Seven minutes added on.
Tyrone about to go four behind.
Dublin about to go down to 14 men.
It calls for composure. It calls for calm heads. No panic. Game management.
As Dublin eventually soared, pushed on by the stupid running power of Michael Darragh MacAuley, Kevin McMenamin and Cormac Costello in injury time to win the game by six points and clinch their fifth All-Ireland in six years, they had to steady the ship through rocky waters as a late show from Tyrone was staved off.
Four in a row pic.twitter.com/wPqaB7gvjy
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) September 2, 2018
So, as Conor Lane issued John Small with his marching orders, his second in an All-Ireland final in as many seasons, Philly McMahon showed all his experience and leadership to have a serious word in the half back’s ear. Small might’ve been hurting and worried, McMahon is a man of action though.
He grabbed Small by the arm, pulled him in and roared in his face.
“Walk slow,” he said.
“Walk slow.”
With Dublin set to be reduced to 14 players and Tyrone after fighting back from eight points down, the champions needed to see out the game whatever way they could and, if that meant eating into time, that’s what they had to and should have done.
