Conor Gormley is fast earning himself a reputation as the best trouble-shooter in the business. He'd rather see Tyrone regain their erstwhile lustre though. Maybe one of these years, the injury plague will leave us alone." A year on since a flabbergasted Tyrone boss Mickey Harte vented his frustration, he's still yearning for a clean bill of health. The comings and goings in the O'Neill County's sick bay haven't altered too much; they're no less hectic than they were in 2007. Brian McGuigan, Mickey McGee, Cathal McCarron, Brian Dooher and Joe McMahon are all still out injured. To compound Harte's headaches, Stephen O'Neill is proving a big miss. Injuries and O'Neill's absence plus those of Cormac McGinley and Gerard Cavlan has left the 2007 Ulster SFC winners looking like a pale shadow of their former 05 'selves. Tyrone used to be consistent challengers for the NFL title but last year and, so far, this year the northerner behemoths have been a sorry disappointment but is it all down to injuries? Ever-consistent defender Conor Gormley (back for the defeat to Galway) believes though that a bit of self-help rather than cursing their luck could turn Tyrone's league season around: "People talk about our list of injuries but I don't think they alone can account for our poor season so far," the Carrickmore ace opines. "I think the answer lies with the 15 players who've gone out onto the pitch for the last three league games and the subs who've come on. "Instead of dwelling on who might be missing on any particular day, we need to start performing to our utmost potential so that we can get some more points on the board." Gormley is convinced that while the Tyrone men have the appetite to rekindle the sort of form that landed the Sam Maguire Cup in 2005, a bit of "soul searching is needed." He firmly believes that "it's up to each individual to get up to speed quickly and to do their very best to find their best form before relegation becomes a serious threat." "We have had a fair few injuries but this squad is big enough to cover for the fellas that are out," says the erstwhile centre-back 'cum corner-back 'cum full-back. "We're well capable of doing far better than what we've done so far in the league this year and with a bit more hard work we can get back to where we were a couple of years ago. "It's very important that we don't get dragged into a relegation dog-fight because I think everyone agrees that staying in division one is very important for Tyrone football. "Since I came onto the county team in 2001, I've always competed in division one and I know that's where Mickey Harte and the rest of the lads want to continue playing. "You've got to be competing against the top teams throughout the year and if we don't get our act together soon, there's a real danger of things going pear-shaped for us." Winner of two national league medals in 2002/03 (as well as three Ulster SFC medals in 2001/3/7), Tyrone's number 3 admits that 2008 has begun badly for the Red Hands. Having missed out on landing the Dr. McKenna Cup, Tyrone look like replicating their poor NFL campaign of 2007 when relegation was narrowly avoided. The O'Neill County lost to Mayo on the final day - and conceding four goals in the process - meant Dublin's inability to see off Kerry prevented Tyrone from dropping down a grade. Relying on results notched by other teams is not usually Tyrone's modus operandi but after two defeats and one draw, it's not looking too rosy for Gormley and Co. In 2007 Tyrone just managed seven points out of seven games before unexpectedly coming a cropper in the All-Ireland SFC quarter-final against Meath. "It's still early days yet but we're determined to do well in the league and bring forward some decent form into the championship because that's when you need to be at your peak. "We're not looking to get into the league semis but we definitely need to get a win, sooner rather than later. The will is there among the players and hopefully it (the win) will come. "There's no guarantee that you're going to win any match, even in the league, and all the games are all tough, especially the ones away from Omagh." The ones away from Omagh this year included a not too massive journey to Celtic Park for their penultimate round game which could prove to be a pivotal tie in deciding their fate. "We're not looking ahead that far," Gormley cautions. "We're taking it one game at a time but, I admit, we don't want to have to go to Derry under pressure for a must-win match." Gormley can be relied upon to deny Derry. He was a stand-out performer for Tyrone in 2007 but then he was a man-marking corner-back as distinct from his current full-back role. Last year he was relocated from centre-back and did a really good job at handling Tommy Freeman (Monaghan) in the Ulster final. Later in the season Meath's Stephen Bray found out just how glue-like Gormley is when the players locked horns during the second half of their All-Ireland quarter-final clash. Gormley is one of Tyrone's most experienced players in a NFL squad which includes just three new faces for the 2008 campaign, Cathal McCarron, Shaun O'Neill and Martin Swift. The former Carrickmore secondary school pupil who collected Ulster and All-Ireland Under 21 medals in 2001 is convinced that with a full-team, Tyrone have the beating of anyone. "We've got great faith in our ability to get our (league) campaign up and running for the next day," the 27 year old defender insists. "I feel we can beat anyone on our day given a free run of injuries but we have to strike now and success in the past means nothing - we have to look to the future and the ties ahead. "Tyrone has no God-given right to win anything and I don't think there's anyone in the camp who truly believes that and that was never the case in my time at least. "This year the squad is being rebuilt and the young fellas coming in haven't got a great pile of experience so it'll take time for them to bed themselves in." Does he feel that the squad has at least enough in its armoury to make a decidedly greater impression in this year's championship? "That's a long way off too but the Down game will come along all too quickly for us if we're not going well; we're definitely taking nothing for granted against them. "Down won the McKenna Cup and looked impressive in some of their matches and they're near the top of division three at the minute so they're form is pretty good. "They have some very good individual players like Brendan Grant, Dan Gordon and Daniel Hughes plus two great men along the line in Ross Carr and DJ Kane. "Once they get it together in a big way, collectively, Down will be a force again but hopefully they'll not get around to hitting the high notes this year!" And what of the theory that the Tyrone and Armaghs of this world aren't quite surrounded by as much clear water in Ulster as was the case only a couple of years ago? "I don't think any Tyrone player would ever say that it's handy going to Casement Park or Breffni Park for a match; any team can beat any team in Ulster on the right day. "I think there's much more of a level playing field in Ulster now and over the last couple of years, you've had the likes of Donegal, Monaghan and Derry really showing up well. "It's healthy for Ulster football that it's not all about Tyrone or Armagh any more. I just wish we see some of our old form coming back soon." Tweet

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