Tyrone and Galway all set for another cracker

THE season may be less than three months old, but those in Omagh last Sunday might have witnessed the birth of something beautiful.

Galway and Tyrone not only gave the finest exhibition of Gaelic football for quite some time, but supporters watched the evolution of a rivalry which may define the summer.

On the field, things were intense while on the sidelines, Mickey Harte and John O'Mahony engaged in a spot of verbals, as the Galway manager tried to draw the referee's attention to a foul from an already-booked Kevin Hughes. After the enthralling encounter finished in an exhausting stalemate, Harte wondered how Padraic Joyce remained on the pitch so long he was dismissed following a second booking early in the first period of injury time.

"I was amazed to read Mickey Harte's comments in Monday's papers. It's certainly not the way I ever do business. I would never point to a player on an opposing team and say he should have been sent off. The sport is going from our games when we start that," O'Mahony retorted this week.

"If we all start that sort of finger-pointing, where will it end? We could all tell a few stories from last Sunday. I'm certainly not going down that road, but I will defend my players from unfair criticism. Padraic Joyce has been one of the most skilful and sporting players in the country for many years and it's unfair that he should be misrepresented in this way."

O'Mahony's tactics were quite notable on Sunday. Micheal Meehan and Padraic Joyce were isolated in a two-man full-forward line, as Tommy Joyce roamed. Elsewhere the Tribesmen deployed their own version of the dreaded blanket defence as Tyrone attacked.

O'Mahony also wrought from Micheal Donnellan one of his finest performances in quite some time, the Dunmore star drifting between centre-forward and sweeper.

Injuries have once again hampered O'Mahony's selection with Mattie Clancy doing exams.

Although Harte espouses the philosophy of winning each and every game, it must be asked how much he wants this one. A league final next week, followed by their first defence of their All-Ireland crown against Derry will mean Tyrone have played six top-class matches in seven weeks. Fatigue would have to become a factor sooner rather than later.

Whoever emerges, with Kerry lying in wait, a smashing league final is in store. A repeat of the 2000 All-Ireland Final is likely. Even if Harte wants his team to secure a record-equalling three leagues in a row, it might not be a gamble worth taking.