Tyrone need to up their tempo again

GAELIC GAMES:THE ULSTER championship may have come and gone, but still destiny couldn't keep these teams apart.

Having shared the previous 12 Ulster titles between them, a win here would put one of the sides back to within one victory of an All-Ireland quarter-final – and who would want to meet them there?

However there is still some level uncertainly about the form of both teams: Tyrone continue to defy predictions of a team in decline, although just about.

They showed a little more intent when dismissing Longford in the previous round, but will need to raise the tempo again to see off their old rivals.

Manager Mickey Harte continues to make some running repairs with four changes from the Longford game as Kevin Hughes returns from suspension to partner Seán Cavanagh at midfield.

Captain Brian Dooher is again kept in reserve, and Stephen O’Neill is injured, although back up has been strengthened again by the return of Owen Mulligan from his brief hiatus.

Mark Donnelly and Peter Harte both stepped up against Longford and they’re the kind of players Tyrone will really to looking towards here in the quest to see off Armagh, who were quite obviously rattled in their two games against Wicklow, but just about had the superior firepower in Stevie McDonnell and Jamie Clarke to see them through.

Clarke is unquestionably a major scoring threat, but there should be enough class in the Tyrone old-school defence to close him down.

Tyrone have had the upper hand in recent clashes, and that, coupled with the inevitably partisan crowd, should ultimately be enough to send Tyrone through the narrow winner’s exit.

TYRONE: P McConnell; M Swift, Joe McMahon, R McMenamin; Seán O’Neill, C Gormley, P Jordan; K Hughes, S Cavanagh; C Cavanagh, B McGuigan, P Harte; T McGuigan, M Donnelly, K Coney.

ARMAGH: tba.