Stephen O’Neill: Tyrone played with “pride and passion”

By Michael McMullan

FORMER Tyrone star Stephen O’Neill feels the Tyrone camp deserve credit for how they turned their season around.

Despite missing out on a place in the All-Ireland semi-finals this weekend, the current Tyrone U20 coach says Malachy O’Rourke’s side played with “pride and passion” in the championship.

The Red Hands had an indifferent league campaign that saw them looking more towards the bottom of Division Two than a promotion challenge.

“You have to give the players and management credit for how they attacked the championship right from the off,” O’Neill said.

“They really regrouped and from the Armagh (Ulster Championship) game you could see a bit of passion, a bit of pride, a bit of determination.

“As supporters of any county, it’s the same as you’d want for any club team – that never-say-die attitude.”

O’Neill believes the people of Tyrone are content with how the players applied themselves in the championship before being edged out by reigning champions Kerry.

“The players responded and they gave everything for the jersey,” he added.

“There was a real good feeling that even after getting beat by Kerry that we were involved in such a great battle. We were very unfortunate, maybe, with a few calls.

“That’s part and parcel of the game and it can happen any year. We were just glad to see them playing with passion and pride.

“It gives us good hope going into next year because obviously there’s so many young players coming through.”

While O’Neill knows Malachy O’Rourke and his management team will now trawl the club scene for any potential callups for next year, his involvement with the U20s gives him an important insight into what is out there.

“There’s a general contentment nearly that, yeah, we’ve turned the corner here.

“Hopefully now we can build on that for next year and then really give the league a good lash and try and get back into Division One.”

As someone who won minor and U21 All-Ireland titles before going on to play a huge part in the golden senior team of the noughties, O’Neill knows all too well about the step up.

The current minor and U20 teams won Ulster titles and reached All-Ireland finals. While it’s an excellent footing, not everyone makes the step to the senior ranks.

“Even the step up from their county underage, minors and U20s, into their club senior team is a massive step up,” he points out.

“You look at the Tyrone lads, some of them are playing for some very big clubs and not all of them will get to play senior football this year.

“The step up in size, strength, decision making, it’ss a massive ask for young boys.

“I think the key for any young boy is not to get disappointed if they don’t make that step up quick.

“They have to bide their time. It’s like learning your trade, you have one or two years to really knuckle down and learn from those older, more experienced players within the set up.

“Then, when you’re nearly 22 or 23, that’s when you’re coming to your peak and hopefully you can make the step up that you want.”