some joy — and going direct was just another way to turn the ball over. They were only in this at half-time because Tyrone, who led by 0-6 to 0-2 after 22 minutes, were unable to find their groove — an accusation that could not be levelled against Padraig Hampsey, Peter Harte or Mattie Donnelly who excelled throughout.
The big difference with 12 months ago is Tyrone now possess genuine depth and the introduction of Declan McClure — for the black-carded Kieran McGeary just before half-time — proved telling.
The Clonoe man ruled the skies in the second half as Tyrone turned up the heat, targeting Michael Cunningham’s restarts to telling effect.
They turned over his first three kick-outs within four minutes of the restart, two of which were converted into scores by Cavanagh (free) and Mark Bradley.
That changed the mood of the contest in an instant; Down were pressed and the champions smelt their blood. They reeled off seven unanswered points to lead by 0-14 to 0-5 by the 53rd minute.
After that it was just show-time. One of the darts fired in Tyrone’s direction all season has been their inability to find the net, but Ronan O’Neill came off the bench to fire in two.
The first came with his first touch — inevitably set up by Donnelly. The second was an outrageous lob — set up by an exquisite diagonal ball from another sub Darren McCurry — that looked like it was imported from a Brazilian beach.
That’s the mood that they are in; nothing is impossible right now and Cavanagh feels something familiar and wonderful stirring.
‘You know when that [lobbed goal] is happening that there is something good happening. There is a real feel-good factor and that is what was always there any year that we did well.
‘It feels like we are almost there. You are never sure until you are put to the pin of your collar. The one worry is that has not happened yet, but we know that is coming.’
But, then, so are they.