TYRONE NEED A MIRACLE

BERNARD FLYNN’S EXCLUSIVE COLUMN

IT’S the lowest of low key build-ups to an All-ireland final that I can remember.

Yes, it’s coming after the incredible hurling Championship and the Pope’s visit. But at no stage in my life can I recall a build-up like this – and an Allireland finalist not having a chance in the world.

Nobody, and I mean nobody, gives Tyrone a chance.

We can talk all we like about gameplans and match-ups and tactics, but here’s where the buck starts and ends: do the Tyrone players and management believe they can beat Dublin? And not in Omagh, but in Croke Park?

That is at the fulcrum of every- thing that will happen tomorrow.

What happens a lot of the time in finals is that it’s left to players to make the big decisions on their own. And in that area, Dublin are far superior.

Head to head, in terms of talent and skill, Dublin are a far superior team. And the Dublin bench is far superior to Tyrone’s.

Thus Tyrone have no chance, right? If you have a bunch of men possessed with genuine belief that they have a chance, then it can happen.

They’re trying to pull off a miracle. It’s David versus Goliath, and perhaps the last example of David winning was Louth’s 1-9 to 1-7 victory over raging favourites Cork in the 1957 final.

When you have such a gulf in class, two things have to happen for a massive upset to occur.

Dublin have to have an unbelievable off-day – and Tyrone, to a man, have to have a day that they could only dream about.

The last time Dublin were really under-par in an All-ireland final was against Kerry on that wet September day in 2013. Tyrone need them to be at that level again.

Do I see it happening? No. Tyrone took a lot of satisfaction from their performance in Omagh, but that’s the day they admitted they have

problems on a big pitch against Dublin.

I was in Healy Park that day and I know that the pitch was narrowed for the Dubs’ visit.

In the big open spaces in Croke Park, there’s no hiding place.

Tyrone must go for broke to have any chance. They must build an early lead of four or five points to have any chance of making this final competitive.

That’s a brave call for Mickey Harte to make when his default setting is to sit back and keep it tight. If Tyrone do that again then Dublin will steamroll them again, just like in last year’s semi-final.

Taking every chance is critical. Seven shots dropped short and five wides, as happened in the first half against Monaghan, won’t do here.

So they must push up on Stephen Cluxton’s kick-outs and get ahead. They will not win coming from behind.

Harte also has to finish as he did against Donegal – with his best team. Against Monaghan he started Lee Brennan a, which was a mistake, and he is right to go with Mark Bradley instead now.

He must launch the bench like in Ballybofey when his replacements scored 2-5. It was Tyrone’s best performance of the year.

Last but not least, Harte must have a separate game plan ready for the Dublin bench. You only have to look at what unfolded against Galway – Kevin Mcmanamon hit two points and wreaked havoc, Cormac Costello scored three points and Paul Flynn helped himself to an outrageous point.

Two years ago, Mayo had victory in their grasp but Cormac Costello ran amok. They had no gameplan for their bench. Harte has to get that right tomorrow.

So there’s so much for Tyrone to get right. I want to see a competitive final, and football needs it. But Dublin hold too many of the aces. I just hope it doesn’t get ugly for Tyrone.

Dublin to win the four in a row by four to six points.