Mulligan eager to make capital

Tyrone's Owen Mulligan played a minor role in the major event of the championship so far. Manager Mickey Harte seemed to produce his straight flush right at the crucial moment of the Ulster final replay when the Holy Trinity teacher-and-former-pupil combination arrived onto the field.

The arrival off the bench of two of the best forwards in the country, Peter Canavan and Mulligan, is supposed to supply the momentum to see you over the finish line. Even against Armagh.

Instead, the now-famous handbags-in-the-afternoon episode exploded before either man could touch the ball. Canavan was sent off, Stephen O'Neill incorrectly followed minutes later and given Mulligan replaced Brian McGuigan in the tactical switch, it saw him helpless to stop Armagh's late drive.

It's been that sort of year for the Cookstown joiner. Such is the impressive array of talent available in Tyrone that after he struggled back from injury there was no place for him amongst the six forwards come championship time. McGuigan was back from Australia, while Martin Penrose had impressed throughout the league campaign.

Luckily for the 24-year-old, when the madness of Ulster subsided Harte felt his time in the stand must end. The inexperienced Penrose lost out.

He started last Saturday against Monaghan and though he did not set the world alight neither did his team-mates, with the natural exception of O'Neill, who added 2-6 to his remarkable store for the year.

"Unbelievable," said Mulligan of O'Neill, who also endured the role of impact replacement during the All-Ireland-winning year of 2003.

"He has player of the year and All Star written all over him. He is just exceptional.

"(For me) it was nice to be back in there after a long absence. It didn't matter how we played. It wasn't looking good 10 minutes into the game when they were absolutely destroying us. They had the hunger while we looked very tired. We scraped through because we have some quality players there.

"There is always panic but we've been around a few corners as a team. You know the crack - we won an All-Ireland two years ago so we are not going to give up easily. Don't get me wrong, it was definitely looking bad at the time. Everybody was saying, 'It's only Monaghan, you'll destroy them', but we knew we wouldn't.

"For a couple of boys it just wasn't their day. Chris (Lawn) as well was tired from the Armagh game, but we are hoping we can bounce back."

Until last weekend, Lawn was having a renaissance year of sorts at full back. He got exposed a couple of times and was replaced after 25 minutes. When regular corner back Shane Sweeney also failed to reappear after half-time it became clear just how important the suspended Ryan McMenamin is to this Tyrone defence.

McMenamin is the most annoying of man markers, while he also cleans up the messy ball that allows Lawn to leave his full back space. The absence allowed Thomas Freeman showcase his vast array of talent.

By this morning the result of McMenamin's Dispute Resolution Authority hearing will have trickled down the vine. Mulligan is not holding his breath.

"I can't see him getting off. The Tyrone team are not expecting him to play. That's the way we have to look at it; if he does it's a bonus.

"He is one of the best players and best motivators as well. Always shouting and roaring in the changing-room and telling you what to do. That's what you want. Alright, he was missed on the day but whatever happens off the field we will concentrate on the game."

Mulligan likes coming down for the big occasion and, bar the All-Ireland final itself, Saturday is the biggest event of all.

"That's the one you play football for: to meet the Dubs in Croke Park. I always try to get to see Dublin. They are one of my favourite teams to watch. They are a good side and very professional. It will be a great game and a great occasion."