LAST NIGHT, TYRONE came about as close as any team has done to breaking Dublin’s two-year long unbeaten streak.
It’s a mark of the champions though that they kept plugging away, brushing off the psychological blow of Dean Rock’s missed second-half penalty to level the game deep into stoppage-time.
”It’s never over until it’s over,” Tyrone boss Mickey Harte said afterwards.
“No matter how many points you are up against Dublin you always know that you are under threat. They’re a quality side, they’re capable of turning things their way in an instant.”
Mark Bradley was dismissed for an off-the-ball altercation with Jonny Cooper inside the last ten minutes as Dublin whittled down a four-point deficit on the home straight.
“The sending off obviously didn’t help us, it’s hard enough to play them with 15 men, with 14 it’s just that bit harder.
“It certainly didn’t help our cause and it left us a bit vulnerable on their counter attack where we didn’t have the luxury of being able to play a sweeper.
“I don’t think Mark Bradley would be the kind of guy who would start incidents like that either. He got the wrong end of the stick, I feel, because there was a bit of a schemozzle, or whatever you want to call it, and I don’t think what he did was a sending off offence.
“I don’t think he would be starting anything because it wouldn’t be in his interest to do that but it happened and somebody in their wisdom decided what to do with it and we have to live with it now.”
The Ulster champions also lost star man Tiernan McCann to a black card inside the first half, and that decision frustrated Harte.
“I don’t make much of the black card ever,” he said. “It is so inconsistently administered that it is frustrating.
“To think that Tiernan McCann got one tonight and I saw other events on that pitch which were, in my eyes, worse than what he did.
“So it is the consistency or inconsistency of the application of it that frustrates me and frustrates the players. We have to live with it.”
Although they’ll leave the capital with a tinge of regret at their failure to get one over on the back-to-back All-Ireland champions, there was plenty to leave Harte optimistic that his team are on the right track.
“(Declan McClure) is a real bonus for us, we knew he was a good player, we though it would take a bit longer for him to mature into a regular. But the way he’s playing at the minute I think he’s putting his hand up very well to be considered in every game that we’ve played so far.
“I thought Niall Sludden’s score taking tonight was immense in what was very, very difficult conditions against a very good side regardless of their level of fitness at this stage of the year.
“A lot of our new, younger players can take confidence from it. The fact that they are after being toe to toe with maybe not the whole full Dublin team but a good number of them across the night and they can say that they stood up well to that challenge.
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lead by example captain robbie and stop waving your arms looking for fouls.
hush now less of that banter its all a bit of craic and a excuse to get pissed, have the faith there’ll be a few more sessions
We have kept the faith Robbie now get off your arse and repay it!!!
Would have more faith if keane was dropped for shane long.
He just doesn’t have the fitness, while longs height will Benefit that questionable long ball game we play. Unfortunately It looks like he’s starting, cox and himself were training together. Either way come on Ireland
agreed
Time for a reality check here…let’s face it, this Irish team does not have the required quality and technical ability needed to get the results we are all “dreaming” of. At best we are looking at 2 defeats and a draw…but we are there and let’s try and enjoy the occasion…
fk yeah we’ll have a pint, and hope they do well, but they’re awful, the worst team there. As for robbie, hes bloody RETIRED. la galaxy and some trite comment about it just being another game. They will give the ball to Spain again and again and it will b painful. As for people giving thumbs down to comments that aren’t hopelessly optimistic, cop on. You live in a corrupt boghole of a banana republic, getting all teary eyed about a couple of geezers kicking a ball about when your country was sold from under you by inbred turds. Y’all did fk all about that didnt you? Great guys to get behind Ireland when it costs you nothing. Stay in the cowardly herd with your coybig bs. Id rather see them lose and try to play than lose the way they did and will do.
Janey Mac is all I can say to that
I would b a fan of robbies but it’s not all about past achievements he’s not playin well a d should be on the bench
I’ll start too when your on the bench
Joke of a comment, we have very few players that have not only shown commitment to their country from the very start to the very end of their career, not to mention delivered as well when it matters. Keano is without a shadow of a doubt one of them.
Not saying that gives him automatic rights to a start, he knows that himself and said it two years ago. But facts are facts and he gets big big goals in big games.
One word – “Dream”
Well we got there and should be proud of that and as long as they are playing I will believe cmon Ireland I love this country
With a population of 4 million and a semi pro league we’ve always punched above our weight.
All the naysayers said we wouldn’t qualify, now they’re saying we won’t get out of the group, we’ve nothing to lose. COYBIG!
For you its just another game… Its a lot more than just another game to a lot of fans and home and especially away… u should run your socks off and do your best to get a result… at the end of the day it is 11 men against 11 men… i cant see why we cant get a result but we have to go into it with a good attitude and show no fear…. COYBIG
Exactly man.
The fans have more passion than the players.
The last game was actually cringe worthy and extremely frustrating.
They should be destroying themselves out there, giving the cliched 110%.
Robbies 300/1 to score a hatrick v Spain. I heard David Villa and Butragueno are 50/1.
He would have more chance of winning the lotto twice over..
Ireland will lose to spain and italy alike and will go home as predicted by me on th 19th june ,
If you predict it on 19th June it’ll already have happened – what black magic is this?
For everyone who are convinced ireland will lose. 2/7 are the odds for spain to win. You might have to give your bank 24 hours notice if you are withdrawing your life savings for a bet.
We’re still in with a shout i think…
..in 2016..
first you didnt want me to buy the pony, now you want me to bring it back. make up your mind marge…
The faith of what?