No more Red Hand raids for Jordan and the half-back line

MOY, a small club on the outskirts of Dungannon, has given Tyrone many great servants down the years.

When Tyrone were last promising All-Ireland deliverance, it was Plunkett Donaghy who was driving them forward from midfield. These days another Moy man, Sean Cavanagh, does the same.

However, behind Cavanagh, a clubmate has been providing just as much stability for the past year or so. Philip Jordan is part of the Tyrone half-back line, who have seemed more under-stated than usual this year. After all, Red Hand wing-backs could regularly be seen raiding forward, nailing a few points and on special occasions, even a goal.

Mickey Harte has changed things.

Although Ciaran Gormley and Ciaran Gourley both left their homes to get on the score-sheet against Fermanagh in Croker, their opponents were frozen solid at that stage. These days, they tend to stay put unless needed.

“In the past, Tyrone half-backs were famous for making the raids forward but Mickey has been trying to cut that out. He wants his wing backs to defend first and if you do seize the opportunity to go forward, to make sure there is someone covering your position. He wants us to stay back, the centre-back has to be a good, strong central presence and I think Ciaran [Gourley] gives him that.”

When called upon, they can score, as they proved in the drawn Ulster final. With all hands on pumps to stage a dramatic come-back, each half-back went forward to bring his team closer with a score. This is the exception rather than the rule, according to Jordan.

“In the Ulster final, as in the Fermanagh game, the opportunity just presented itself. But Mickey has drilled into us that our first priority is to defend. I think Mickey lost the All-Ireland minor final in ‘97 playing with attacking wing-backs and that changed his approach to the position.”

Jordan was one of the young turks who matured under Harte to win an All-Ireland U21 medal. His respect for the manager is obvious . Tyrone followers recognise the difference Harte has made to a team, in previous years prone to falling into complacency.

“Well, the only two players Mickey hasn’t worked with on any level before coming in were Ryan McMenamin and Chris Lawn. He knows how to bring out the best in each individual player, he has great motivational techniques, and his success at under-age level speaks for itself.

“I think he was helped by the fact the team have a lot more maturity this year, there is more fight and determination in the players. That is something Mickey has instilled into us. That if we work hard enough in every game, the talent will see us through.”

With a draw looking a decent bet at 9/2, Harte’s astonishing record in replays may have some bearing. In two drawn matches this year this year, Harte was so effective ironing out the creases, that both Derry and Down were blown away in the rematch.

“He is a great organiser, everyone knows the job they should be doing, everyone knows what time they are being picked up on the afternoon before a match, everything has been looked at this year. And Mickey’s record in replays shows how good a manager he is, he spots the mistakes and corrects them.

“We are still a fairly young team, so we are still prone to the odd mistake. Mickey recognises that, but he is quick to correct them.”

Jordan illustrates the vibrant youth of this Tyrone side. Having come on in the Ulster championship replay against Armagh last year, he has retained his place, despite the more experienced Declan McCrossan breathing down his neck.

Sunday offers a real test for Jordan, though. Given that the Fermanagh and Down half-forwards were stuck in first gear in the past two games, Jordan hasn’t had a challenge like Sean O’Sullivan since Tyrone’s first championship day out. And even then, Derry half-forwards can’t shoot straight.

Those from Kerry can.

“I haven’t marked Sean O’Sullivan before, but I sawdid see him play against Roscommon. He is a real speed merchant and his speed caused Roscommon all sorts of problems. He scored two pointstoo, so he can kick as well. If I let him leave my sight for any length of time, he will be away. The problem with Kerry is,, though, if you do a good job on Sean, they have someone just as good, if not better, onto come off the bench. They have 10 or 11 forwards competing for six places, so we know the task ahead of us.”

The way some people read into Roscommon’s plundering of Kerry’s rear-guard, Tyrone are raging hot favourites to make their first All-Ireland final in eight years. Complacency caught them out last summer in Croker. And Jordan and his team-mates are eager that it won’t happen again.

“Maybe we were looking beyond Sligo that day and towards an All-Ireland quarter-final, which was a silly thing to do because Sligo are a good side. That is something Mickey has concentrated on a lot, ridding the team of any sort of complacency it might have. But, there is no way we could be complacent against Kerry, so that won’t be an issue on Sunday. We won’t be looking towards an All-Ireland final or anything.”