So round two of the Dr McKenna Cup on what was the original date for the semi finals. Fixtures though are changing by the day, in some cases by the hour, and no-one has any idea when we will get to a completion. That, of course cant be helped; the weather along with the tragedy in Mauritius resulting in numerous re-shuffles. Indeed the Ulster Council have been very proactive in arranging different throw-in times and venues after all the difficulties. Today though was not their finest hour.
As I was about to set off from Dublin, heading north for Omagh, I decided to have a quick check on the web for any alterations - lo and behold throw-in has been put back from 2.0 until 4.0, with a pitch inspection to take place at midday at Healy Park. Time for another cup of tea so…..
Or maybe not. BBC NI website announce at 12.40 that the game has been moved to Edendork and, worse again for those travelling any kind of distance, throw-in has been brought forward an hour to 3.0. So it’s a mad dash up the M1, through Armagh , onto Dungannon and arriving in Edendork around 2.50pm. The game doesn’t actually throw in until 3.15 so I’m in suite in better time than I had expected; certainly travelling from Dublin instead of home made things a little easier. The late decisions on venue and start time has made it a lottery as to whether any Donegal fans could actually attend. We may be neighbouring counties but there’s quite some distance to be covered getting from one to the other and this resulted in the North West contingent being measured only in tens and scores around St Malachys grounds at Edendork.
Before the game a minutes silence is observed by the crowd in honour of the late Michaela McAreavey. Her father is on the sideline and he receives warm applause from the crowd as he makes his way to the dugout after Amhran na bhFiann. No one can imagine the heartache Mickey and his family are going through but the game that has brought them all so much joy in recent years can, in some small way, lead them back to some semblance of peace.
Tyrone start off much the better and by the end of the first quarter have amassed a 7-point lead. The early year optimism of Donegal fans all of sudden seems premature, realism is the overriding thought right now. This is Tyrone after all, the benchmark for every team in the land. Cork and Kerry may argue with that statement but in recent years when the Red Hand county have hit the high gears no one has stayed with them. Monaghan and Down last year, Kildare the year before, Dublin and Kerry in 2008 etc etc.
Some of the vintage names of years gone by were on show today, with Brian McGuigan making a particular impression. Several of the Tyrone scores went through the Ardboe man’s hands, conducting the orchestra as only he can. Whether they subsequently dropped their effort or maybe it was Donegal who awoke from slumber but the next fifteen minutes saw the reigning McKenna Cup champions notch 8 points on the trot. This was achieved through their traditional running game, allied with some good kick passing into the forwards; a welcome break from the oft seen short game. Wing forward Daniel McLoughlin made a hugely impressive inter-county debut, shooting two fine points off his left - the latter especially showed great confidence and leadership on the part of the St Michaels youngster.
It is becoming clear that the Jim McGuinness’s belief than when in possession everyone is an attacker, as trialled with the U-21s last year, is a cornerstone of his gameplan in 2011. For the second game running Karl Lacey chipped in with a brace of points, the double All-Star corner back was named at top of the left with a licence to rove and he did this to good effect throughout. Leo McLoone again started at centre back and he gives the team a platform from which to build attacks from deep and hit on the counter.
Colm Cavanagh and Neil McGee got their marching orders either side of the break and their dismissals seemed to upset the rhythm of both teams but eventually it was the home side who got back into the groove, regaining the lead. Once they got two and then three points ahead they never looked like relinquishing the lead, despite the best efforts of Dermot Molloy and Rory Kavanagh.
So Tyrone’s delayed start to 2011 ends with a victory although Donegal will be relatively happy with their display, particularly as for the second week running McGuinness only had seventeen players to choose from. The rule that the initial panels named at the beginning of the tournament cannot be added to doesn’t make much sense at this time of year; managers want to play as many players as possible, a lot of players simply are not up to speed to play an inter-county match while so many others are on 3rd level duty.
At least some games got played anyway and the headache for the fixture-makers gets a bit more manageable as each weekend passes. Back to Ballybofey next week, well thats the plan as of now…. !
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