Sean Cavanagh makes 87th championship appearance for Tyrone

Sean Cavanagh has now made 87 championship appearances so he's well used to a few bruises.

After Sunday, the Tyrone man will sit second in the all-time records for Gaelic Football and look at the company he keeps:

Stephen Cluxton - 88 Tomás Ó Sé - 88 Marc Ó Sé - 88 Sean Cavanagh - 87 Colm Cooper - 85

Tyrone dominated proceedings at St. Tiernach's Park in Clones and ran out 2-17 to 0-15 winners in the end. It was a nervy opening period though Mickey Harte's men would've rued a number of gilt-edged chances going begging in that first half as Down were allowed a passage back into the Ulster final. The Mournemen rallied and Sean Cavanagh - as evergreen as ever - was coming in and out of the game as Down ramped up the pressure. Moving in and out from midfield, to half forward and on in further at times, the Moy man was wrecking havoc when he got a half opportunity and, although it wasn't as all-consuming as he can be, some Gaels all over the country were just taken aback by how timeless the Red Hand skipper is. But Down weren't going to allow him the freedom of Monaghan to do the sort of damage that he can because the man is a savage when you give him a sniff. After Cavanagh's score, Niall McParland gave the Tyrone man plenty of close attention and looked for all the world to grab a hold of the attacker's nipple and not in a friendly way - if there is a friendly way. https://twitter.com/hoeydavid13/status/886577845614645248 But Cavanagh didn't react like the model pro that he is but instead was singalling furiously for the referee's attention - the ref, of course, wasn't the interested. It didn't go unnoticed. https://twitter.com/enda_coll/status/886577229571936257 The big number 14 still won over a lot of admiration - as he generally does. He's still doing it.  His point came after a typical burst forward off the shoulder and he bore down on goal. https://twitter.com/GerMcK1976/status/886577905458872321 Like a fine wine. https://twitter.com/noelm300/status/886576860766892032 Huge praise. https://twitter.com/ChristopherMc96/status/886581926085226503