AT the highest level, the best culture wins. Which is why, in the end, a Tyrone team still learning their trade won easily. They are a serious team and their culture is something to be proud of.
A word on their three full backs. I have previously criticised Michael McKernan for some of his play acting and cynicism on big days. On Saturday, for the second game in a row, he was magnificent. His power, hard running, superb tackling, good use of the ball and all-around leadership was matched by his two full back colleagues. Hampsey covered himself in glory as usual and Ronan McNamee was Ronan McNamee. They are like three Michael Fitzsimmons and are the foundation stone of an All-Ireland winning team that is only finding its feet.
I have been saying for several years that Tyrone were wasting their talents by sticking with a formulaic, defensive game plan. Forwards were an afterthought. Adventure and self expression and creative play were not relevant. The 2010-2020 decade is now only a bad dream, replaced by a thrilling, man-to-man, skill-based, creative philosophy.
Turns out McKernan, McNamee and Hampsey didn’t need help to mark their men. On countless occasions, when their men took them on, they steered them expertly onto their wrong side and ushered them down cul de sacs until they are either dispossessed them, or forced them to turn back and handpass the ball to a colleague.
Morgan, unleashed, proved what we suspected, that he is the most skilful, audacious, adventurous footballer to stand between the posts. A stupendous All-Ireland final performance from an extraordinary young man.
I could go through each player and gush their praises. The midfielders? Two terrific athletes, both 6’5”, flying machines, great hands and good footballers. Conn Kilpatrick is his father on steroids. What better stage to announce yourself than the greatest day in the GAA world?
Throughout the game, you could see the attacking mindset and the subtlety of the coaching work on the training field. The man in possession looking up, waiting for the forward to cut back before delivering a subtle pass. The movement up front, with the forwards working together. The first goal was a masterpiece, Meyler delaying his kick slightly before delivering a marvellous long diagonal ball to McShane for the subtlest and most difficult of finishes. This split second of communication between Tyrone men before a pass was given was a constant theme of their play.
The second goal was even better. Morgan’s huge kick. Kilpatrick’s awesome catch on the run. The handpass to McKenna. The dummy run by the Son of God to confuse the defence. The no-look pass to McCurry.
What could you do only jump up in your seat and punch the air?
A word on the ‘Dazzler’, Darren McCurry. Since the arrival of the new management team, he has dazzled. This is not surprising. A decade of dedication to the skills of the game since his teenage years finally gets it reward. A magnificent, game winning All-Ireland final display from a player who was seen as a bit-part player just a year ago.
With Dooher, Logan and Peter Canavan leading the group, there is a merciless search for success. No passengers. No favourites. Winning big games, as they know, is war without guns.
The six in-a-row Dubs might have been highly skilled, highly conditioned, and expertly coached, but they would not have won without bringing war. Tyrone were up for it. Mayo, with a few exceptions, were not. How could they be? They have too many distractions.
When there are individuals who are undroppable and a manager has favourites, cliques form and it is not a team. The players know this, and the true bonds of loyalty and togetherness that are compulsory for success are missing. The manager talks a good game but it is merely talk. The truth is obvious. I feel bad for Mayo and its people and its wonderful clubs but until this cancer is rooted out, this will continue to be their reality.
Straws will be clutched at. Mayo had a penalty which was missed when they were two points down. But when everything isn’t right, nothing is right. Aidan O’Shea missed an open goal? What did you expect? This is what he is.
The feeling of liberation at the absence of Dublin and the fantasy that Mayo might perform was quickly replaced with a feeling that nothing has changed. Tyrone, all calm and composed and ruthless when it came to it, won by six points.
It could have been worse, if for the second game in a row, the Son of God hadn’t missed what for him was an easy goal chance. I have watched him with excitement since he was a teenager and have never seen him miss a goal chance. It must be the Carrickmore in him. He has his first Sam Maguire already. His father, who did not win his first until he was 33, must be well pleased in his beloved son.
I wrote last week that what happened in the last quarter of the Mayo Dublin game and in extra time was not a game plan. It was a crazy, unpredictable, emotional energy that an underdog sometimes taps into.
Tyrone meanwhile gloved Kerry in their semi-final, only a miraculous performance from Clifford keeping them Kerry in it. Finals are unsentimental affairs. It is kill or be killed. It is culture v culture. And when one team’s philosophy is not based on the principles of logic and merit, defeat is inevitable. The back to the drawing board bullshit does not cut it.
Good culture is the backdrop for the decisive contributions that are required to win an All-Ireland. I think of the Meath team of Colm O’Rourke, all loyalty and stubbornness and refusal to accept defeat, winning All-Irelands against better teams on paper. Or the 2008 Tyrone team. Or Down of 1991. Or us in 1993. Or the Dubs from 2011 onwards. Mayo’s manager will say “We lost by a point” or “we missed a penalty” or “we couldn’t repeat our semi-final performance” but this is just bullshit.
Tyrone, a team picked on merit, with a culture of heads down, no commercial distractions and playing for the people of Tyrone, easily won. Two expertly taken goals will be the headline, but the truth is that their culture is a world away from their opposition’s.
There were any number of moments where we turned to each other and said “Well that’s the end of that” but the truth is that this contest was over before it began. Tyrone came in at half time two up, after O’Hora had surged forward defiantly to win a 20-metre free that O’Donoghue easily converted. But the wheels of Mayo’s sentimental, public-relations merry- go-round came off altogether in the second half.
Tyrone were calm, precise, serious. More important than their great win is the impact it ought to have on the rest of the country. Their philosophy should inspire coaches to go back to real football. Skill-based, man-to-man football putting the opponent under pressure. The people of the county look to their senior team to represent them with honour and integrity and to give them real excitement. Which is precisely what these boys have done. Tyrone abu!
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