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August 3, 2007 | Gaelic Life
Experience gives
Red Hands edge
Meath will push Tyrone hard but Mickey Harte’s men
should have the composure to claim a semi-final spot
BANK OF IRELAND FOOTBALL
ALL-IREALND QUARTER FINAL
Tyrone v Meath
Croke Park (Saturday 4pm)
CHAMPIONSHIP draws have a
habit of producing intriguing ties
along the lines of this one which
pits these two counties on the
All-Ireland stage for the first time
in eleven years.
Few could have forecast this
particular pairing when the race
for the Sam Maguire began or
how close it’s expected to be.
Back then Meath were not really
being tipped as potential challengers
and Tyrone were looking
good following wins over Fermanagh
and Donegal.
But events in the intervening
period have altered the status
quo to the extent that this clash is
certain to produce a very keenly
contested match. A look through
the facts and figures show that
both have justifiable hopes of
reaching the last four.
The first signs of Meath’s
resurgence became apparent in
their two-game thriller against
Dublin at Croke Park. Only a couple
of controversial decisions prevented
them from going through.
Since then, however, their
progress has continued apace.
Good wins over Down and Fermanagh
set them up perfectly for
a meeting against Galway which
has emphasised their potential.
In particular, their run has also
heralded the arrival of a number
of new players on the scene, particularly
in attack. The likes of
Cian Ward, Shane O’Rourke, Brian
Farrell and Stephen Bray all
appear to have the ability to
Predictions» EXPERTS’ FORECASTS
JOHN LYNCH (TYRONE) -
To be honest, I would be more
satisfied with playing Meath than
either Derry or Monaghan when
you would have the whole Ulster
rivalry factor. It’s a game which
we can win if all our players are
available and I believe the
strength is there to get to the semi-final.
The one thing that I
would say is that players should
be in their best positions. For instance,
Sean Cavanagh did well
in a more advanced position in
the Ulster final, but his best place
is still midfield where’s he one of
the two best in the game. Meath
is going to be a toughest test, but
I believe we’ll come through.
MARKING MUGSY...Darren Fay is likely to be assigned the ask of
marking Tyrone sharpshooter Owen Mulligan Ray McManus / SPORTSFILE
MARTIN O’CONNELL (MEATH) -
Meath have to be given credit for
the way that they have come
through the Qualifiers this year.
But I think that Tyrone this weekend
will be a different story.
They’re one of the top teams with
a successful record, they play
with great intensity, getting men
behind the ball to defend and
then breaking forward at great
speed. People have been critical
of Tyrone’s style, but I’ve a lot of
admiration for them and Mickey
Harte. Obviously, I’m hoping that
Meath will win, although Tyrone
have developed a lot and won’t be
complacent like they maybe were
when we last met in 1996.
make it at the top level.
Add in the experience of Darren
Fay, Graham Geraghty and
Nigel Crawford and it soon becomes
clear why Tyrone will be
entering this game with a certain
amount of apprehension.
One area which could be crucial
is the battle between the Tyrone
defence and the Meath attack.
Those new kids on the block
appear to have the potential to
cause serious problems for established
players such as Conor
Gormley, David Harte, Philip Jordan
and Dermot Carlin. However,
their experience and running
game should have the ability to
cope with whatever problems
arise.
Of more immediate concern for
them, though, could be the situation
at full-back, especially if Graham
Geraghty is employed on the
edge of the square at some stage.
Ciaran Gourley struggled against
Vinny Corey while Cormac
McGinley has also failed to really
impress in the position this year.
As a result many will be expecting
Joe McMahon, who
manned that station in the 2005
All-Ireland final to return there
for this Croke Park clash. Alternatively,
Conor Gormley also has
the versatility to man this vital
position.
Elsewhere, Sean Cavanagh and
Kevin Hughes should have the
edge at midfield, while up front
Tyrone also look to have an advantage
despite recent injury
concerns.
The absence of team captain,
Brian Dooher is a big blow considering
his form against Donegal
in the Ulster semi-final. This
means that the availability of
Stephen O’Neill could be absolutely
crucial.
The Clann Na nGael clubman
hasn’t been a regular this season
so far due to injury. But if he can
recover in time to play a part
against Meath, then it would represent
a major boost for the Ulster
Champions.
However, a lot will be expected
and demanded from others as
well. Owen Mulligan started well
and then faded against Monaghan
and will hope to have a far
more consistent and influential
role. Colm McCullagh is sharp
and Mickey Harte will also have
options for Colm Cavanagh, Tommy
McGuigan, Niall Gormley and
the more experienced Enda
McGinley and Gerard Cavlan. It’s
an impressive list, all with a
proven record of producing the
goods on the big occasion.
Key questions centre on the
form of the two teams. Some will
point to how Meath have struggled
to defeat relatively poor opposition
including Down, Fermanagh
and especially a Galway
team which failed to impress.
They will say that the Royals are
still some way off the finished
product.
Others will point to a Tyrone
side which has often flattered to
deceive and could be vulnerable.
While the win over Donegal was
top quality, they failed to make
the desired impact for long periods
against Fermanagh in the
Few could have forecast
this particular pairing
when the race for the Sam
Maguire began or how
close it’s expected to be
first round and then Monaghan
in the Ulster final.
It means that Mickey Harte
and Colm Coyle will have plenty
of incentives to drive their players
on. And, among them could
be the memory of the last championship
meeting between the
counties in the 1996 All-Ireland
Semi-Final.
On that occasion Meath swept
aside their weaker opponents in
a no-nonsense and at times controversial
fashion. It’s a game
well remembered in Tyrone, despite
the passage of time.
A much tougher and more experienced
Tyrone team will line
out when they renew acquaintances.
The tables have turned
and it’s the Ulster Champions
who are now in the driving seat.
As a result, their recent record
of two All-Ireland titles, the drive
for a third and the glimpses of
their real form suggest that they
have the ability to emerge confidently
from this latest challenge.
There will undoubtedly be worrying
moments along the way,
but in the end it’s the Ulster
Champions who are tipped to secure
their semi-final place with
three or four points to spare.
Two To Watch
STEPHEN BRAY -
The young Meath corner forward burst
onto the scene in sensational fashion
when he scored 2-2 against Galway
last time out. His height and strength
were matched by a superb ability to
take opportunist scores and he will be
aiming to make the similar impact at Croke Park
against Tyrone. Very much a corner-forward in
the traditional Meath sense and his ability to
roam into good positions as well as take scores
could cause problems for the Tyrone defence
when this Quarter-final reaches a critical
stage.