Improving Tyrone to shade it

PETER CANAVAN’S retirement following Tyrone’s second All-Ireland SFC success two years ago presented Mickey Harte with the challenge of succeeding again without his most accomplished player.

As we know, a litany of injuries, the worst of which ruled out the very much under-rated Brian McGuigan, put paid to this ambition last year.

Now, back in Croke Park tomorrow as Ulster champions, they take on a Meath side which has grown steadily in confidence since they demolished Kildare in the first round in Leinster and won three qualifier games after going out to Dublin in a replay.

The Royals have been more impressive than the Northerners in getting this far — and they are certainly not without hope of maintaining a winning sequence.

Not totally convincing in the opening round against Fermanagh Tyrone were at their clinical best when outsmarting a disappointing Donegal.

Since then, they scored an unconvincing win over Monaghan in the Ulster final. At the same time Meath went from strength to strength in the qualifier series.

This will be their first meeting since the 1996 All-Ireland semi-final.

Darren Fay, enjoying something of a ‘second coming’ at full-back and Graham Geraghty provide links with the current team (along with manager Colm Coyle and selector Tommy Dowd), while Brian Dooher and Gerard Cavlan are the only survivors from the Tyrone side of 11 years ago. Brian Dooher, brilliant in the Donegal game, is bothered by injury once more, while Stephen O’Neill had taken little part in the campaign so far. Add in the continuing absence of McGuigan and up-and-down form of a few others and it shows why Tyrone’s progress has been interrupted.

Football-wise, they offer more of a threat, except that performances have been directly linked to the availability — and form — of their key players.

On the positive side, Sean Cavanagh provides outstanding leadership at midfield as do Conor Gormley and Ryan McMenamin in defence.

Meath’s campaign has helped to strengthen the balance in the side and along with the threat posed by Brian Farrell, Stephen Bray has been a breath of fresh air in attack.

I have a slight fancy for Tyrone, but they will only win if they can perform to near their best form. Either way, Meath are guaranteed to put up a storming challenge.

* Verdict: Tyrone.