McAliskey sure Tyrone will click
WITH two losses from their opening two games, Tyrone realise they have a battle on their hands to remain in the top flight.
They are away to Kildare tomorrow, and follow that up with another trip — this time to Castleblayney to face Monaghan.
Their remaining games are at home to Donegal, away to Mayo and home to Kerry in the final game of the league programme.
The main charge levelled against their failings has been their attack malfunctioning. They managed just 0-3 from play against Galway and while a more adventurous approach was rewarded with 1-7 in the first half against Dublin, they hit eight wides in the second period as the All-Ireland champions locked down their defence.
It’s something that has puzzled attacker Connor McAliskey, who believes the Red Hands are getting there.
“We knew what we wanted to do going forward in the first half (against Dublin). I know people think we are defensive, but I don’t think we were defensive, no more so than what Dublin played,” he reasoned.
“But Dublin changed their structure, they went more defensive. But if Tyrone had have done what Dublin had done, there would have been talk about it.”
Meanwhile, there will be an interesting clash of styles when Kerry come to the cosy confines of Inniskeen tomorrow. So far, the Kingdom are averaging 21 points per game, while hosts Monaghan are less than prolific with 12 as their average.
The other game involving an Ulster side in Division One is Donegal taking on Dublin.
So far, Declan Bonner’s men have had a tough start, losing their opening fixtures to fellow western seaboard men Kerry and Galway. Red cards have cost them in both games.
Anything other than a Dublin win would be a shock.
In Division Two, Down are on the road after last week’s poor showing which ended in a sixpoint defeat to Cork, with their main attacker Connaire Harri-