Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Tyrone POWER
» Ulstermen defy odds as 40,000 pack Croker » Yet more heartache for GAA’s nearly men My wife is from Mayo… at least one of us will be going home happy
A JUBILANT Tyrone broke Mayo hearts winning the All Ireland football final yesterday – and keeping the westerners’ so-called curse alive for another year.
The Red Hand County lifted the Sam Maguire for the fourth time in front of 40,000 fans at Croke Park.
The Ulster champions defied the bookies’ odds – and recent issues with Covid in their camp – to pull off a convincing 2-15 to 0-15 victory in front of a GAA headquarters restricted to half capacity.
Meanwhile, the supposed 70-year curse on Mayo appears to continue – they have now lost all eleven finals they have contested since way back in 1951.
After an evenly poised first half, the Connacht men’s shot at victory slipped away with missed goal chances and sloppy wides.
But brilliant Tyrone, were clinical in their finishing, with super sub Cathal McShane and Darren McCurry both finding the back of the net in the second half.
Mayo were thrown a lifeline in the 41st minute with a penalty but it wasn’t to be as Ryan O’Donoghue’s shot brushed against the upright before going wide. Speaking after the match, Tyrone jointmanager Brian Dooher said: “It was tight at times, the boys dug deep and gave everything they had to give. It got them over the line in the end.
“The penalty was a game changer for us, we were under pressure and Mayo were coming strong and they’d had other goal chances but thankfully our defence held strong, they’ve been brilliant this year.
“You have to give credit to the players, they’ve been up at it all season. It was a hard-working victory.”
Mayo has not won the senior football title in 70 years, with some superstitious supporters blaming a supposed curse placed on the team after allegedly not showing respect towards a funeral on their homecoming journey following that victory.
The story goes that the side would not win again under the curse until all the members of that team had died.
Meanwhile, the North’s deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill was among those who took to Twitter to express their delight.
She said: “Absolutely over the moon.
Sam is coming back to Tyrone after 13 years, what a performance.
“You have brought so much joy to our county after a difficult year. Particularly delighted for my neighbour Padraig Hampsey, a fantastic captain.”
Mayo fans were disappointed after the match but the county’s official
Twitter page remained positive despite the latest setback. They said: “Thank you to our families, our fans and our sponsors. Our journey continues.”
And manager and former county star James Horan admitted that it was a bitter pill for his team to swallow. He said: “We’re disappointed with how we played today. Look, we’re very proud of the guys and the effort and commitment they put in this year, and the development and growth that we’ve made this year.
“Today is very disappointing but, in the overall context, there was a lot of development this year.”
“I think we gave away a lot of turnovers in the first half that weren’t good decisions or good skills.
“But having said that we were still in the game, we were only two points down at half-time. s
“The penalty was a big turning point as well. We could have gone one up, but overall we started to snatch at shots then. So, we just didn’t play like we could today.”
Emerging from Croke Park one Tyrone fan had a delicate domestic situation on his hands. Gary O’Donnell, from Galbally, said he was feeling “absolutely brilliant”, despite his wife hailing from the Connacht county.
He said: “My wife is from Mayo and she’s not answering her phone so I have to go and look for her – at least one of us will be happy going up the road.”
And one gallant Mayo fan took to Twitter with an upbeat message for the Mayo team and their followers.
Kieran Finn tweeted: “Well what a journey the Mayo panel have brought us supporters on this year, yet again.
All-Ireland final day in Croke Park, the result not what we wanted but the memories will live forever.
“Congrats Tyrone, Mayo – we’ll go again.”
GARY O’DONNELL, TYRONE FAN IN CROKE PARK