Cavanagh believes 'sight of a Dublin jersey' will bring out the best in Tyrone

Irish Daily Mirror

5 days ago

Sean Cavanagh reckons Tyrone and Dublin need a 'big statement win' in this weekend's All-Ireland quarter-final at Croke Park.
Cavanagh says the sight of the sky blue jersey is already 'getting the juices flowing' in Tyrone again, as they gear up for a shot at 'the Manchester United of the GAA'.
The former Football of the Year and three-time All-Ireland winner believes Monday morning's draw has Tyrone people 'excited about football again'.
Cavanagh also believes the pieces of the puzzle are there for his county and he's backing Malachy O'Rourke as 'the man to get it right' this weekend.
'I think there's more in Tyrone,' said the Moy club man. 'I think it's taken Malachy a little bit of time to try and shuffle things. There's a couple of injuries he had to deal with and every county has those.
'But I feel there's a big performance in this Tyrone team. I think there's something. I know the talent is there. I know Malachy is the right man to get it out. It just feels like when is it going to come?'
Cavanagh, 42, reckons that getting to Croke Park could spark something in a Tyrone side that were hugely impressive winners against Donegal in the All-Ireland group stages but flopped next day out against Mayo at Healy Park.
'If you look back at the history of Tyrone playing in Omagh in the Championship, it's not great,' said the five-time All Star.
'I was up that night. It was flat. Mayo brought all the energy and the atmosphere wasn't great. It didn't overly surprise me. Tyrone play better outside of Omagh. I know that sounds mad as it's our home ground.
'But we've never really had any magical performances - or anything up there in a long many a day. I think the sight of Croke Park, the sight of the Dubs and the sky blue jersey will definitely bring out whatever's in those players right now. As a supporter, I do feel there's a big performance in the team.
'I think they'll all see it in that way. They'll all see it as an opportunity to bring it on Saturday night.
'Any year Tyrone has good years, it usually takes a big game and the sight of something that will energise and excite the team to get it out.
'So I'm cautiously optimistic that the sight of a Dublin jersey on a Saturday night in Croke Park will do that.'
Dublin midfielder Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne (left) has proved too powerful for both Derry and Cork over the past fortnight but Tyrone have their own giant in the middle in skipper Brian Kennedy.
'Brian is engaged to a daughter of a good friend of mine,' continued Cavanagh. 'She plays for the Moy Ladies. He was at the Moy pitch the other day and I had to look up at him. He's six foot seven. Brian's not small, I can tell you that.
'So look, Ó Cofaigh Byrne is a good player, don't get me wrong, but I think if you stand beside Brian Kennedy you'll realise he'll not be overawed by the size of anyone else.
'Unless you've Shaquille O'Neal playing for Dublin on Saturday night, I don't think it's going to annoy him.'
One question mark raised about Tyrone – with Cathal McShane not starting and then leaving the panel – is the absence of a big, physical inside forward.
It was Cavanagh's move to play that role in 2008 which sparked Tyrone and set them on the way to a third All-Ireland title, as he landed the Footballer of the Year award.
'Look, the forward line probably hasn't found the balance yet,' said Cavanagh. Darren McCurry's had a great year inside.
'Mark Bradley had the injury and is only really getting back to the pitch but you don't need me to tell you how tricky he is and what he can add to it.
'Darragh Canavan probably hasn't really hit the heights that we expect. You'd almost wonder whether you might see him going a little bit deeper, where he played as a minor and Under-20 at times.
'Eoin McElholm, we've seen what he can do at Under-20 level and club level. I think he's ready to explode at some point. I think we know the talent is there but I don't think that balance has been totally right.
'It's probably taken a few Championship games for Malachy to see the permutations of the chemistry between the players.
'I think Croke Park is the place. I think people get sometimes too carried away. You'll hear these flippant statements of, 'They're too small'.
'For me anyway, trying to chase a forward with the stature of a Darragh Canavan or Mark Bradley was always much trickier, a harder handle.
'It's just how you play the ball to them and how they work with one another but, in the spaces of Croke Park and the ball moving fast, I don't think the 'too small' thing will matter that much.
'I don't think Tyrone have been playing long high ball for a right while at this point, so I'd be fairly optimistic that Malachy will get the right balance.
'I think we're a strong midfield. Obviously Niall Morgan in nets and having Pádraig Hampsey back in the defence will certainly help us.
'But Michael McKernan's going to be a bit of a loss.
'I think the players and pieces of the puzzle are there and I trust Malachy will get it right.'