Death of a rivalry
A steal of a game, it was also only one of Tyrone’s first victories that spring as they were demoted to Division 2. Since then, Kerry have been dominant. In their five meetings, Kerry have won the two championship clashes, a brace of league fixtures and secured an away draw.
Is there anything left to be said for what was once the most tribal of enmities?
At least when Tyrone were the bogeymen in the 2000s, it wasn’t all one-sided as Kerry came out on top in the 2005, ’08 and ’09 league meetings.
Now, as obvious as Tyrone are All-Ireland contenders, the rivalry has died.
“We haven’t played Kerry often enough,” explains former Tyrone defender Noel McGinn, at the same time admitting Tyrone’s two relegations from Division 1 this decade did have an effect.
Between 2003 and 2010 the pair faced off every year and obviously twice in the cases of 2003, ’05 and ’08 – more than double what it has been since then.
Amazingly, Kerry tomorrow are out to avoid a winless home record in the league for the first time since 1951.
But without suspended Mattie Donnelly and injured Ronan McNamee on the foot of two defeats, Tyrone don’t arrive in Killarney exuding confidence.
Both teams can still reach the final and in most other years this would be a televised game but TG4’s decision not to show it confirms a lot.
Here is how the rivalry’s died:
“We weren’t that far away,” recalls McGinn. “A couple of key decisions went against us. You heard David Gough admit recently that he got the decision wrong with Kevin McManamon’s foul on Peter Crowley last year; I’d like Maurice Deegan to go back and review his performance in the Tyrone-Kerry game that day.” McGinn refers to the referee’s decision not to award Pádraig McNulty a late penalty.
Instead, Deegan booked him for diving. “But we missed three cast-iron goal chances which possibly would have impacted on the result,” qualifies McGinn.
“Tyrone were still in a transitional phase at that time.”
In the build-up to the game, Tyrone’s Aidan McCrory said they would love to send similarly relegation-threatened Kerry to Division 2.
Only, it was Kerry by virtue of a draw, who demoted Tyrone.
In a game where Kerry were by far the most cynical and ill-disciplined, they were also the better side but a Darren McCurry close-range point ultimately tied the game. Had he goaled Tyrone would have been saved and Kerry doomed.
If anyone thought Tyrone had hit rock bottom against Kerry in 2012, they were proved wrong by this performance when James O’Donoghue ran riot, scoring 3-3.
In the second half, Tyrone’s defending was atrocious as were their tactics and the decision to keep Seán Cavanagh upfront when they were dying a death in the middle of the park beggared belief.
The 15-point loss remains the biggest defeat Mickey Harte has suffered as Tyrone manager.
On the back of a warm weather break, Kerry put in a masterful first-half display on the sandy Omagh surface, after which they lead 1-12 to 0-4. Tyrone, though, harnessed the wind in the second half and had Kerry hanging on for dear life by the end.
Despite the win, Kerry had to wait for news from Ballybofey that their Division 1 place was secured for another season.
“Because it was a knock-out game, it meant more to Kerry,” remembers McGinn. “The likes of Conor Gormley were on their last legs at that stage.
Ronan McNamee was marking Paul Galvin that day but he’s a different animal today.
Some people have decried Tyrone as Kerry’s nemesis but I think they still see Dublin and as their biggest opponents.
Maybe it’s some comfort Tyrone or northern people might cling to.
For Tyrone people if they had a choice of beating Donegal and Kerry it would be Donegal and if Kerry had the choice between Tyrone and Dublin it would be Dublin.”
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