PHRASES like “dead rubber” and “phoney war” have been used to describe Tyrone’s upcoming Super 8 meeting with All-Ireland champions Dublin but former Red Hand defender Cathal McCarron is convinced that neither side will want to give an inch at Healy Park.
Both are already through to the semi-finals after wins against Cork and Roscommon meaning the Omagh showdown has lost its do-or-die edge. But McCarron says Tyrone manager Mickey Harte will want his players to win the game and end five in-a-row chasing Dublin’s 32-game unbeaten run in the Championship that stretches back to August 31, 2014 when they lost an All-Ireland semi-final to Donegal.
“People are saying it’s a dead rubber but it’s not like that when it comes to the players,” said McCarron.
“Both sets of players will want to win. I know Mickey Harte and I know if he was playing chess or darts or a game out in the backgarden he would want to win it.
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“No doubt about it, he’ll go into the game at Healy Park and he’ll be looking to win it.”
However, McCarron does predict some card-covering at Healy Park. He doesn’t envisage either side giving away the gameplans they could use for a potential All-Ireland final meeting.
“I can’t see either team showing their hand,” said former Dromore clubman McCarron, who is now based in Athy, county Kildare.
“I’d say they’ll go out and they’ll play football, they’ll just go out and go at it, both of them. I don’t think you’ll see any great systems of play or tactics.
“Realistically, these two teams could meet later on in the final and I don’t see them showing their hand. But it’ll be a great game of football, I think Tyrone will definitely be up for it and I can definitely see them beating Dublin.”
A win over Dublin would be a massive confidence boost for Tyrone – who have already beaten the Dubs in the League this year – but ultimately two much bigger challenges lie ahead of Harte’s men. McCarron is concerned that a Tyrone victory at Healy Park could give the Dubs extra motivation if the sides come through their respective semi-finals.
“You wouldn’t know if beating Dublin was a good thing if you are going to play them in a couple of weeks’ time,” said McCarron.
“You don’t know if that would do Tyrone any good because obviously that would motivate Dublin to beat you when it comes to the final, when it really matters.
“You have to look at it both ways. Some people will say it’s good to beat them psychologically and, yes, it would be good to get a win over them but Tyrone already have a win over them this year. “Would beating them do them any favours? I don’t know. I think, if they do beat them, it will add fuel to Dublin’s fire if they do meet them again in the All-Ireland final.
“It’s a really hard one to know. But knowing Mickey, he won’t go out to lose a game. No matter what happens, people will say ‘Oh, it’s no big deal’ but know Mickey, he’ll want to win it.”
