“The team looked disinterested.”
Former Tyrone star Sean Cavanagh has delivered a brutal assessment of his county’s performance against Dublin last weekend, as the Ulster side lost by an incredible 21 points.
It was always going to be a huge task taking on the All-Ireland champions in Croke Park, but no one could have foreseen the demolition job that Dessie Farrell’s men dished out.
Speaking on The League on Sunday show, Cavanagh had no choice but to be hugely critical of his former team and his former teammate Brian Dooher who manages the side.
“I think Brian (Dooher) used the word ’embarrassing’ – it’s unacceptable for Tyrone to lose by 21 points to anyone, and I think Brian will understand that more than anyone.
“We’re a proud county, it just doesn’t sit well, and I know we can cling to some excuses like injuries, but probably the worst part of today was that at times, the team looked disinterested, and that’s being honest with you.
“It almost looked like a team that because there wasn’t a big spectacle there today, 10-15,000 people, it just looked like a Tyrone team that wanted come down to fulfil the fixture, and come back up the road, and for the supporters that travelled down, the proud county that we are, there can be no excuses for that.”
The ‘glass half full’ of the fanbase might point to the fact that Tyrone conceded six goals to Kerry on the last day of the season in 2021, and were well beaten by 16 points, only to go on and win the All-Irleand.
However, it was very unlikely to happen that year, and it’s even more of an uphill battle this season when you consider the rise of Derry, the return of Dublin’s top men and the fact that the Red Hand county were enjoying that ‘new manager bounce’ in ’21.
“Sometimes it can galvanise a season,” added Cavanagh. “We saw them three seasons ago, lost by 16 down in Killarney, and we are good at the siege thing, but there is a lot of ifs right now.
“We need to get good men back in and we need to get a bit of fire back into the team.”
Related links:
- Another boost for Kilmacud Crokes as Kerry underage star transfers to Dublin club
- Peter Canavan suggests cut-throat solution to National League that “won’t go down well in some quarters”
- Conor Laverty on Marty Clarke situation as former Down star didn’t feature despite reports
