Éamonn Fitzmaurice: Tyrone take plenty of good lessons in defeat to Armagh

Tyrone now have either six or seven weeks depending on the draw to prepare for Sam Maguire. Importantly, they have something to build on

Conor Turbitt scored the winning point for Armagh in their Ulster SFC preliminary round victory over Tyrone. Pic: ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

I was 14 when Down won the All-Ireland in 1991. I lived my formative football years through the prism of Ulster football, and previously the Cork and Meath rivalry. It was a fallow period for Kerry and other than marvelling at the Golden Years video, there was little to cheer. The Ulster Championship had a mystical hold over us. It was where it was at for that period. Add in how central it is to identity of the nationalist community in Ulster and the fanatical interest and passion is simple to understand. 

Live television augmented the aura. The Down and Derry game in 1994 stands out in my memory. When involved as a player I never got to make trips north for Ulster games but I did venture up a few times as a bainisteoir.