Fr McAleer pays tribute to dignified Armagh

ARMAGH were praised yesterday for accepting their defeat in Sunday's All-Ireland final with dignity.

Tyrone assistant manager Fr Gerard McAleer from Omagh, who worked in Armagh as a priest and teacher, led the chorus of approval.

He said: "One of the things I will remember most about Sunday is that the first person to come and congratulate me after the final whistle was Brendan (Benny) Tierney.

"I had him as an altar boy in Mullaghbawn and I also had him as goalkeeper on the senior and U-21 team there," he said.

"I'm proud to say I had an association with Armagh because they were so dignified in everything they did and the manner in which they behaved after the match. We learned so much from them. They taught us how to win last year."

He said he was glad Peter Canavan remembered Art McRory and Eugene McKenna, joint managers of the team up to last year, in his acceptance speech.

"They contributed enormously to Tyrone over the years both as players and managers and they could easily be forgotten in all of this," he said.

"Unfortunately, that happened last year with Armagh. Brian Canavan and Brian McAlinden were ignored and Joe Kernan got all the credit."

The significant role of second-half substitute Stephen O'Neill was acknowledged by Fr McAleer.

Agreeing O'Neill would have been worthy of a starting place, he said: "We didn't want to change a winning team. That was why he wasn't on."

Long-serving defender Chris Lawn, full-back in the 1995 All-Ireland and involved this year up to the drawn Ulster final, was ecstatic at having been brought on in the closing minutes.

He said: "I owe a lot to the management team. I always said I'd love to be part of a Tyrone team when the final whistle went on All-Ireland final day. I was on the pitch at that stage on Sunday and it was an unbelievable feeling.

"It completes the set for me. I can't get much higher than this. If I never won anything again, I'd die a happy man."

Another happy man was Tyrone sponsor Willie John Dolan, whose background is in motor sport. Involved with the team for 10 years, he admitted to finding the final tense.

"I had a good night's sleep and I can feel it creeping into my bones that Sam is about," he said yesterday.