By Niall Gartland

IT’S all hands to the pump time for relegation-threatened Tyrone and their full-forward Cathal McShane is relishing the challenge of proving to the rest of the country that they’re as formidable as ever.

The league hasn’t exactly gone to plan, but the Red Hands can take a significant step towards staying up if they snare a result against Mayo this Saturday night at O’Neill’s Healy Park.

One of the joys of following Tyrone is their tendency to produce the unexpected – yes they were underwhelming against Dublin on Sunday, but they’ve shown plenty of times in the past that they’re able to summon huge performances when it comes to the crunch, so it should make for interesting viewing whatever happens.

Cathal McShane, speaking yesterday, says confidence remains high and that the ultimate ambition hasn’t changed – retaining the Sam Maguire for the first time in Tyrone footballing history.

“That has to be the aim. Every time you go out you want to win Sam and it’s no different this year. Last year took a lot out of us to be honest, between the long season, Covid and all the rest.

“We’re back into things and we know we’re not where we want to be, but that’s the exciting thing as well – we have space to go forward and really try to drive each other on, and to go to new levels again and see where it takes us.”

The Tyrone forwards found themselves suffocated by the Dublin defence throughout their league defeat on Sunday. They had to wait until the 51st minute for their first point from play, a delightful effort from Niall Sludden, and McShane, who chipped in with a couple of frees, recognises it wasn’t a good day at the office.

“When you watch the game back it’s apparent that Dublin had a lot of men back, and when you’re an inside forward that takes up a lot of us. It wasn’t until you watch it back that you realise quite how many men had filtered back and they turned us over a lot.

“It was a frustrating day as a forward, we weren’t getting enough scores but that’s something we need to look at and see how to fix it. Maybe we could stay wider and keep our options open, and work better as a team.”

Tyrone aren’t quite at panic stations, but the heat is on and they could do with a positive outcome against Mayo given they have to travel down to Kerry on the last day of the league, rarely a happy hunting ground for the Red Hands. McShane has stood at the precipice with Tyrone before, so he knows what they have to do to restore things.

“I wouldn’t say we’re panicking but we have to be realistic, we’ve two games left and we’re in the mix for relegation.

“I know from previous years from Tyrone and being in all sorts of different situations, that it’s a matter of us sticking together, working hard and trusting what we’re about. Even last year, the league was in a different format, but it didn’t go particularly well for us. We just need to work hard and positive times will come for us.”

Much has been said and written about the six Tyrone players who have stepped aside in recent months. McShane admits that it hasn’t helped matters, but at the same time is confident that they have the strength-and-depth to compensate for their absences.

“The way I look at it, some of those lads are very competitive gaelic footballers and have done a lot for Tyrone over the last number of years.

“People have personal issues and different things going on so that might mean you have to step away.

“But I’ve no doubt if they stayed we’d be in a healthier position right now. The competition in the team would’ve been serious. I’m not saying that it isn’t now, the talent we have in Garvaghey is still second to none but the experience those guys would’ve brought could only have added to things.

“Things happen in private you have to deal with, and who’s to say some of those lads won’t be back next year?”

On his own progress, McShane says his personal ambition is to nail down his place on the team after playing the super sub role last year after returning to injury. So far he has done exactly that.

“I’m working hard, my target last year was to make the first round of the Ulster Championship and I did that.

“From there I grew and grew, but going forward I want to be getting as much game-time as possible, and want to be getting that confidence back, and helping my teammates and Tyrone.

“But listen at the same time you’re always trying to look after the body, not too many gaelic footballers are 100 percent at this time of year. I’m trying to stay on top of different things and trying to cement my place on the team.”

READ MORE – Donegal v Tyrone match report from Ballybofey. Click here…