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Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Emotional Conor Meyler finally back from a lonely place
Conor Meyler felt the rush of emotion at Brewster Park Sunday as he stepped onto the field of play for the first time in two cursed years. Injuries, too many to contemplate, had threatened to end the career of the Tyrone star whose dashing performances in 2021 had earned him an All-Star and a Footballer of the Year nomination. Knee surgeries, hamstring problems and issues with groin, achilles, hip and foot contrived to rob the Omagh man of the joy of playing the game he loves so passionately. But dedication and a dogged refusal to surrender to the demons which had ravaged his stricken body rewarded the 30-year-old. Getting to play out the closing stages of the All-Ireland SFC group game against Cavan, his first appearance in a Red Hand shirt since the 2023 All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Kerry, was a very special gift. 'It was emotional, it's been a long two years, because probably nobody will really understand what you really go through when you're on your own,' he said. 'Injuries are a very lonely place, because although you can be around people, you can feel quite alone. 'I'm just grateful to get the day over. I hadn't thought too far ahead, to be honest. It was just about getting back on the pitch, getting a bit of game time. 'You were chomping at the bit to get on the last few days, and it didn't come, and you have to pick yourself up and go again. So, I'm just glad I did back myself and got to this moment. Whatever happens after this is probably all bonus territory, personally.' The support of family and close friends helped him through the darker times, and their presence at more positive stages of a tortuous journey meant the world to Meyler. 'I'm just very grateful for mum and dad, and there's a couple of good people around me who know who they are, and they really supported me and helped me. 'And that's the important thing, is just keep good people around you, because there will be days where you're not really feeling it, and motivation's low. So it's important to have that.' Hope came calling on a number of occasions, but time and again, relapses, setbacks and complications intervened to dash all positive expectations. It was a lonely existence at the best of times, a solitary world for an elite athlete to inhabit. 'Anyone who's been through long-term injury will know how lonely it can be. Sometimes you're even around people and you still feel alone, but that's the nights where you're away from the set-up, that can be tricky, and that's why you say. 'I'm very fortunate to have a good family, because there's plenty of days where you wonder, is this opportunity going to come? 'You have to keep picking yourself back up again and again and again, and nobody really sees what goes on behind the scenes, even as an inter-county footballer. But then, one who's injured, it's even tougher. So yeah, just grateful is probably the overwhelming feeling.' Sunday's Group 1 decider, which Tyrone won comfortably to take topspot and go through to the All-Ireland quarter-finals, saw Meyler make the matchday squad for the third successive game. The moment was edging ever closer, and finally the nod came from manager Malachy O'Rourke, who felt the time was right to make the call which was to raise the loudest cheer of the day from Tyrone supporters at the Enniskillen venue. 'I wasn't really expecting it. It just shows you I'm very grateful to be from Tyrone, and had the opportunities I've had to play for Tyrone. 'People in other counties wouldn't have had the opportunities that I have. Some unbelievable players in other counties just haven't got that chance to play in Croke Park, to win All-Irelands. 'The friends it's given me, the opportunities it's given me, it's given me some of my best days of my life, and it's also brought me some low moments, but you wouldn't change any of it.'
Irish Independent
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Tyrone starlet Eoin McElholm crowned U-20 Footballer of the Year as six All-Ireland winners make season's team
Emerging Tyrone star Eoin McElholm has been crowned U-20 Footballer of the Year after a sensational season where his Red Hand side made it back-to-back All-Ireland title wins in the grade.
Irish Examiner
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Keith Ricken: 'With a lack of games, the first ten minutes was going to catch you'
All-Ireland MFC quarter-final: Cork: 1-12 (1-1-10) Tyrone: 1-21 (1-2-17) Cork manager Keith Ricken was left to bemoan a disastrous opening quarter as his charges just could not overcome the mountain they left for themselves to climb in Saturday's defeat to Tyrone in the All-Ireland MFC quarter-final at O'Moore Park in Portlaoise. With wing-forward Cathal Farley finding the net for the Red Hand county in the fourth minute, the Rebels were eight points down (1-6 to 0-1) before they knew what had hit them. Despite brave resistance thereafter, their ultimate fate had been sealed early on. 'For young lads coming into this, with a lack of games, the first ten minutes was going to catch you. Tyrone had had a lot of games, and they really got us at the start. I was kind of dreading that, because I felt it could happen,' said Ricken. 'I knew we would come back into it, because we would always try hard. We spent an awful lot of energy doing that. In the comeback, we needed to get goals, so we could have put something in the bank. We got one good goal, but we had a couple more really good goal chances.' The excellent Ben Corkery Delaney's bullet to the Tyrone net in the 24th minute invigorated Cork, and they managed to reduce the deficit to six points at half-time (1-13 to 1-7). Entering the game's final quarter, they were only four points behind (1-15 to 1-11). 