Tyrone are still a work in progress: Mulligan
Triple All-ireland winner wary of Cavan threat in last-eight duel
FORMER Tyrone player Owen Mulligan has sounded a note of caution ahead of his county’s Ulster Senior Football Championship Quarter-final against Cavan at Breffni Park on Sunday (4pm).
Mulligan, who won All-ireland medals with the Red Hands under the baton of Mickey Harte in 2003, 2005 and 2008, believes that Cavan’s surprise preliminary round Ulster Championship win over Monaghan will have fuelled their desire to reach the provincial Semi-finals.
And he is quick to point out that the match will not be a straightforward task for the Red Hands given the commitment that the Breffni County have been showing of late.
“Cavan turned in an unbelievable performance against Monaghan in winning the preliminary tie in Ulster,” points out Mulligan.
“They were really bad underdogs going into the match but I did not rate them quite like that.
“To be honest, I actually thought they were in with a super chance.
“I think this showed to be the case as the match progressed. Tyrone, on the other hand, had an up and down League campaign although they managed to avoid relegation at the end of the day.
“I think, though, they have a lot to work on. I feel the forwards are there and they are just waiting to get out of the traps but I hope the team as a whole go at it against Cavan on Sunday. It will take a supreme effort if victory is to be achieved.
“You don’t quite know what team you are going to get with Tyrone at the minute but I think there is plenty to work on. Their midfield and defence will be tested with goalkeeper Niall Morgan capable of keeping it tight at the back. I think that this has the makings of a great game.”
Mulligan gave outstanding service to Tyrone in the period spanning 2003 until 2013 and although Fr Rocks Cookstown has always been his home club, he subsequently contributed to the success of Fulham Irish in helping the side to win a Championship honour.
For the moment, though, his focus is on Tyrone especially as the winners of their match on Sunday will face the victors from the Derry v Donegal tie at the Semi-final stage, with Armagh and Down, of course, crossing swords in the other last-four clash.
Brian Dooher has been in charge of operations with the Red Hands while joint manager Feargal Logan recovers from illness and acknowledges that Cavan may be well capable of putting his side to the test — something that Mulligan agrees with.
“It’s potentially a very exciting Semi-final package but we will just wait and see what happens,” insists Mulligan, “The heat will be stepped up in this particular tie and indeed I think we could have some class games on the menu going forward.
“Derry beat Dublin in the Division One League Final in what I thought was one of the best games we have seen for a long time. It was unreal. The GAA needed a game of this quality.
“The fact that it finished in a penalty shoot-out only added to the tension and the drama but Derry did very well in the circumstances to come out on top in the end.”