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Nobody said it was easy’, Coldplay singer Chris Martin chirps out in one of their biggest hits ‘The Scientist’.
Sentiments that the Tyrone players would probably echo this week as the pre-season favourites to gain promotion from Division Two find themselves embroiled in a battle at the wrong end of the table, with just three rounds remaining.
Certainly as manager Malachy O’Rourke left Pairc Mhuire in Ardee last Sunday the lyrics from another famous Coldplay anthem may have been weighing on his mind- ‘I will try to Fix You’.
The likelihood of Tyrone reaching ‘Paradise’ (okay enough already) at the end of July and featuring in the Sam Maguire shake-up seem a long shot right now.
The anaemic loss to Louth created shock waves across the footballing landscape, and the scenes of delirium among supporters of the ‘Wee’ County on the pitch afterwards underlined their surprise at toppling one of the supposed heavy hitters.
The most immediate concern for Tyrone is avoiding the barely thinkable drop into Division Three of the National League and with it the prospect of Tailteann Cup football next season.
Of course that Ground Zero scenario should hopefully still be avoided and the first tentative steps on the road to recovery can be taken at O’Neill Park in Dungannon this Saturday night when Tyrone welcome a familiar face.
Errigal Ciaran clubmates Mickey Harte and Malachy O’Rourke have locked horns numerous times down the years in much higher-profile clashes, with the stakes a lot more glamorous, but their latest meeting when Offaly come to town this weekend is what it is- a National League Division Two relegation six pointer.
In mitigation most would have expected the Faithful County to struggle, whatever about Harte’s midas touch, in their first season back up operating at this level, following well over a decade cast among the lesser lights in Divisions Three or Four.
Such forecasts weren’t being made about Tyrone however.
Last season Tyrone were rather unlucky to be relegated from Division One, on Score Difference, having accrued seven points from their seven matches. Twelve months on and against much inferior opposition they will be doing well at this juncture to even match that tally of a point a game average.
With Darragh Canavan away to Australia, Tyrone fans will have been comforted at the sight of Darren McCurry being introduced as a second half sub in Ardee. His return is timely to hopefully galvanise an attack that struggled to ignite last weekend.
Saturday really is a must win for Tyrone, with social media keyboard warriors already having a field day penning their obituary for the season.
Such criticism comes with the territory but the Red Hands need a convincing triumph over their Leinster visitors this weekend to at least steady the ship, with much more significant tests lying in wait against Meath and Cork to close off their League programme.
