Tyrone must improve from Fermanagh performance | Galway can trouble Mayo: Peter Canavan column
Sky Sports pundit Peter Canavan says his native Tyrone must improve if they are to progress any further in the Ulster Championship, previews Mayo vs Galway and Donegal vs Armagh, and assesses Louth's rise under Mickey Harte.
Friday 22 April 2022 08:20, UK
Tyrone's victory over Fermanagh was a game of two halves.
The Erne County were unlucky not to be ahead at the half-way mark. They played with energy, compared to a lacklustre Tyrone performance.
The Red Hands looked like a team taking their opponents for granted.
A lot of people expected Kieran Donnelly's side to come out, playing with 14 or 15 behind the ball and setting up defensively. But they always kept two men up front, and varied their game plan.
Tyrone were below par in the first-half, but managed to up the ante. They put more pressure on the Fermanagh kick-out. The impact of Conor McKenna also made a massive difference. There was an urgency about Tyrone.
After 10 or 15 minutes in the second-half, there was always going to be one winner.
Tyrone still haven't got back to the levels where they were at the end of last summer.
Slowly but surely, they appear to be finding their feet.
The lethargic performance last Saturday will be a worry. Against a better side, they could have easily been five points down at the break. Conor Meyler's goal took the gloss off a good Fermanagh performance.
Fermanagh also created six goal chances, and they only took the two at the end when the game was over.
Had they been more ruthless, it would have been a different game. Moving forward, it's something that Tyrone are going to have to look at. They can't be going in, playing against the best sides, allowing the opposition four or five chances on goal.
Conor McKenna's red card
If Tyrone go into the Derry game without Conor McKenna, it further weakens their panel. His influence in Brewster Park was immense. He came in, set up the goal and kicked two points.
He is a massive loss. They don't have the same depth in the panel as they had last year.
I would be surprised if Tyrone don't appeal his suspension. And I would like to think there's a good chance that he'll get a reprieve.
His absence would be a major fillip to Derry.
Could Galway take down Mayo?
I would dismiss Mayo's league final performance against Kerry, because they simply performed like a team that was very much focused on the championship. I don't think they were too concerned with the outcome that day.
Overall, it was a positive start to the year for them. For a team that was trying out so many players, they sailed through the league with a degree of comfort. And that's reassuring from James Horan's point of view.
But they are still without a few key players. There are doubts over Jordan Flynn, Paddy Durcan, Diarmuid O'Connor and Cillian O'Connor, Tommy Conroy is not there.
They are too reliant on Ryan O'Donoghue for scores.
If Galway can curtail his influence, they have a massive opportunity to win this game.
Robert Finnerty has impressed this year. He is becoming more prolific as a forward, and is giving greater support to Damien Comer and Shane Walsh.
If they can manage to break even around the middle of the pitch, and they can hold Ryan O'Donoghue, I believe the Tribesmen have a serious opportunity of beating Mayo.
This is a game that Padraic Joyce has been waiting on for a long time. I'd be expecting a big performance from Galway.
Donegal are favourites in Ballybofey
Before these sides met in the National League, I fancied Armagh for this one, because they're very much a team on the up. Some suggested their early league performances were catching teams out and they wouldn't maintain it. But they did. They're playing well as a unit, physically very strong. And the age profile of the team suggests they're moving in the right direction.
However, I have changed my mind. When the sides met in the league, the Orchard County had nothing to play for. They didn't put out a full-strength side in MacCumhaill Park.
But the game ended in acrimonious fashion. They got involved in a shemozzle that they didn't need to. It stokes the fire in Donegal. Armagh poked the bear.
Kieran McGeeney's side have lost a couple of key players, they've lost more out of it than Donegal, and that will have an impact on them as well. I'd be expecting a big game from Donegal, and they should come out on top from what should be a very intense battle.
Louth on the up
The Wee County's progress has been steady from the time that Mickey Harte took over.
An interesting facet of their victory over Limerick in the Division 3 final was that the longer the game went on, the more dominant they became. They are playing as a unit. They know what they're doing, in terms of their style of play. It's obvious Mickey has got them in great shape.
While I think Carlow will give them a game on Sunday, don't be surprised if it follows a similar trend to the Limerick game.
And in Sam Mulroy, they have a key man that's playing the football of his life. You'd have to fancy Louth to come out on top of this one.
