LADIES| Tyrone V Down Ulster Intermediate Final.

It has been a difficult season so far for the two teams who will line out in the Ulster Intermediate Championship Final at St Tiernach’s Park on Sunday.

The decider though will be their chance to put that behind them, get their hands on some silverware and most importantly build for the future. Tyrone and Down have come down from senior to intermediate level for this year’s championship. This decision was not taken lightly by either of the county boards, but one deemed necessary for the betterment of the game and its players in their respective counties.

There have been those within Tyrone who have questioned the move. Winning on Sunday would be a major progressive step for Tyrone and could well answer some of those questions.

“It was the right call. Tyrone have not been a force now for several years. A look at the results would show you that. Winning the odd game a season was not good for Tyrone football or the development of the senior team. There has been no platform for the younger players coming through. This is a new team. It’s about development and the team becoming winners again,” enthused Tyrone manager Gerry Moane, back in the hot-seat and enjoying this second term in charge assisted now by Strabane’s Brendan McLaughlin.

The duo took over literally on the eve of the national league. There were some hard lessons along the route early on in their tenure but the commitment of a very new look squad and its potential to bring Tyrone back to the top, Gerry and Brendan remained and they are looking forward to a final at Clones against a Down team that they will be weary of after they eased past Fermanagh.

Although Tyrone also defeated the Erne girls, they allowed Fermanagh in for two late goals which resulted in an eleven point lead being whittled away in minutes. Down also endured a similar semi collapse against Fermanagh. They took the foot off the gas somewhat when they seemed home and hosed especially after Lauren Cunningham had scored a superb 2-9 for the Mourne girls.

After winning the All-Ireland Intermediate Championship title and Ulster as well, in 2014 Down had serious aspirations of further progress. However as a result of losing many of those All-Ireland winning players the Mourne County struggled with the step up in class found themselves on the receiving end of some heavy, demoralising defeats as they struggled to compete at a senior level.

Tyrone likewise have been struggling at the top for the last number of years. The highs of a 2010 All-Ireland Senior Championship Final are now a distant memory.  Down narrowly avoided relegation from Division Three of the National league earlier this year. Their one win in seven over Fermanagh was enough to keep them up for another year. Tyrone were unable to put together any victories, culminating in relegation from Division One.

In the semi-final Down’s ace forward Cunningham had the run of Pearse Park Galbally. With injury concerns over Neamh Woods and Cara McCrossan Moane and his backroom team know they face quite a challenge from the Mourne girls.

Defensively a lot will be expected from Tori McLaughlin, Christiane Hunter and Joanne Barrett who are all good one on one markers. It remains to be seen if the manager will deploy the one on one approach or just focus on Tyrone’s own game plan which should allow them the freedom to roam.

With Cunningham’s tally in the last four tussle boosted by a raft of frees disciplined defence could well be the key. “We must be disciplined around the scoring zone,” claimed Moane who also felt his native county failed to close down Cunningham on several occasions.

“Down are a good side they still have experienced players around the squad. They won that all Ireland of course and like ourselves suffered a tough time last year and through the league. We have to be at our best on Sunday. We can have no excuses.”

Jordan Magee hit 1-1 against Fermanagh, she and midfield partner Kate McKay will most likely go head to head against Tyrone pair Shannon Quinn and  Meabh Morgan. Quinn from the Errigal Ciaran club is certainly back to her best again after a couple of difficult years. She remains one of the more experienced players in the squad. Along with Hegarty, Hunter and Woods they helped Tyrone to an Ulster minor championship title in 2007. Indeed at one stage through the national league they were at 26 the oldest players available to Tyrone.

The importance of those experienced players will have impact on the outcome of this final and the thought that influential skipper Woods could miss out remains and will remain a major headache for Moane and McLaughlin.

“Neamh was hurt in that semi-final win. We had hoped her shoulder would be at least 90% right by now. It’s not and that is a problem. Neamh remains positive and that’s a good thing but we can’t risk her being hurt worse. It will be a late call for her and for Cara (McCrossan) who has also been out since the last four clash.”

Moane and the management team will leave a call on the injured players until the last moment. The manager also revealed he has other injury concerns with another couple of players. “Nothing serious, but niggles. That’s the risk you have with so many games being played. There’s nothing we can do only hope we have everyone available come Sunday at noon.”

Up front Tyrone have options now, despite the departure of some of the old guard, Grainne Rafferty came off the bench in the semi-final and fired home a quick 1-2, Maria Canavan, Dromore’s Emma Smyth, Emma Hegarty and Michaela McGuigan have all found scores while several young forwards have also been added to the senior squad as Moane continues to build for the future