Morgan: Tyrone must boost attack to close Dubs gap

TYRONE goalkeeper Niall Morgan has rounded on those who took aim at Mickey Harte in the aftermath of the team’s poor display against Dublin in this year’s All-Ireland semi-final.

According to Morgan, criticisms of Tyrone approach’s against the eventual champions are ill-founded and ignore realities which could not have been anticipated by management or players.

Morgan (above) believes a variety of circumstances led to the game swinging Dublin’s way early on, leaving the Ulster champions facing a very difficult challenge.

“Our plan had worked all year and there was no reason to change it just because we were playing Dublin.

“But what was it Mike Tyson said? ‘Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.’ That was what the (Dublin) goal was like. It was as if someone had taken us out after three or four minutes.

“It was unfortunate that we didn’t bounce back straight away. If we got a couple of scores and put Dublin on the back foot it might have been different.

“There was also a ten-minute spell at the start of the second half when we got chances that we didn’t take. That’s the way it has been going for us in the last couple of years – we haven’t been taking them,” he said.

Responsibility for that rests with the players rather than management who, Morgan insists, retain the squad’s full support.

“We’ve full faith in Mickey (Harte) and whatever way he wants to play is the way we’ll play. I’d say it probably will be a bit more attacking (next year) because we’ve seen the way we’re playing isn’t going to beat the likes of Dublin, Mayo and Kerry,” said Morgan, the only goalkeeper on Ireland’s International Rules squad in Australia.

“It’ll might be a bit more forwardthinking but we’ll know when we get back in and see what his thinking is.”