Tyrone’s win over Dublin: Five Talking Points

It’s good to be back

THERE haven’t been enough big days out at Croker  in recent years. Since 2021, the Tyrone Senior Intercounty footballers have graced GAA HQ twice – both lop-sided defeats (the 2023 quarter-final against Kerry and a league encounter against Dublin last season.) So it really was satisfying to witness Tyrone surge across the finish line on Saturday evening for our first championship win over Dublin since 2008. The players were very clearly delighted in the moments after the final whistle and with good reason. Ultimately, we’re a mere two steps away from Sam. Two very big steps, granted, but it’s a great position to be in.

The weather played its part

BY his own standards, Darren McCurry had a quiet afternoon in Saturday’s last-eight clash. He got on a fair bit of ball, but found it difficult to find a way past Dublin defender Eoin Murchan. He also hit a couple of uncharacteristic wides. Undoubtedly the weather played its part. A downpour left the pitch like an ice-rink and at times McCurry and Darragh Canavan seemed to struggle to find their footing. You’d like to think it’ll be a better day weather-wise on their next day out. I mean, it’s July and Irish weather isn’t that bad, right?? Darren was hauled off with 20 minutes remaining while Darragh kept on plugging away and produced a few massive plays in the clutch moments. .

Is 2021 relevant?

RIGHT, we’ll talk more about Kerry next week. No doubt there’ll be a lot of chatter in the press in the lead up to our latest joust with Kerry about the 2021 semi-final and all it entailed. It fills column inches (who are we to judge). Our recollections are mainly of a incredible Tyrone performance, but that aside, our record against Kerry hasn’t been too hot in recent championship matches (defeats in 2012, 2015, 2019 and 2023 stand alongside our 2021 success). Basically, talk of us being some sort of bogey team for the Kingdom seems a bit misplaced. In reality, what’s happened in the past against Kerry will probably have little bearing next Saturday, but sure it gets us all talking.

Bench press

TYRONE’S bench made a massively positive impact on Sunday. It was possibly even the winning of the game. There’s no doubt in our eyes that this is Tyrone’s strongest panel since winning the All-Ireland four years ago, and there was some good news in the post-match press briefing as Malachy O’Rourke revealed that Michael McKernan’s injury isn’t as bad as first-feared. Basically, he said it isn’t season ending and that he’s on the road to recovery. Whether he’ll play any part against the Kingdom remains to be seen, but he sounds like he’s in contention for a return at least. It’ll obviously take a massive effort to overcome Kerry, but we’re in a good place.

Bagging the two-pointers

TYRONE made hay with two-pointers at the weekend, scoring five of them. It was one of the main reasons for their victory on the day against a Dublin side that seemed oddly unwilling to have a pop at times. Perhaps ultimate honours this year will go to the team that acclimitises best to the new rules. Kick-outs have become more important than ever, and some think that the rules place too big an onus on winning the midfield battle. Maybe that’s true, but there’s no going back now and if Tyrone put a halt to Kerry’s midfield march on Sunday week, that could be half the battle. Surely we’ll give them plenty more to think about than Armagh did.