Philip Jordan won four Ulster SFC titles with Tyrone in a star-studded career and he believes the county need another provincial title if they’re to challenge for All-Ireland glory

By Tommy Nethery

THREE-time All-Ireland winner Philip Jordan insists Tyrone have little chance of challenging for another Sam Maguire until they win an Ulster title.

The Red Hands haven’t won an Anglo-Celt since 2010 but remain firm favourites for provincial glory after an impressive National League campaign in winning Division Two.

Mickey Harte’s men are now unbeaten in 17 matches although last time out they uncharacteristically conceded three goals in being held 3-07 to  0-16 by Cavan in the Ulster Championship semi-final decider at Clones.

The two sides lock horns again in Sunday’s replay and Jordan, who scored a point in the 2010 showpiece final victory over Monaghan, fully expects Tyrone to emerge victorious with something to spare.

He, too, believes the stalemate with the Breffni men was a timely wake-up call for a resurgent Red Hands and their followers.

“Any time Tyrone have been successful in the past they had a few wake-up calls along the way,” said the four-time All Star.

“The drawn game also got rid of some of the hype around this Tyrone team. That hype was maybe a bit over the top after winning Division Two and doing so well against Derry.

“The fact that we weren’t conceding goals was something that was being talked about a lot but Cavan soon put an end to that.

“I think Tyrone will have learned from the first match. Mickey (Harte) will be confident enough the players can put the problems they had the last day behind them, move on and improve.

“Tyrone will have learned their lesson and all over the pitch they have better footballers.

“Usually the underdog gets one chance. Tyrone dominated the last game, and for the most part were well on top in conditions that didn’t really suit their style of play.

“I’d be confident they can come out of top this time and I would fancy them to at least win by four or five  points on the day.”

Tyrone hit the ground running this season and, following O’Fiaich and McKenna Cup triumphs, regained their top flight status on the back of an impressive campaign in winning Division Two of the National League.

Those triumphs have heightened expectations of a long glorious summer with some suggesting Tyrone’s class of 2016 had the potential and capability to challenge the southern powerhouses in securing a possible fourth All Ireland.

Jordan insisted such talk was way too premature. The Moy man said the Red Hands had to win Ulster to have any realistic chance of achieving greater glories.

“Winning Division Two and McKenna Cups doesn’t count when it comes to the big days,” he continued.

“It’s simple Tyrone must win an Ulster title, that’s what they will be looking to do.

“As a player you need something to look back on and something to push on from. The last time Tyrone won Ulster was 2010. I remember a friend of mind saying that he was disappointed that the team didn’t do a lap of honour that day.

“But back then it was only a game before an All Ireland quarter-final, that’s how it was viewed by us and everyone in the county. That’s how we thought of it but now the thinking has changed a hell of a lot.

“Winning an Ulster title would be a big thing for Tyrone. That’s what we’ll be looking for as a county so we can push on.

“Then and only then can we contemplate looking beyond that and the draw itself.

“I suppose with Mayo and Cork getting knocked out that isn’t straightforward either. There are a few teams in there which means the qualifiers will be a lot different than in the past.”