TYRONE WELL OFF PACE AND IT’S NO SHOCK
Lucky to reach the All-Ireland final, lack of quality is catching up on Harte’s men
WHAT’S up with Tyrone? That’s the question on many observers’ lips after two rounds of the Allianz League. The bottom line is that they simply are not good enough. It’s a strange thing to say about a team that reached the All-Ireland final last year, but it would be hard to claim they did so with a conviction that swept opponents aside.
Tracing their journey through last summer, you could argue, on one level, that it was Tyrone at their best – re-energised by coming through the back door and building up a head of steam, just as they did in 2008 when they took us out in the All-Ireland final.
They have that pedigree for being a smart team – they also won the All-Ireland in 2005 when taking the scenic route – who learn and adapt on their feet.
There are two observations to be made on the last point. The first is to flag up that these are two different groups who just happen to be linked by Mickey Harte.
Secondly, when Tyrone were taken down in Ulster back then, it was either as a result of being beaten by an exceptional team – Armagh in 2005 – or it was a huge shock as was the case with Down in 2008.
Last year, they were beaten by a Monaghan team who had beaten them earlier in the League and who, as a I wrote here last week, were the better side when the two teams clashed in the All-Ireland semi-final. Tyrone did not really need the rub of the green in the old days to get to an All-Ireland decider, whereas last year their pathway was paved with good fortune. Meath missed a late free to kill them in the first round of the qualifiers, and thereafter the draw was kind to them with soft ties against Carlow, Cavan and Cork. In the first round of the Super 8s they met the weakest remaining team in Roscommon. Then in the final round, they faced a Donegal side clearly weakened by the absence of Paddy McBrearty who had sustained a season-ending injury.
Add all that to some generous refereeing calls by Anthony Nolan in the second half of that win over Monaghan and there is a case to be made that circumstances were generous to Tyrone.
I am not saying they did not deserve to get there, but I don’t believe – even if they went on to perform better than many had envisaged in the final – many neutrals saw Tyrone as the country’s number two team in the same way in which many believed Mayo had occupied that berth.
It is important to state the above because the attention which has been drawn to their poor start to the League has a lot to do with the their status as All-Ireland finalists.
Of course, the usual terms and conditions apply when assessing results in early February, but there is a reason why Tyrone’s form book is easier to read than most.
Manager Harte is not in the habit of holding back when it comes to the League. It has always been his way to place utmost seriousness on every game and such is the force of his personality, his players invariably take the same approach.
That suggests Tyrone won’t emerge from this blip by turning on some mental switch which, up to now, has been on a timer.
However, if it is not Tyrone’s attitude that is under scrutiny – although it must be a cause for concern how they dropped their heads against Mayo last weekend – then it has to be their ability.
You could also argue that Harte’s game plan, especially when they play heavyweight opponents, is too cautious for its own good, but tactics are ultimately dictated by the quality available.
Taking a look at the team hammered last weekend, and you could hardly sell it as being transitional or experimental in nature.
Thirteen of those who featured last Sunday in Omagh saw action in the All-Ireland final, and when you look at who they have to come back in, it doesn’t take much counting.
Among the personnel they are waiting on is Colm Cavanagh, although I don’t know how much more heavy lifting can be expected from him, as well as Darragh Canavan at the other end of the age spectrum.
Their absence of quality forwards is obvious and it is a situation which has regressed because of the serious ankle injury sustained by Conor McAliskey and the absence of Mark Bradley who is studying in England.
The attack is now being led by Lee Brennan, who could not make it back onto the starting team for last year’s final, and Darren McCurry who opted off the panel last year because he was frustrated by a lack of game time.
That has a light-weight feel about it.
At the other end of the field, I am not entirely convinced about the full-back line, although Michael McKernan impressed last year,– which might explain why they remain a systems-based defence.
Most of their quality players – Tiernan McCann, Mattie Donnelly, Peter Harte, Niall Sludden and Cavanagh are what is now referred to as middle-eight players. All are easily good enough to get on any team, yet you would happily sacrifice two of them for a defensive leader in the
full-back line and a marquee, go-to attacker in the full-forward line.
But because that is not an option, Harte is not in the position to take a wrecking ball to a conservative game plan which, at least, would allow his team to compete, even if winning is a different matter.
It is easy to say he should take off the shackles, but to do that you have to trust in your defence and you have got to have players who can reward your ambition with scores. I really don’t think Tyrone have either.
Where they go from here in the short term will hang on today, because if they lose to Roscommon, I can’t see how they can stay in the division.
But even if they do survive, they may make it as a top-eight team later this year, but they don’t have the stuff to be true contenders.