Success on Sunday would be a fitting reward, says O’Kane

NINE months of blood, sweat and tears concludes for Tyrone Senior Ladies this Sunday afternoon on the most iconic stage of the lot-Croke Park- with manager Sean O’Kane hopeful that they can sign off their journey on a celebratory note.

The Red Hands tackle surprise packets Leitrim in the All-Ireland Intermediate Championship Final, keen to repeat their success of 2018 when they hit Meath for six goals in the decider enroute to the title.

The county team has endured mixed fortunes since that triumph, but after an excellent league campaign, in which they sealed promotion back to Division One, the squad are desperate to round off their 2024 Championship programme with some silverware.

In terms of effort, sacrifice and commitment Sean O’Kane believes that victory on Sunday would a be a fitting reward for his charges.

“ We are at it since early November. There has been some bad old nights up here at Garvaghey with the weather but the players loyalty and dedication never dropped.

“ We had one challenge match pre-Christmas last year and that was Leitrim as well at Longford Slashers. That was a tight game as well. It’s ironic that you wind the clock forward eight or so months and we are now meeting them in the Final.”

O’Kane had three previous stints as Tyrone manager, before stepping into the breach again in March 2022, alongside Barry Grimes. He also masterminded the county’s All-Ireland Junior triumph, some twenty-five years ago, in 1999.

This year’s campaign in both League and Championship hasn’t always been plain-sailing, with the team actually suffering three successive defeats at one stage (Kildare National League Final, Monaghan Ulster C’ship semi-final, and Leitrim, All-Ireland Group 4).

Sean admitted that the reversal to Kildare in the Division Two Final at Croker Park did knock the stuffing out of the side, psychologically, for a spell.

“ Two mistakes in the game cost us. We didn’t do a pile wrong to be honest but we definitely had a hangover after that. We felt it was one that got away from us. Sometimes you learn more in defeat than victory.

“ We just didn’t perform against Monaghan in Ulster and got our due rewards. That was the reality of it.

“We regrouped and were in a good position down in Leitrim but threw away two leads that afternoon.

“But those are over and done with now and we look forward to the All-Ireland Final back at Croke Park next Sunday.”

O’Kane feels that the nature of the victories Tyrone produced subsequent to that Leitrim group loss restored a positive vibe about the place.

“ We played Wicklow and did enough to get over the line. Clare (AIF quarter-final) was then a huge one. We stayed overnight and it was a very worthwhile bonding weekend as well. Again we were six points down but turned it around after half-time and were back on par after about fifteen minutes.

“ We probably should have won far more comfortably than we did but at the end of the day we were happy to take the win because not many gave us a chance down there. They came in as favourites.

“ After that we met a resurgent Down side (AI semi-final). They had a lot of good players and were well organised. It could have went either way at one stage but we showed a bit of resilience to get out of it.”

While Tyrone are strong favourites to prevail this weekend against their Connacht opponents, Sean states that recent clashes between the sides will ensure they are on their guard.

“ Johnny Garrity has done a really good job there. They are well-organised and determined and had far more support than we had for the first group match in the All-Ireland. They were very vocal and got behind their team.

“ I know people make the comparisons between the counties and the fact we are in Division One next year and they are in Divison Four so think we should roll-over them but that’s not our mindset. They came back and pipped us the last day, after we were ten points up. I know some of it was our own fault but they never gave up.

“ We are confident enough in ourselves but we also know it is going to be a titanic battle. We will be looking for revenge but we know it won’t be easy.

“This game is going to go down to the wire. We are under no illusions as to what is ahead of us next Sunday.”