Paul Flynn: 'Dublin wouldn't want Tyrone to beat them'
Wednesday 31 July 2019 15:09, UK
Retired Dublin footballer Paul Flynn feels Jim Gavin's side will be gunning for victory against Tyrone on Sunday, despite the fact that there's not much riding on the tie.
Both of the 2018 All-Ireland finalists are already qualified for the last four, and this weekend's showdown will merely decide the semi-final line-up.
There is also a consolation for the loser on Sunday that they will have an extra day's rest in the turnaround to the All-Ireland semi-final.
While many pundits are suggesting Jim Gavin and Mickey Harte will opt to rotate their squads, Flynn feels there won't be a quarter asked nor given in Healy Park.
"If I'm both managers, I'm saying to myself - I want to win this group because it's not going to get any easier after this," said the Fingallians club man.
"I remember last year we played Tyrone up there and in our own heads it was that we could potentially play these in a final as well. So you have that. Dublin wouldn't want Tyrone to beat them.
"That game last year, Tyrone had us on the ropes and just got over the line. I remember the atmosphere up there, it was brilliant. It was packed and I came on as a sub and I felt like I'd never trained in my life - my legs were gone. It was just one of those. With that game, I think there would still be a good niggle to it and both teams won't want to give an inch."
The Red Hands upset the odds earlier this year, when the sides met in Croke Park during the National League, and Flynn knows the stock the Tyrone players will have placed in that victory:
"I remember back before we won All-Irelands, Kerry were dominating and Tyrone were dominating. We used to chalk down the wins against the Kerrys and Tyrones in the league as a big milestone to say, 'We've done it now and we can do it and carry them with us into the championship.'
"From a Tyrone perspective, I'd say they valued that league win and they'll be welcoming the opportunity to bring them up to Omagh."
However, ex-Tyrone footballer Owen Mulligan isn't in agreement with the former Dublin star.
"I think there will be [shadow-boxing], especially if the two teams are already through," he opined.
"You have to play Dublin at their own game. The last 10, 15 minutes, Dublin will empty the bench and look who they bring on. I'm not saying Tyrone have as good a bench as them, but they've some serious players as well. They've scored in championships, they're championship-hardened. Tyrone should do what Dublin do and match them.
"You look at Dublin's bench [against Cork], there was [Jonny] Cooper, [Eoghan] O'Gara, [Dean] Rock - it's serious and it'll take a massive effort to beat them for the five-in-a-row. I think Tyrone's the only team that can challenge them."
'Mugsy' feels the draw has worked out nicely for the Red Hands for the second year in succession.
"You talk about your Division 1 teams last year, I think Tyrone had a serious, serious great draw last year," he continued. "It was the equivalent of England in the [2018] World Cup, you couldn't have hand-picked it (better).
"This year, they've a practice game against Dublin before the big day. So everything's going for Tyrone at the minute. Everything's happening well but they need those injured players back and a full hand to challenge."
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