'Coming down the home straight, when we got it down to four points, we looked gassed. We probably ran out of juice in the last eight or nine minutes, and they kicked six points in that period,' added the Cork boss. 'Small mistakes came in then too, we kicked two out over the sideline when they were inches away from being a brilliant pass to split their defence. We had a few stray hand-passes, one or two silly frees we gave away. 'The other thing we found difficult this week, and I would put their education key, is that we had one guy who came on today who is doing his Leaving Cert, and four guys out there doing their Junior Certs as well. It's been a hard week for them. That too was a factor, and I'm not looking for excuses.' With the likes of Peter Colton, Eoin Long, Thomas Meenan and James Mulgrew hugely prominent from beginning to end, Tyrone will be a tough nut to crack heading into the last four. For Cork, their campaign is over, but Ricken was left with encouraging green shoots of a better future. Scorers for Tyrone: E Long (0-6, 0-3fs), C Farley (1-2), P Colton (0-5,1tp), J Mulgrew (tp), T Meenan, J Kerr (0-1 '45, 0-1f) (0-2 each), A Quinn, P McDonald (0-1 each). Scorers for Cork: B Corkery Delaney (1-4, 1tp), E Maguire (0-4, 0-3fs), J Byerley(f), L O'Mahony, D McCarthy, D Flynn (0-1 each). TYRONE: R Donnelly; E Kerr, P Goodman, C McCrystal; A Quinn, J Daly, T Meenan; J Mulgrew, P Donaghy; D McAnespie, P Colton, C Farley; J Kerr, E Long, M Kennedy. Subs: V Gormley for Kennedy (43), M Mullin for E Kerr (47), M Daly for McAnespie (51), P McDonald for J Kerr (55), H Patton for Farley (58). CORK: R Twohig; B Coffey, A Keane, M Kiernan; J Miskella, C McCarthy, B Cronin; S Kelleher Leavy, R Hayes; L O'Mahony, D Flynn, S Long; J Byerley, B Corkery Delaney, E Maguire. Subs: J Hanrahan for Kelleher Leavy (22), E Collins for Long (30), D McCarthy for Byerley (35), T Whooley for O'Mahony (41), J O'Leary for Miskella (52). Referee: C Ryan (Galway).
Irish Examiner
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Tyrone too good for dogged Cork as they book place in All-Ireland MFC semi-final
All-Ireland MFC quarter-final: Cork: 1-12 (1-1-10) Tyrone: 1-21 (1-2-17) A blistering Tyrone first quarter display gave the Red Hand county enough of a cushion to confidently see off a dogged Cork fightback in an entertaining Electric Ireland All-Ireland MFC quarter-final at O'Moore Park in Portlaoise. Sprinting out of the starting blocks, with the Rebels not knowing what had hit them, the Ulster champions were absolutely ruthless in the opening exchanges, building up an eight-point lead, 1-6 to 0-1, by the eleventh minute. The goal arrived as early as the fourth minute, with Cork goalkeeper Rory Twohig making a fine save to deny impressive Tyrone wing-back Thomas Meenan after he was put through by Joel Kerr, but Cathal Farley was on hand to tap home the rebound from close range. Entering the last ten minutes of the half, the gap was out to nine (1-9 to 0-3), and Keith Ricken's men were in serious danger of being submerged under the tide. However, belatedly raising their intensity levels, they surged back into proceedings. Full-forward Ben Corkery Delaney was the undoubted catalyst for Cork's second quarter revival, firing over two points, before blasting home a brilliant goal in the 24th minute, after being fed by Donagh Flynn. The deficit was now three points, 1-9 to 1-6, but that was as close as it would get. By the interval, with excellent centre-forward Peter Colton, full-forward Eoin Long, and wing-backs Meenan and Aodhán Quinn all making their presences felt, Tyrone ended up six points to the good, 1-13 to 1-7, heading into the second half. Corkery Delaney continued his tour-de-force on the changeover, launching over a two-pointer and, as Tyrone lost their bearings for a spell, Flynn's 42nd minute point had Cork within four of their opponents, 1-15 to 1-11, and well in contention to attack the last quarter. However, as is the sign of a well-drilled outfit full of self-belief, Tyrone quickly regained their composure, and their scoring touch, kicking six of the game's last seven points, to power on to the semi-finals with more than a bit to spare. They won't be easily stopped now. Scorers for Tyrone: E Long (0-6, 0-3fs), C Farley (1-2), P Colton (0-5,1tp), J Mulgrew (tp), T Meenan, J Kerr (0-1 '45, 0-1f) (0-2 each), A Quinn, P McDonald (0-1 each). Scorers for Cork: B Corkery Delaney (1-4, 1tp), E Maguire (0-4, 0-3fs), J Byerley(f), L O'Mahony, D McCarthy, D Flynn (0-1 each). TYRONE: R Donnelly; E Kerr, P Goodman, C McCrystal; A Quinn, J Daly, T Meenan; J Mulgrew, P Donaghy; D McAnespie, P Colton, C Farley; J Kerr, E Long, M Kennedy. Subs: V Gormley for Kennedy (43), M Mullin for E Kerr (47), M Daly for McAnespie (51), P McDonald for J Kerr (55), H Patton for Farley (58). CORK: R Twohig; B Coffey, A Keane, M Kiernan; J Miskella, C McCarthy, B Cronin; S Kelleher Leavy, R Hayes; L O'Mahony, D Flynn, S Long; J Byerley, B Corkery Delaney, E Maguire. Subs: J Hanrahan for Kelleher Leavy (22), E Collins for Long (30), D McCarthy for Byerley (35), T Whooley for O'Mahony (41), J O'Leary for Miskella (52). Referee: C Ryan (Galway).
Irish Independent
31-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Mayo put on show of defiance with seven-point victory over Tyrone
These are promising times for Tyrone football, the Red Hand county fresh from a third All-Ireland Under-20 title in four years, won flamboyantly against Louth during the week.
