Seán Cavanagh happy to be fighting fit and on the offensive with Tyrone

For all of the fireworks lit by Tyrone's young full-forward line in Sunday's defeat of Mayo, there was also reassurance in the appearance for the final quarter of returning captain Seán Cavanagh.

The team’s outstanding performer in last year’s championship, the former footballer of the year, weighed in with the vital possession that led to Tyrone’s second goal, the score that put the match beyond Mayo’s reach and delivered a measure of retribution for last August’s All-Ireland semi-final defeat.

It’s all of 11 years since Cavanagh came into the team and aged 20, ended the season as an integral part of the county’s first All-Ireland success, a campaign that earned him the first of five All Stars.

In recent years injury has become a more frequent condition and he acknowledged as much in Omagh when answering the now almost routine questions about how his rehab had gone getting ready for another year’s football.

Adding to his enjoyment has been the form of the team, which is unbeaten after two matches, and playing some sharp, incisive football.

He said some of the younger players are benefiting from a sustained run on the team.

“Possibly some of them were starved of a wee bit of game time last year but we knew in training the younger guys were as good as some of the guys that were holding the positions on the team last year. The likes of Darren McCurry and Mattie [Donnelly] inside are playing fantastic football, as are some of the other new guys who are coming on.

Commitment to attack
"We're playing an offensive brand of football, probably slightly reminiscent of Dublin last year. We're trying to go man-on-man and whereas it worked a few times for us last year in the championship we possibly reverted back to a sweeper-type system but you can see out there today that going man-for-man sometimes doesn't do any harm."

It was clear in the weekend match, though, the greater commitment to attack can come at the cost of the familiar defensive screen to the backs. Mayo had five good goal chances.

“You’re gambling on a Real Madrid style of football – that you’re going to out-score the other team. Dublin were by far the best team in Ireland last year but the games we played against Dublin last year we were forced to go man-on-man and I don’t think we were found wanting.

“I had a suspicion that if we were to do that this year – and that’s the way Mickey and the team are going – we might not be too far away from some of the bigger sides, and it worked out today.

“Look, we’re not getting carried away with ourselves. Mayo were missing a few players but at the same time it’s nice to get the points on the board . . .”

Ironically for the player whose rugby tackle on Monaghan’s Conor McManus last summer became a poster incident for the introduction of the black card, Cavanagh is enthusiastic about the impact the measure is having on the game.

'Good brand of football'
"I suspected it would help and I'm glad the referees . . . okay, there is that wee bit of ambiguity that you're not too sure when a black cards to be given but players are genuinely afraid to make the blocking run and whenever that happens you've got a good brand of football . . ."

More importantly from a personal perspective, he believes it improves the enjoyment of playing football.

“Yeah, it does. You know if you make those runs the space is going to be there for you to take the ball off the shoulder and it’s bring me back almost to playing football the way it was in 2002 and dare I say, 2003, but at times we were playing like that and it’s a delight to be able to join in with the younger guys.”