Sky live: Tyrone vs Cork and Dublin vs Roscommon in the Super 8s
Coverage gets underway on Sky Sports Arena from 4pm
Saturday 20 July 2019 16:02, UK
Tyrone face Cork and Roscommon take on Dublin in the Super 8s on Saturday, live and exclusive on Sky Sports.
'Nobody in Cork wants a moral victory'
Slowly but surely, the Red Hands have built momentum since their loss to Donegal. Victories over Longford, Kildare, Cavan and Roscommon have inspired many to suggest that Tyrone are once again the best-placed side to challenge Dublin. They'll have an opportunity to do just that in two weeks' time, but the Omagh showdown may be nothing more than a dead rubber if the Red Hands and Sky Blues come away from Jones' Road with wins on Saturday night.
With confidence sweeping across Tyrone, they're being tipped to quell the resurgent Rebels.
"No disrespect to Cork, they've surprised everybody to get into the Super 8s for a start off," opined former Tyrone star Owen Mulligan.
"They were unlucky against Kerry, they were brilliant against them but I still thought they were wide open. Dublin played very well but I just think Tyrone - they played Cork last year - and to be honest, in the first 15 minutes Cork missed serious goal chances that day.
"I just think Tyrone will have too much for Cork and Croke Park will suit Tyrone.
"McShane at full-forward is a massive plus for Tyrone. It will be hard for Cork to handle him."
For their part, Cork will be quietly confident of an upset. After pushing Kerry and Dublin all the way in recent weeks, they'll feel they've tasted enough moral victories this summer - it's time for the real thing.
"Nobody in Cork wants a moral victory," said former dual star Brian Corcoran. "I know the conversation was beforehand, that if we can run [Dublin] to so many points, but anybody who's playing inter-county who has a bit of pride - moral victories don't count for much. It's great that Cork ran Dublin for so long but look, they still lost by 13 points and that's a fair beating in inter-county football. There's still a lot of work to do.
"But look, the outlook is a lot more positive than it was four or five months ago."
After Tyrone won the last meeting between the sides, a 2018 qualifier by 16 points, the Rebels will have revenge on their mind.
Ronan McCarthy's side have made massive strides in the interim, but are they 16 points better than they were? That remains to be seen.
Will Connolly make his return?
One narrative is dominating the build-up to Dublin's meeting with Roscommon, and it's not the fact that the All-Ireland champions are playing a second Super 8s game at Croke Park.
The return of Diarmuid Connolly to the Dublin squad has sent shock-waves around the country.
"For him not to go to the States and a couple of days later to come back into the [squad], it was a surprise to everybody," explained ex Dublin star Paul Flynn.
"It got some coverage as well. Obviously, there's such a hype around Diarmo because he's such a talent. Now it's going to add a bit spice around this Roscommon game.
"I played against Diarmo recently in a club game, but he was just in third gear. He was just like so fit, so strong.
"I just think he can play. I know how good he is. He's not like, for instance if I was to come into a panel at that point of the year, I would definitely not play. But Diarmo is just different. He's such a talent. I just think he will get game time. I think it would be very hard not to play him if he's fit and he's showing well in training."
The big question is if Connolly's return will cause unrest among sections of the panel, who have been training all year as they battle for a starting jersey.
"I think in fairness, the squad have always been very strong-willed in terms of people coming and going," continued Flynn. "You could arguably have said the same about Rory [O'Carroll] who came in. But the collective will on the squad has always been strong, and if people felt if whoever coming in was going to add to the overall group, then they were always open-minded to it.
"I'm sure deep down there were some guys who were asking themselves questions, but you'd never let that show in their emotions or their actions."
Could we see the St Vincent's star in action against the Connacht champions?
What are the experts saying?
"Roscommon have had a very good year, there have been forward steps under Anthony Cunningham, but beating Dublin is too great an ask."
How can I watch it?
Both games will be live and exclusive on Sky Sports Arena, with coverage getting underway at 4pm.
