Tyrone go all-out for double

By Jim O’Sullivan says Red Hand celebrations a distraction for U21’s as they face Dublin showdown

BREATHTAKING! That's how young midfield star Seán Cavanagh describes the feeling of euphoria which has consumed Tyrone people since they realised their dream of winning the Sam Maguire Cup for the first time in Croke Park last Sunday. Along with goalkeeper John Devine and Dermot Carlin an established member of the senior squad Cavanagh has another date with destiny today in Navan. This time it's the U21 final and opponents Dublin, remarkably, are chasing a first title win in the grade.

The perception may be that Tyrone will be swept along on a wave of emotion, that the success of the seniors will inspire a further triumph in a competition which helped consolidate Micky Harte's credentials as a manager of real quality before he moved up into the big league 12 months ago. That may very well be the case, but, the reality is that the huge focus on the senior team and the celebrations over the past few week have been a distraction. Team manager Peter Doherty readily admits it. "It has been difficult,'' he says.

The three players only joined the rest of the squad on Wednesday night. All of their training over the last six weeks had been done with the seniors, their last direct involvement having been in the semi-final win over Mayo on September 7. Mayo had unexpectedly won the Connacht title after reigning All-Ireland champions Galway were forced to play only three nights after the seniors lost in the championship to Donegal.

Cavanagh, just turned 20, says that he feels "blessed" to have been a member of the first Tyrone team to capture the All-Ireland championship, "to have done something that hundreds and hundreds of Tyrone Gaels have been waiting for all their lives."

"It would have been unimaginable to think at the start of the year we would be in two All-Ireland finals in the space of six days. To win one is great, to win two would be something special,'' he said.

"It's a great time to be from Tyrone at the minute. The celebrations haven't given us much time to get our heads around this game, but, it's an All-Ireland final and if the senior final wasn't there, it would be the highlight of the year. At the end of the day it might be the last final we might ever play in because there's no guarantee of any more. But, we'll be taking it completely seriously. We hope we give the Dubs a run for their money.''

Interestingly, the counties met in the semi-final last year when Dublin were winners and in the All-Ireland minor final of 2001, when Tyrone won in a replay. Both games were played in Breffni Park. The Dublin senior management are again in charge of their team, while Derry-born Peter Doherty, who made his name with a number of clubs (most recently Errigal Chiarán), is in his first year in charge of the Ulster side. All but Cavanagh and John Devine have already won U21 medals, yet, Doherty feels that the team is young "a year early."

"Winning Ulster would have been a bit of a bonus, but everything since then has gone well and the fellows have responded well," he says. "Dublin were there last year and they are an excellent team. I watched them beat Waterford in Thurles and they were very impressive. They were very well drilled and very, very comfortable on the ball. Having up to seven players with senior experience is a big help.''

Doherty knew what to expect when Tyrone triumphed in Croke Park, understanding, the relief it brought to a county which had its share of hard-luck stories and whose people "feared they might not do it." "First time around, you must get through the celebrations. It was a marvellous achievement to get Sam. You can imagine the joy and the celebrations. On the other hand, it hasn't been easy for the three players to rest or to get focused. But we'll take them as they are, we're not complaining. They are good fellows and I know they'll do the best they can. They trained with us, but let's say it would have been very difficult for them to give it their full attention!

"It's a major game for Dublin. After having failed in the senior race, they will be wanting this very badly. To win it would be a huge boost. But, it's a massive game for Tyrone too and the prospect of having a strong support is going to be a plus, definitely.''

Tommy Lyons brought former players Jim Gavin and Declan Darcy into the management team following last year's defeat to Galway.

Both respected players, they undertook the training over the winter months, thus allowing Lyons and his co-selectors to concentrate on the senior team. Paul Caffrey, Lyons' assistant, praises the pair as "exceptional fellows who set very high standards for themselves."

In turn, the management as a group has set a high standard for the team, hoping that this time they live up to their potential.

"Last year, the team did very well to win Leinster and then beat Tyrone. But, they under-performed against Galway, which is the worst way to lose an All-Ireland final,'' said Caffrey. "It would mean a lot to Dublin to win this final. Work put in at development level is paying off. We are very competitive at minor and U21 level for the last few years. While these are important competitions in their own right, the bigger picture is that they are a stepping stone to bringing fellows forward to senior.

"You can see it with Tyrone and Laois, the rewards they are getting. It's no guarantee of success at senior level, but it does mean you are doing something right. You can see it with the young players coming through. They have been five or six years together and skill levels are high.''

In Caffrey's view, Dublin played "very well' in last year's semi-final, while Tyrone "didn't play near to form."

If you take in the minor final and the replay three years ago, it shows that a lot of these players have clashed before. "It will take a big performance for us to win, but I don't expect we will collapse the way we did last year.''