NICKEY RACKARD CUP FINAL

Tyrone v Mayo

Saturday, Croke Park. 1.30pm

By Alan Rodgers

TOP displays during recent weeks have transformed the Tyrone hurlers from the disappointment of a mixed league campaign to the potential glories of a Nickey Rackard Cup success for the first time since away back in 2014.

Michael McShane’s side take on Mayo in a final tie that is curtain-raiser to the meeting of Tyrone and Monaghan in the Ulster Football final. Nevertheless, whatever happens, the spirit and determination within the side has been impressive.

Among those who have exemplified that most clearly is full-back and last year’s captain, Chris Kearns. The Antrim native, who now represents Naomh Colum Cille, has produced a string of quality displays in the defence and has no doubt about the quality and attitude within the team as a whole.

“Getting to this final is a massive boost for us and to have the chance to play at Croke Park.

“Losing to Donegal last year was a big disappointment, like any semi-final loss,” he said.

“As a child you always dream of playing in Croke Park. Now we’re getting to fulfil that dream and hopefully go one better and win the title. This team can’t be turned, we showed that against Armagh and again last weekend when Donegal were coming back at us.

“There is something about this team which makes the players just never give up. We’re young and Michael McShane has come in and done a fair job. He has brought a lot of new ideas and like Mattie Lennon last year has brought a number of new players through.

“Everybody has just bought into what he’s trying to do. We’d have loved to have given Mattie one last crack at the title and we nearly did, but just the year it was trying to get boys back and Mickey has come in with new ideas and a new squad and a backroom team. He’s been a breath of fresh air.”

One of the most striking aspects of last week’s semi-final win was the large turnout of supporters who made the effort to attend the game at Carrickmore. The fact that the decider is being played before the Ulster final means that there will be a made to order large contingent of Red Hand fans and the hope is that they’ll come early to cheer on the hurlers in their quest for that first title in seven years.

Whatever about the fans and the side issues, Kearns believes that their progress this year has the potential to also provide an additional boost to the clubs in the county who are working to promote the game.

“It’s all about trying to raise the profile. Don’t get me wrong, everybody knows Tyrone is mainly a football county, but seven years ago we were in the Nickey Rackard final and a few years before that the Lory Meagher decider. What we’re doing now is nothing new to the county,” he added.

“Many of the players here have won club championships, played in Ulster Club finals and been around the county squad.

“So the experience of finals is there for us, myself included. I’m 30 years of age and I’ve been about and all we can do is try and bring hurling on again by our efforts.”