This is it now.
Listen, Tyrone are going into Sunday’s All-Ireland final as huge underdogs. We can’t even remember the last time the handicap was set to six points for a Sam Maguire decider, but that still doesn’t mean the bookies nail it every time.
And if there’s any team out there you can trust not to give a crap about any odds or any handicap, to be going into a final with a cockiness and a confidence, it’s going to be Mickey Harte’s Tyrone.
This is a manager who has a 100%, three from three record in Sam Maguire deciders. This is a man who’s renowned for his ability to pull a masterstroke when the stakes are at their highest.
At the same time, we can’t get too carried away with all of that. Simply because it’s Jim Gavin’s four-in-a-row seeking Dubs Tyrone are up against.
This is a team who haven’t really been troubled since this time last year and nearly always look to have another few gears in them when the pressure comes on.
But as we’ve mentioned above, Mickey Harte will have his team riled up for that, he’ll definitely have them prepared. On Thursday night, he named his starting 15 to take to Croke Park for Sunday at 3.30, the starting 15 the Red Hand County believe can go out and beat the Dubs.
The only change from the semi-final win over Monaghan sees Mark Bradley take Lee Brennan’s spot.
First 15 to play Dublin in All Ireland Final
1 N Morgan
2 M McKernan
3 R McNamee
4 P Hampsey
5 T McCann
6 F Burns
7 P Harte
8 C Cavanagh
9 C McShane
10 M Donnelly
11 N Sludden
12 K McGeary
13 M Bradley
14 R Donnelly
15 C McAliskey
— Tyrone GAA (@TyroneGAALive) August 30, 2018
And here’s the subs bench.
Tyrone Subs Bench Named for All Ireland Final V. Dublin
16 M O’Neill
17 L Brennan
18 R Brennan
19 M Cassidy
20 H Loughran
21 C McCann
22 D McClure
23 A McCrory
24 HP McGeary
25 C Meyler
26 R O’Neill
— Tyrone GAA (@TyroneGAALive) August 30, 2018
There had been rumours that AFL star Conor McKenna would be flew home for the final – he will be flying home, but he’ll be sitting in the stands and not on the substitutes bench.
