Preview: SFC qualifier - Tipperary v Tyrone

July 18, 2015

Tipperary's Colin O'Riordan is tackled by Frank Burns and Cathal McShane of Tyrone.
©INPHO/Cathal Noonan.

Sean Cavanagh will set the record for Tyrone senior championship appearances today - but will Tipperary spoil the celebrations?

Th 2008 Footballer of the Year will don the Red Hand jersey for the 76th time in championship action when Mickey Harte's charges take on the Premier County in round 3B of the qualifiers in Semple Stadium.

The Moy clubman will continue in the number 14 jersey but manager Harte has made two changes from the team that inflicted a two point loss on Meath seven days ago.

Tiernan McCann (right half-forward) and Darren McCurry (right corner-forward) are recalled to the starting 15 in place of Richard Donnelly and Barry Tierney.

Despite their runaway 23 point victory over Louth last weekend, Harte's opposite number Creedon has also made two changes with Martin Dunne (midfield) and Brian Fox (right half-foward) included at the expense of Robbie Kiely and Ger Mulhair.

Meanwhile, both managers have insisted there is no bad blood between the two counties in the wake of last May's controversial All-Ireland U21 final at Parnell Park. The Ulster men claimed victory by a point but, after that game, Tyrone manager Feargal Logan was refused entry to the Tipp dressingroom.

"There wasn't much happening at that time and it was a bit of a handy one for the media," Creedon said. "We were very disappointed, but we were back in training the following week, you write down a few things that you learned from it and you move on."

Harte commented: "I think that was much exaggerated, as often happens in the media. I didn't think it was such an affair as it was portrayed to be, and I don't think many of the people closely involved with the team felt that either."

Verdict - Tyrone.

Tipperary team: Evan Comerford; Ciaran McDonald, Paddy Codd, Jimmy Feehan; Seamus Kennedy, Peter Acheson, Alan Campbell; Colin O'Riordan, Martin Dunne; Brian Fox, Conor Sweeney, Liam Casey; Kevin O'Halloran, Michael Quinlivan, Philip Austin.

Tyrone team: Niall Morgan; Aidan McCrory, Ronan McNamee, Cathal McCarron; Ronan McNabb, Joe McMahon, Peter Harte; Colm Cavanagh, Matthew Donnelly; Tiernan McCann, Mark Bradley, Rory Brennan; Darren McCurry, Sean Cavanagh, Connor McAliskey.

Match details: Saturday; Semple Stadium; 3pm; extra-time playable.

Referee: David Gough.

Odds: Tipperary 15/8; Draw 15/2; Tyrone 4/7.


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