There has been a huge amount of talk about the strength of the Kerry squad ahead of this year's All-Ireland football final, but many seem to have forgotten that Tyrone's is not too bad either. One man ready if he is called on is Tyrone's Kevin Hughes. One such player that Mickey Harte can call on and has done frequently this year is midfielder Kevin Hughes, whose experience has been vital to their success. Kevin spoke to Hogan Stand about his career to date both on and off the field. Tyrone have surprised many this year, as they were rated outsiders for the title, but write the Red Hand county off at your peril as they have defied the critics to emerge as one of the teams of the year. Their brilliant performance against Dublin left many dumbfounded as to what had happened, however within the county and in particular within the squad, there was always a believe they could go all the way. "I suppose if we didn't think we could win it, we wouldn't be playing at all. There was always confidence in the squad that we could do well. We had plenty of chances against Down, but things just didn't go our way," said Kevin. "The problem early on was that we were only playing well in bursts, say ten or 15 minutes a game, which wasn't good enough and that was something we worked hard on to rectify. We always knew we were good enough." Over the course of the last few years, Tyrone have been decimated with injuries, especially since their triumph in 2005, but Kevin admitted that they have had a good run on that front during the current campaign. "The squad has been getting stronger all the time and the injuries have cleared up, which has made a huge difference to us. You can see by the amount of talent that we have on the bench, lads are chomping at the bit to get on, while the lads that are playing know they must keep up their level of consistency." Kevin has had to settle for a place on the bench this season and he admits that it is not the easiest place to be when a match is being played. "It certainly makes you appreciate the game more when you do play. There is massive competition for places and I've been fortunate to get a run, especially in the last two matches against Dublin and Wexford. Hopefully, I can get a run against Kerry in the final also." The Killeshil clubman made his senior inter-county debut in 1999 after helping the Tyrone minors to All-Ireland glory the previous year. Two under-21 All-Ireland titles followed in 2000 and '01 before the crowning glory two years later when the Red Hand County lifted the Sam Maguire for the first time in their history when they defeated old rivals Armagh in the decider. Kevin was so influential in that game that he earned the man-of-the-match award and he admits that it was the highlight of his career to date. "To be part of the side that won the All-Ireland is just something else. It's hard to describe really, every lad played their part that day. So many great players had gone before us and had never won, so to actually lift the cup was as much for them as it was for us." Kevin had another burning ambition that he wanted to fulfil and this time it was away from the football and although he missed out on the 2005 success, it was a decision he didn't regret. "I always wanted to go to Australia for a year and was thinking of going in 2003, but thankfully decided not go," he joked. "My sister got married in 2004, so I stayed back for that and then I said if I don't go the following year, I'd never go. Unfortunately, I missed out on the All-Ireland success, but these things happen and I've no regrets about going." On his return, Kevin was brought back into the panel and he has been there ever since. And he admits that training and preparation for games has changed a lot, even since he has started. "The preparation for matches has changed completely and everything is done down to the last detail. Training has become more scientific as well. It is a lot better than it use to be and I suppose it is just the sign of the times." Behind every great team is a great manager and Tyrone have one of the best in the guise of Mickey Harte and Kevin has nothing but praise for him. "Mickey is very meticulous in his planning. His record speaks for itself, not only at senior, but minor and under-21 as well. He is one of the greatest managers of the modern era. Without him, Tyrone would certainly not be where they are today." For the Ulster side to lift their third title in six years they must beat a Kerry side searching for their third consecutive title and Kevin knows that Tyrone will have to produce a top class performance to see off the Kingdom. "Kerry's record speaks for itself. They have been there and done it. They are strong all over the field, while they too have an excellent bench. We won't fear them, but we will certainly respect them. I expect a very close match. "We are experienced enough to handle the occasion and even the younger lads like Justin McMahon and Tommy McGuigan, who are playing in their first senior final, have played in All-Ireland deciders at minor and under-21, so they won't be overawed either." Away from the playing field, Kevin is employed as a site engineer with O'Neill and Brady Ltd for the past two years. The company specialises in construction and civil engineering work. Tweet

Most Read Stories