Canavan rejects claims Tyrone have blown title chance

Jim O’Sullivan

It is a view shared by team manager Micky Harte who welcomed the fact of the replay wasn’t fixed for next weekend. “I don’t think we are out of the race yet, even though we do feel we lost something the last day.’’

Harte was one of the guests at yesterday’s Vodafone GAA awards presentation at the Westbury Hotel where his star player was honoured for the display against Cavan in the Ulster semi-final replay.

“We have been in that situation before, when we played a drawn game we might have won and were able to make good the second time around. There’s no reason why we can’t again. Armagh will definitely feel that they didn’t perform as well as they know they can do and will know that they can make it a lot more difficult for us the next day,’’ he added.

Unaccompanied by his wife, Finola, who had booked a holiday to Spain with the couple’s older children before the date of the final was changed, Canavan admitted to mixed feelings before receiving a record third award. “I’d prefer to have an Ulster medal. We were probably good enough to win. Being four points up with four minutes left put us in a strong position. We were disappointed we didn’t put them away, but we’re still there.”

Canavan went into Sunday’s game with a rib injury sustained in the drawn match with Cavan and he got ‘a bang in the same spot’ in a trial game before they played Armagh.

“I thought it would have been okay, but as the first half progressed, it gradually got worse and I had no option but to pull out at half-time. It was very disappointing for myself, but it would have been worse if we had got beaten. I now have something to go for in two weeks time and hopefully it will have come round by then.’’

Harte agrees that it’s ‘essential’ that they have Canavan back, elaborating: “we have seen the level of performance he has put in for us this year so far and we have seen the influence he has on the team when he is there. That influence is sadly missing any time he is not there. Some day we are going to have to learn to live without that but, while he is still available and playing the type of football he is, it’s nice to have him around.’’

In terms of the overall team performance, Canavan said that, while Sunday’s display could be regarded as their best so far this year, he knew that an analysis of their play would show up plenty of flaws. From a forward perspective, it was clear they relied too much on Stephen O’Neill for scores, something that was regularly said in the past in relation to Canavan.

“It depends on what way you look at the game. On the one hand you can say we are extremely disappointed that we should have won it. But, on the other hand, we are still there. The fact that we played so well shows we can beat Armagh. That we’re capable of a performance like that, we’ll take a lot of positives out of the game. Plus, with two or three minutes left the momentum was totally with Armagh.

“They had come back with a goal and a point and the crowd were behind them. A lot of teams would have surrendered to that in the dying minutes, but our boys fought hard to win possession and created a chance at the very end, when we could have snatched it. In fairness to Armagh they played a lot of games from the National League final on, maybe Tyrone were that bit fresher.’’

In relation to referee Pat McEnaney, Canavan said: “near the end, Brian McGuigan definitely looked like he was fouled. Mark Harte shouldered Paul Hearty over the end line and that looked like a 45. If they were the only two mistakes Pat McEnaney made, he had a very good game.’’