The three-time All-Ireland winning Tyrone team of the noughties brought sledging to a whole new level in gaelic football, according to Colm Cooper.

Writing in his soon-to-be released autobiography, 'Gooch', the five time All-Ireland winner revisits the 2-10 to 1-16 All-Ireland final defeat of 2005.

"Tyrone didn't invent sledging in the GAA, let's be very clear about that. As long as I've been playing, there's always been a mouth or two determined to make themselves heard. But Tyrone were different.

"They were the first team I came up against who seemed to regard trash-talk as being just as fundamental to the game as tackling. And they were relentless in '05. Right from the throw-in, a constant commentary."

'Gooch' had Ryan McMenamin for company that day...

"'Ricey' almost prided himself on being able to wind a forward up. Personally I never minded playing on him because he was never the stickiest corner-back in the world. Maybe his mouthing was to compensate for that.

"He'd hit you the odd dig into the back too and try to annoy you with these little pinches, hoping you might throw an elbow back and get the line. Tyrone were pushing the boundaries that year - maybe overstepping them at times - and who could really blame them?

"Pushing those boundaries would bring them their second All-Ireland in three years."

 

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