McCurry not surprised at Armagh’s revival

THEY may not exactly have returned to the winner’s enclosure at the weekend but with in-form Armagh looming on the horizon, Tyrone attacking star Darren McCurry was just relieved to see the team glean some sort of positive return from their National League opener.

The low-scoring 0-9 apiece stalemate with Monaghan in the swirling wind and rain at Omagh last Sunday provides the All-Ireland champions with a foundation to build upon as they face into the remainder of their Division One campaign.

The battle for precious early season league points gets no easier with Tyrone catapulted into another all-Ulster bearpit battle this Sunday afternoon, as they head into the Athletic Grounds to tackle Kieran McGeeney’s buoyant troops.

The Orchard men forced the rest of the country to sit up and take notice of their burgeoning reputation as they claimed the scalp of Dublin at Croke Park on Saturday night, making them the only victors in the first round of matches.

Few are better placed to appreciate the artistry and potency which Armagh exhibited, especially in the first half than Darren McCurry, a player who lit up the 2021 Championship, and the Edendork ace was wholesome in his praise of the likes of Rory Grugan and Rian O’Neill for the manner of their display.

“ Those boys were always to the fore for Armagh. I have played against Armagh a number of times and those boys were always outstanding.

“ They have great structures in place and I have always been watching them boys and they have always put in a great shift for Armagh.”

McCurry was impressed with the collective effort produced by Armagh against the shell-shocked Dubs and admitted that a repeat showing would ensure a troublesome afternoon for Tyrone on Sunday.

“ I thought they were excellent. Their workrate up and down the field, and I thought they moved the ball well and gave early balls in.

“ It will be a massive task, especially in the Athletic Grounds, but we can only focus on ourselves and on what we do. We’ll get back at it, get the video work done, and get back at it at the weekend. We lost to them a few weeks ago but the McKenna Cup is more like a trial run now. Our focus needs to be on the League and we need the points, so it will be full steam ahead next weekend.”

The weather conditions at O’Neills Healy Park last weekend meant a turgid, attritional, trademark derby struggle was always on the cards as the Red Hands welcomed Monaghan to town. That was what unfolded, though the tight fought nature of the exchanges and sheer competitiveness on display still made for an engaging tussle.

While the Tyrone management team won’t have been losing much sleep after two experimental line-ups lost in the McKenna Cup at the outset of the year, McCurry was still pleased to have at least stopped the rot.

“ It’s good to get a point on the board. If we had come out of that game with no points at all, then going to face a Armagh team that is after beating Dublin, your backs would be really against the wall.

“ To come out with something rather than nothing is good. Look, we have a lot of work to do, we’re behind everybody else in term of how much training we have done, we have boys coming back from injury, so we’re just trying to build on it week on week and hopefully do enough.

“ You’re up against all the top teams up there, and with Monaghan, getting a good run in the McKenna Cup and winning it. They have obviously a number of weeks more training under their belts than we have, so I think a draw was a fair result and we would be happy with that.”

Known for his silky skills and fleet footed movement, there’s no doubt the ‘Dazzler’ revels more on a dry sod and like both sets of forwards in Omagh struggled to make a real imprint on proceedings, being held to just a single point. He acknowledged that more rudimentary traits of heart and determination were required on a dog-day afternoon if any side was to prevail.

“ That’s January, the conditions are tougher and the basic skills of the game need to be raised a level. Any mistake at all will be punished, but that’s just January football. We need to be good with the basic skills and take every game as it comes.

“ Conditions in the second half were difficult and our backs were against the wall with that tough breeze. But I think we held out well there in the end. The plan is to try and build on it week on week, and I think that we’re doing that.”