Tyrone need to find mores scores from somewhere.
Tyrone’s scoring stats this season are a big concern for Brian Dooher and Feargal Logan, as they prepare to play Donegal in the preliminary quarter finals next weekend.
Tyrone are lucky to still be in the competition, as they could only sit and watch Westmeath’s John Heslin take a free kick right at the death to put them out.
To the relief of the Ulster side, the ball sailed wide, but that’s how close they came to a shock exit from the championship, especially as Armagh pulled off a victory against Galway.
Darragh Canavan was the main man, kicking an incredible 10 points, making him the 11th Tyrone player to do so in a championship game.
His brother, Ruairi, made his full debut and scored three points, but the absence of Darren McCurry was clear to see as his injury meant that the Red Hands were completely reliant on the Errigal Ciaran siblings.
When you look at Tyrone’s scoring stats this season so far, starting back to the National League, the first two names, McCurry and Canavan, have racked up impressive numbers.
However, the fact that their third top scorer is Peter Harte, a player who plays predominately in the half back line, is a concern.
Mattie Donnelly is next on the list, and although he usually starts out at full forward, he spends most of the game running up and down the pitch.
Really, the 2021 All-Ireland champions would have been hoping for more output from their half forward line and the bench.
Cathal McShane has been riddled with injuries, only managing three points this season, a telling story when you consider he was the championship’s overall top scorer in 2019, despite not even making the final.
Conn Kilpatrick has pitched in from midfield, with an impressive eight points, but Cormac Quinn is next on the list and he has been playing in the full-back, and half-back line.
Unless the management can manoeuvre things around, maybe play Ruairi Canavan at half forward, keep his brother, McCurry and Donnelly in the full forward line, then they might have more success.
Darragh Canavan's ten point haul yesterday sees him make some ground on the Dazzler. https://t.co/Cyo22BPVgG
— Unofficial Tyrone (@UnofficialTYR1) June 19, 2023
Normally they play with two defensive-type players in that line, such as Michael O’Neill or Frank Burns, but another small bonus to their draw against Westmeath, was Kieran McGeary’s performance from the bench.
The 2021 Player of the Year has struggled for form since that incredible season, but his impact against Westmeath was immediate, as he got a good point, and won a lot of important balls.
It’s too late in the year to bring in new attacking players, but with forwards like Lee Brennan, Mark Bradley, Ronan O’Neill, and Paul Donaghy all currently enjoying good club seasons, it’s hard not to feel aggrieved that they couldn’t be persuaded to stay on the panel.
Tyrone scorers 2023
Darren McCurry 0-49
Darragh Canavan 1-35
Peter Harte 1-9
Mattie Donnelly 0-11
Conn Kilpatrick 0-8
Cormac Quinn 1-4
Niall Morgan 0-6
Ruairí Canavan 0-6
Kieran McGeary 1-2
Conor Meyler 0-4
Pádraig Hampsey 0-4
Brian Kennedy 0-3
Frank Burns 0-3
Cathal McShane 0-3
Joe Oguz 0-2
Cormac Monroe 0-2
Ronan McNamee 0-2
David Mulgrew 0-2
Niall Sludden 0-2
Richie Donnelly 0-2
Michael McKernan 0-1
Niall Devlin 0-1
Michael McGleenan 0-1
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Related links:
- The absolutely banging draw for next weekend’s All-Ireland preliminary quarter finals
- ‘Tyrone supporters were baying for blood’ Ciaran Whelan recalls battle of Omagh
- Tyrone manager Brian Dooher sheds light on Cathal McShane situation
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