Tyrone by a whisker? First, a good laugh about last year's final. You will recall Kerry put Mayo to the sword and the sound of the final whistle brought some relief to the losing followers. I was watching in the RTE Studios in Montrose and while Pat Spillane was very sympathetic to the plight of my county, there was no point in staying indoors for the early post mortem. I strolled out into the September sunshine and rang the women folk back home. The conversation went something like this: Despondent Mayo Man: Well, did it look bad on your television? Ladies at Home: Ah sure don't be too disappointed, they finished well and it's a young team. Whatever you do, make sure you are not harsh on them tonight-now is not the time to abandon all hope! Despondent Mayo Man: What in the name of God am I going to say about the game-had we ever a chance at all? Ladies at Home: What chance had we-sure look how good Gooch was in one corner and with the other fella Cooper opposite him our goose was cooked from an early stage …………. I hung up the telephone and just for that moment wished that reply summed up my interest in football. You might argue it probably does! There were times last year when Kerry seemed to have two Coopers on the field. He played a magical final and ended up as Man of the Match - a deserved accolade for a simply superb performance. He was ably assisted by fellow players in every position - now here comes the a public health warning for Tyrone: Seamus Moynihan and Dara O'Se did not start and 'The Pony' only made a cameo with a few minutes to play. Kerry are a serious outfit and no matter what argument others can make the truth remains they have taken on all comers (Limerick, Cork, Mayo and Cork again) with relish and pushed them to one side rather easily. The team consists of players that perform at a level that the teams mentioned just cannot match at this time. And that may be the downfall of this side. They are extremely motivated to win the two-in-a-row, a victory would guarantee their status in the modern game, but the problem remains the quality of the contests engaged. Not their fault of course, but they have not bumped into a Tyrone or Armagh outfit on their journey out of Munster and into the west. Indeed, you might ask when last they faced a crisis? In 2004 they won most of their games pulling up with just Limerick providing a few wobbles along the way. So, we are left with a side that has been on the road for a number of years now, facing into one of the best teams Ulster has produced this past two decades. And when last Kerry met Tyrone and Armagh? Well, you must remember those games. Intensity levels dictated northern wins. Tyrone are in the final on merit, having proved their steely nerve in a pulsating semi-final win over Armagh. It was the best game of football this pundit has ever witnessed (Derry v Down up in Celtic Park in the 90s comes close) and that was not a reflection of the standard of football skills on display. It was more the full and complete examination each side gave to the other - can you come into my patch and fight for your life for this ball and then stick it over with two of us breathing down your neck? This type of question was posed for the full seventy minutes plus of the game and the winner stumbled home and into the tunnel happy to be still standing, delighted to be in a final but the manager was surely thrilled to know what his men are made of this season. 2004 had been such a roller coaster of emotions and the tragic death of Cormac McAnallen proved to be an event even players of their proven character just could not surmount. You can point out that the Mayo team that finally ended the Tyrone misery was the one Kerry went on to blow away. You are just not comparing the same two products. Tyrone have come to terms with life's vagaries and this year presented ready and fit for action. But the way of the championship is never straightforward and three teams managed to draw with them. It supports the tiny suspicion that they too can have the mad moments that afflict even the best squads. And when you sit down to forensically examine the credentials of both sides the flexibility and adaptability of the Tyrone men pushes them over the line. They more or less match up perfectly with the key players from the Kingdom - for instance, 'Gooch' Cooper is their star attacker upon which their offensive plan will be broadly based. Of course Brosnan and O'Sullivan are top class performers but staying with the Red Haired One for a moment more - you realise Ryan 'Bites Yer Legs' McMenamin will be picking up the golden boy of Kerry football. Literally? I'd say so! Midfield is comfortable and the full forward line for the northerners is physically strong, has great pace and they are heavy scorers when on a roll. Kerry's best line is the half back line of Moynihan, Tomas O'Se and O'Mahony and they will drive them forward at every opportunity. Yet, look what Tyrone bring to the party - Dooher, McGuigan and Cavanagh can hardly be described as championship novices. Indeed, it is reasonable to suggest that such is the quality of both forward lines, both management teams will be concentrating on their defences in the build up to this eagerly awaited final. So, expect to see a fair bit of the much maligned but totally legal use of blanket defence type arrangements in an effort to blunt the edge of the attacking formations. Last year few outside of Mayo gave the underdogs a chance and their positions were shown to be correct. This year we do not have an underdog as such and the many people who ask the question: 'Who will win the title this time around?' enquire for the genuine reason they are finding it difficult to name a winner. It has all the ingredients of a thriller - two teams coming from different backgrounds yet both totally convinced they could carry the day and carve their name as one of the great champions of All Ireland senior football. Tyrone have played nearly twice the number of games their opponents have faced yet are none the worse for wear. As ever, the referee Mick Monahan, an early season tip by this columnist to referee his first final due to his competent displays in earlier rounds, will play a major role. Breaks, bounces and plain bad luck will most likely decide the encounter but expect Tyrone to win most of those breaks and bounces. The bad luck? Looks like Tyrone even got their share of that in the replayed Ulster final. On all fronts, Tyrone should win, take a break and give the rest of us a chance to catch up! Tweet

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