Mulligan: McGuigan will boost Tyrone

OWEN MULLIGAN has predicted that Brian McGuigan’s return to the Tyrone team will kick-start the Ulster champions’ stuttering forward line as they begin their defence of the provincial title this Sunday against Down.

McGuigan, who made a long-awaited return to the county colours for the final league game against Mayo, has not played in the Championship since the 2005 All-Ireland defeat of Kerry.

In his absence, Tyrone has struggled to replicate the kind of form in front of goal that allowed the side to claim Sam Maguire twice in two years and the full-forward line has had to take plenty of heat because of that.

“Ball coming in contributes to that and Brian McGuigan is back now so I would say you will see a right few inside forwards scoring now,” said Mulligan who will sit out the weekend’s tie with a hamstring injury.

McGuigan isn’t the only big name to be given the all clear after a succession of frustrating injuries in recent years. Brian Dooher will also be available on Sunday and Mulligan admits his presence is a huge lift for the panel.

Both are expected to start and, while commenting that he has never seen Dooher look so fit, it is the second coming of McGuigan that has given ‘Muggsy’ most reason to smile.

“I definitely didn’t think I would see McGuigan back. It didn’t look good but he is eager to go and do the business. McGuigan is unbelievable. Dooher does more running but I know I missed McGuigan’s play-making. He is probably one of the best on his game.”

Mulligan knows what it can be like to be plagued by a run of injuries. His current ailment is believed to be linked to a long-running back problem and he admits with a wry smile to feeling jinxed by now. It is three years now since we saw the Cookstown blond operating at his best.

“I put in a hard winter trying to rehab this hamstring. A lot of other lads did the same to clear up injuries. I was going well against Laois when it happened and for it to happen again and keep me out of the first round of the Championship was disappointing, especially with the game being at home.”

Injuries are as synonymous with Tyrone these past few seasons as bread is with butter, and their misfortune on that score is all the more evident when compared with the near clean bill of health Kerry have enjoyed in that same period.

Paul Galvin has attributed that to an excellent medical team in the Kingdom and the ability to chop and change personnel thanks to a deep squad. So why are Tyrone so cursed?

“A lot of it comes down to luck as well and we didn’t have any injuries in 2003 or 2005. That definitely helps. To win an All-Ireland you need your whole squad. We have just been unlucky the last couple of years.”

For all their problems, Tyrone still went out and won the Anglo-Celt Cup last season, a minor fact that seemed to bypass those merchants of doom bent on proclaiming the county’s apparent demise.

“Everyone is looking for an All-Ireland, that seems to be the focus, but Ulster titles definitely come first in Tyrone anyway. When you get past Ulster, that’s when we start looking for something more in Ulster.”

So, are expectations too high, inside and outside Tyrone?

“That is maybe a good sign. Players and supporters were starved of All-Ireland success through the years. You win one and you get a hunger to get back there again. The lads are training well and hopefully they can do that.

“I know myself that there is nothing like winning an Ulster title, running out in Clones and lifting the cup. That’s what comes first at the end of the day. It’s going to be very hard.”