Magnificent O’Neill lights up Croker

IT was billed as the night to kick-start the GAA’s 125thanniversary celebrations but when last Saturday is recalled in years to come, it will be as the day Stephen O’Neill announced his second coming.

O’Neill was the one man in Tyrone not to celebrate their third All-Ireland success with abandon last September. His dramatic comeback had yielded only a muted display against Kerry but here was a triumphant return to form.

Eight points he kicked, six from play. The highlight was an outrageous chip over the Dublin crossbar from an angle most mortals wouldn’t even consider. Eye of the needle stuff.

“It’s a real bonus to have him,” said Mickey Harte. “He’s in the top bracket that have ever played.

“If you can get enough ball into Stephen you are going to get a lot of scores and win. That’s a bonus.”

O’Neill’s display was just one seam in a rich tapestry of an evening which didn’t need the after-match pyrotechnics to seal its place in the affections of the 79,161 crowd.

There were echoes of the All Blacks’ visit to Thomond Park about it all. Dublin, like Munster, were rank outsiders and the worry was that the occasion would be diluted by a one-sided victory. That looked likely more than once. Tyrone were five points clear after 20 minutes, six after half an hour, and the quality of their play threatened to overwhelm a rusty and experimental Dublin side under Pat Gilroy for the first time.

Tyrone moved the ball with a balletic grace in the first half. Tommy McGuigan and O’Neill put the seal on moves that stretched the length of the pitch. Colm McCullagh kicked another point with the outside of his boot that had the crowd drooling.

The only surprise at half time was Dublin were just four points adrift.

“It will be good for us in the long run that we got such a difficult test in that second half,” said Harte. “No doubt Dublin will be happy with this performance too.

“They looked determined not to let what happened to them in August happen again, when we got a great start to the second half. They certainly turned the tables with that.”

Dublin bossed vast swathes of the second half. Conal Keaney continued to lead the line as he did in the first, Bernard Brogan found his form — and the net — while Ciaran Whelan exploded into the contest.

Tyrone responded. Owen Mulligan replied to Brogan’s goal with one of his own five minutes later and fixed the Hill with a prolonged stare to let everyone know there was more than two league points on the line.

On it went, each minute better than the last. Of 36 scores only seven were from frees. When the 70-minute marker ticked by Dublin were holding a one-point lead thanks to a great effort from Brogan. Two minutes of injury time flickered on the fourth official’s board. More than enough time for Sean Cavanagh and O’Neill to turn defeat into victory with three rapid-fire points.

“It was a never-say-die attitude,” said Joe McMahon. “When Bernard Brogan got that score Dublin might have thought that they won it but it’s never over until the final whistle.”

It was a salutary lesson for Dublin. Just like September, Tyrone raised a gallop after the final turn but Gilroy acknowledged the seeds of defeat were sown throughout the night.

“Their percentage scores were incredible, they got eight out of nine in the second half, we got 10 out of 22. That’s why they’re All-Ireland champions.”

Gilroy was far from despondent. Dublin experimented extravagantly with players and positions and still managed to stand toe to toe with the All-Ireland champions. And they did it in a game which made a robust case for the experimental rules.

“I’m sure there is an awareness that it is easier to get sent off so players will be a bit more cautious going into the tackle,” said Harte. “If games can be refereed like this one was then there won’t be much argument.”

Scorers for Dublin: B Brogan 1-5 (2f), C Keaney 0-5 (3f), J Sherlock 0-2, G Brennan, 0-1, C Whelan 0-1, D Henry 0-1, P Flynn 0-1.

Scorers for Tyrone: S O’Neill 0-8 (2f), S Cavanagh 0-4, O Mulligan 1-1, C McCullagh 0-3, T McGuigan 0-1, J McMahon 0-1.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; P Andrews, D Bastick, A Hubbard; B Cullen, G Brennan, B Cahill; R McConnell, C Whelan; J Brogan, D Henry, T Diamond; C Keaney, J Sherlock, B Brogan.

Subs: S Ryan for McConnell 20, P Flynn for Ryan 47, K Bonner for Diamond 52, B McManamon for J Brogan 66.

TYRONE: J Devine; M Swift, Justin McMahon, M McGee; D Harte, R McMenamin, P Jordan; E McGinley, A Cassidy; T McGuigan, C McCullagh, Joe McMahon; S O’Neill, S Cavanagh, O Mulligan.

Subs: PJ Quinn for McGee 57, K Hughes for Cassidy 62, M Penrose for McCullagh 66, C Cavanagh for McGuigan 66, C Holmes for C Cavanagh 69.

Referee: M Duffy (Sligo).