Tyrone have chance to prove they’ve learned lessons as Dubs visit Healy Park
THE standout tie from round two of the Allianz League is the meeting of Tyrone and Dublin in Healy Park tonight.
The Red Hands must feel the world is on hand to offer advice as to how to set up their team, with former Kerry ace Tomás ÓSé giving his opinion last weekend.
Now, Tyrone’s favourite Dub Charlie Redmond has stated: “The only way you are going to beat Dublin is by attacking them like Mayo do and getting in their faces. Do not give Dublin possession and let them come onto you because if Tyrone do that again, Dublin will beat them again.”
Tyrone scored just three points from play against Galway in their competition-opening defeat in Tuam last Sunday.
This is the first meeting between the two sides since the 12-point loss suffered by Tyrone in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final, a game that present captain Matthew Donnelly and manager Mickey Harte insist provided them with plenty of lessons to learn.
Meanwhile, after losing out to Mayo by a point last weekend, Monaghan attempt to steady the ship when they travel to Kildare tomorrow.
Without Conor McManus, they produced a credible performance against the Connacht outfit but some traditional Monaghan weaknesses caught them out as they finished the game with only 12 men.
Young attacker David Garland has shown he can add a sharp edge to the Oriel attack and with manager Malachy O’Rourke in no big panic to rush the more experienced heads back, his development will continue.
Donegal are a team in a similar position to Monaghan.
They got life under Declan Bonner off to a somewhat positive start in going down narrowly to Kerry, who rolled a few Rolls Royce players off the conveyor belt in Sean O’Shea and David Clifford, but their task was made almost impossible by the early sending off of Nathan Mullins.
They face Galway at home, taking the fellow western seaboard men all the way up to Letterkenny.
An interesting meeting in Division Two occurs between Down and Cork, eight years after they contested an All-Ireland final against each other.
The remarkable stat is that they have only one provincial title between them since that game, Cork’s triumph in 2012.
In last year’s league tie, a Jerome Johnston free at the death earned the Mournemen a point on the road and survival in Division Two.
After an opening win over Pete McGrath’s Louth, they will be looking to build some momentum in Newry.
Cavan, who nabbed a point on their travels against Clare last weekend with a late rally, are at home to familiar opponents Louth tonight.
Down another league, Rory Gallagher’s Fermanagh are seeking to build on a rather workmanlike win over Wexford last Sunday when they host another Leinster team in Offaly, who were handed a huge beating by Longford in their opening game.
Fermanagh were coasting to victory before Ryan Jones’ sending off but should have too much for the visitors this time.
Fresh from a home defeat to
Westmeath in their first game, Derry will be looking to make up some ground when they make the spin to Longford this time out.
Armagh renew acquaintances with Westmeath in Cusack Park, the same venue and pairing producing a ‘colourful’ qualifiers game in boiling heat last summer.
Kieran McGeeney’s men produced an impressive display in dismantling Sligo last Sunday in the Athletic Grounds.
Finally, Antrim face an arduous five-hour bus trip to Waterford in the only Division Four tie involving an Ulster team.
The Saffrons had little problem in dispatching Leitrim by 10 points last weekend and Lenny Harbinson’s men have the ability and the personnel to fight their way out of the basement league, starting against a Waterford team that drew with Wicklow last weekend.
The semi-finals in the Ulster U21 Club Championship hosted by Creggan are also being contested.
Pre-tournament favourites Gaoth Dobhair of Donegal, managed by Tom Beag Gillespie and Kevin Cassidy, face surprise packages Carryduff.
In the other tie, Derry’s Lavey, managed by Derry 1993 All-Ireland-winning captain Seamus Downey, face the Southern Gaels amalgamation team of Cavan.