Tyrone
claimed the All-Ireland title for the second time in three years
with a superb 1-16 to 2-10 victory over Kerry in last month’s
football final, thanks in no small part to the genius and guile
of Peter Canavan.
Beforehand, Kerry were classed as slight favourites for the title and
were looking to win back-to-back football titles, a feat which hadn’t
been achieved since Cork won the Sam Maguire in 1989 and 1990.
Led by Canavan and man-of-the-match Owen Mulligan, Tyrone had to fight
their way back into contention as early as the sixth minute where a
Dara O’Cinneide goal for Kerry put the scores at 1-02 to 0-03
after a frenetic opening spell.
Tyrone then fought back to level the scores in the first half, before
assuming a lead in stoppage time from thanks to a goal from Canavan
which Kerry were never really going to catch the men from Ulster from.
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Tyrone’s
Peter Canavan holds the Sam McGuire aloft for the second
time in three years after a pulsating game against Kerry
in the All-Ireland Final |
A high ball into the Kerry penalty area was well caught by Mulligan
who passed it into the path of the oncoming Canavan. The 34-year-old
unleashed a shot that a Premiership striker would be proud of into
the bottom left-hand corner of the net to send the travelling Tyrone
faithful into raptures.
Kerry starlet, Colm Cooper tried to start the fightback for the Kingdom
at the start of the second half by scoring the second of his five points
in the game.
Tyrone were starting to turn the screw, although a goal from Kerry’s
Tomas O Se reduced the gap to just one point. Canavan – who had
been subbed at the end of the first half – returned to the
field and the former captain made his presence felt as he scored
a point within seconds of entering the pitch.
Brain McGuigan made it 2-10 to 1-15 with four minutes left and Red
Hands half-back Philip Jordan scored his first point a minute before
the end to seal a three-point success for Mickey Harte’s men;
sending the Croke Park pitch into a sea of red and white as Tyrone
fans swarmed on at the final whistle.
Speaking after the game, triumphant Tyrone boss Harte paid a tearful
tribute to the late Cormac McAnallen, the former captain who died in
March 2004 of a viral infection in his heart.
“When Cormac was made Tyrone captain he said he did not want
to leave it with just one All-Ireland – and he hasn’t” said
Harte breaking into tears.
“Thanks God we got this opportunity to play a final and win a
final that Cormac McAnallen would be proud of. There was a 31st man
there and he was the man.
“Kerry getting the goal early on was hardly perfect, but it was
good. It tested us to the limit. To win any game is good, to win a
final is fantastic, but to win it when you are pushed to the limit – that’s
the ultimate.
“It’s been a long hard road, we played 10 games to get
our hands on this trophy and it is just a wonderful day for the county
of Tyrone.”
Harte also praised goalscorer Peter Canavan who was replaced at half-time
only to come on again for the last 15 minutes.
"Peter is a special player. He is 34 years of age now and cannot
manage 70 minutes at that pace. But he can manage 50, and he did
so today."
Meanwhile, Harte’s Kerry opposite number Jack O’Connor
cut a lonely figure in the losers dressing room after the game, admitting
that his side were second best to Tyrone and he has since announced
that he will not be seeking a second term as Kerry manager.
Harte is going to have a job on his hands trying to persuade Canavan
to reverse his decision to retire from inter-county football, which
he made in the wake of the final.
Canavan has been playing through the pain barrier during the 2005 All-Ireland
games and the schoolteacher from Cookstown looks set return to the
classroom and his is the man who captained Tyrone to their first ever
Sam Maguire in 2003.
Canavan said: “What a way to win an All-Ireland, to play 10
matches to beat the Ulster Champions, Leinster Champions and finally
the All-Ireland and Munster Champions. I feel so privileged to have
played alongside so many great Tyrone footballers.
“Maybe now those people who criticised our style of football
might think otherwise and give the county a wee bit of respect.”
The victory was a sweet moment for Tyrone, especially as many people
had tipped Kerry to win including myself - apologies to the Editor
and Peter McGillian for that.
Next season will see if they can retain the title and we will see
who will step into the shoes of Peter ‘The Great’ Canavan
to bring more success to Tyrone. |
