O’Neill admits referee fears

Stephen O’Neill claims Tyrone have been cast as a “cynical, dirty team” and that referee Maurice Deegan could be influenced by such commentary this weekend.

The 2008 All-Ireland champions have been put under a disciplinary spotlight since overcoming Monaghan in the quarter-finals. Pundit Joe Brolly famously called into question Sean Cavanagh’s integrity as a player for preventing a goal at a crucial stage by hauling Conor McManus to the ground.

Martin Penrose was also dismissed in that game for striking a Monaghan player while defender Conor Gormley was hit with a retrospective one-match ban that was subsequently overturned.

Captain O’Neill blamed television pundits for contributing to the debacle by bringing an unfair level of scrutiny on Tyrone which could influence referees like Deegan who takes charge of Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final against Mayo.

“Listen, when people are sitting in TV studios and in front of an audience of maybe a million people, they have a big influence,” said O’Neill. “They’re dependant on these pundits for good analysis. When they make general statements with very little evidence to back it up, people will believe it.

“You would be worried that it [Deegan being influenced] could happen, that there’s a general perception out there that Tyrone is a cynical, dirty team. But we’re definitely not. I’ve played under Mickey Harte since 1997 and never got coached any cynicism.

“He tells you to go out and express yourself, to work hard as a team and do yourself and your family and your county proud. That was Mickey’s message back then and it’s the same now.”

O’Neill said Tyrone’s decision to release a list of ‘facts’ regarding disciplinary issues at last week’s press evening in Garvaghey was an attempt to temper some of the negative publicity.

“I suppose there was just so much negative feeling out there and there was so much made of it by different sections of the media and the general public. I suppose it was felt, let’s have a few hard facts out there.”

It remains to be seen what affect Tyrone’s intervention will have on influencing public opinion. O’Neill claimed that for years now, parts of the media have presented a “negative feeling” when discussing Tyrone.

“Well look, there always seems to be a wee bit of a negative feeling towards Tyrone and comments made about certain players, about certain styles of play,” said the experienced full-forward. “I suppose it was there in the past but we’re not too worried. We’re focused on the game.”

O’Neill is adamant Brolly’s personal attack on Cavanagh won’t affect the player or impact on the outstanding form he has displayed, particularly in wins over Meath and Monaghan.

“I’ve played with Sean for 10, 12 years,” said O’Neill. “I know the man and it’ll not faze him one bit. He’s been a brilliant servant to Tyrone and a complete gentleman on and off the pitch.

“There’ll be no hassle that way. Sean’s completely focused on his football and if he keeps going the way he’s going, we’d be very happy with that.”

Likewise, O’Neill dismissed the suggestion of a siege mentality building in the Tyrone camp.

“You could say that’s what’s going to happen but I think it’s a bad thing to be using that sort of stuff as motivation,” said the Clann na nGael man. “At this stage of the year, if you have to use a ‘them and us’ situation to motivate yourself to go out in an All-Ireland semi-final, it’s a bad thing. Everyone in our panel is motivated to do well and try and get through to an All-Ireland final.”