ULSTER FINAL MANAGERS PREVIEW 2007

The managers

Two managers, both with different expeieriences of ladies football, both will lock horns on Sunday at Clones but both have one thing in common. Tyrone.

Hayley Boyle was a stalwart goalkeeper for her native Tyrone during the formative years of the counties senior exploits. She claimed an all Ireland junior medal and picked up a national league title to boot. Now though, while she may still play for Galbally Haley will patrol the line in an Armagh managers top with Jackie Clarke as they plot the downfall of a new look Tyrone. In the other dugout its Jimmy McCloughan, just eight months into his first season as Tyrone manager he has guided them back to the provincial decider. For him its part of a rebuilding process for Tyrone and reaching the final in his first year has been the perfect boost.

In terms of ladies inter county football management Boyle has done it all before, she’s part of the only all female management team in Ulster and they steered the Armagh ship to an all Ireland senior final in 2006, their debut season in senior football. McCloughans successes, and they have been plentiful have centred on the Tyrone vocationals, two all Ireland titles from four finals and four Ulster crowns. Not a bad return and it was this that prompted the Tyrone board, hungry for an Ulster title again, to appoint him last year. Sundays battle, the first between the sides in a senior provincial final has all the hall marks of being a cracker, in 2006 the sides met in the new look round robin Ulster championship. Tyrone lost the away leg, claimed a win at Greencastle but still went out at the semi-final stage , revenge perhaps on the menu then at Clones.

“ I wasn’t there last years but I know the girls were disappointed, I know many feel they have a point to prove on Sunday, it makes it all the more interesting though” says manager McCloughan.

Armaghs Tyrone manager also feels that this could be a tie to really raise the profile of the Ulster game, that said the former keeper says Ulster footballs better than some think,

“Yes, some sections of the media and footballing public in the south think that Ulster football is not up to the mark, I disagree and while Sundays final has all the traits that could make it a real gem, the football that has been played here in the last couple of years is top quality, We made the breakthrough in 2005 at Junior level, we went close last year but if you look at the records there’s plenty of Ulster sides on the silverware”

Armagh have set  the bench mark in recent years that Ulster teams such as Monaghan and Tyrone have to aspire to, the approach has been very professional but more than that they have a special bond, a special group of players admits Boyle
”They’re a great bunch and they have all worked hard this past couple of years, there’s a very special family type bond, but we also have a very talented group of experienced players to call on”

Tyrone boast experienced players too, the Doohers, the Kellys, the Donnellys and Gormleys of this world have certainly had their fair share of happy times and Hayley Boyle was there for most of them

“ I had some great times with Tyrone and I played with some great players like Maura Kelly and Selina Oguz, I still come across most of them in the club scene and of course this current Tyrone panel has Elaine (Mallaghan) and Catriona (McGahan) from my own club, there’s plenty of banter”

There will be no time though for club loyalties this coming Sunday , the talking can wait until after five says the Tyrone boss.

Tyrone boss McCloughan has maintained that if Tyrone have everyone out and available they can challenge anyone. The injuries have cleared up for his side now and they were clinical against Down in the semi-final. The forwards Begley, Connolly, Murphy and Donnelly particularly sharp, its all about confidence now says genial Jim.

“ I talked to the girls all year about having belief in what they are doing, from one to thirty one everyone of them has a job to do and everyone of them is capable of doing that job so well, we have great talent in the county now its time for Tyrone to challenge again”

The potency of the Tyrone forwards has not been lost on Armagh, so they can  expect some extra attention on Sunday at Clones,

“ I watched the Tyrone game against Down, they have some great forwards, sharp and hard to hold, I still think though that we have the right players to handle that situation”

Quipped the Armagh mentor who is looking forward like her Tyrone counterpart to Sundays final.

“ We still have unfinished business in the senior championship, we caught out a few teams last year with our success in reaching the final, now we have to do it all again and go one better”

McCloughans happy to be in the final,

“ its sooner for us than expected but we are not going just to make up the numbers, we ready for this one and we can certainly win it”