Roscommon must push on and gain national recognition

Roscommon’s last meeting against Tyrone holds fond memories for Donie Smith.

A first championship victory at senior level against the Red Hand County on June 22nd, 2024, was the highlight of Davy Burke’s three-year tenure. It was a triumph nourished by the Boyle forward rolling back the years with a superb individual performance that included four sumptuous points from play during an unexpected 0-14 to 0-12 ambush.

Two years later, and Tyrone are looking for revenge. The shoe is on the other foot in that the visitors are hoping to reignite what has been a disappointing season so far, and Smith sees the similarities to Roscommon’s position two years ago ahead of this Sunday’s big match in the Hyde.

“Regardless of what happened in the group stages (in 2024), we knew that there were two weeks where we could still get to Croke Park. The week before, we beat Cavan in Longford, and we know the following Monday morning that we had Tyrone.

“With the way the year was going — getting relegated from Division One without a whimper, Mayo beating us in a provincial semi-final and the All-Ireland Series — there was probably very little expectation.

“But the one thing I would say about that year was that with all the stuff that was happening externally — from the outside looking in, it probably looked like we were a bit of a sinking ship — there was always a sense that we could put in a performance.

“Like every good Roscommon team, when we don’t have a chance, we absolutely have a chance. That was the narrative going into the game,” he recalled.

In the end, Roscommon’s energy overwhelmed a disappointing Tyrone performance that put a few myths, in Smith’s opinion, to bed.

“I remember staying in Armagh City the night before, and we had a good chat about what we were going to feel like on Monday morning. Would be getting ready for Croke Park or finish off the year and be unforgotten?

“Tyrone have this reputation for being a defensive, hard-hitting team. But I would counteract that and say that they are one of the most open and best footballing teams you’ll play. If you want to play football against them, we felt that we could absolutely play football against them.

“We knew we’d get opportunities, but we were wary that they had Sam Maguire winners throughout their team. We had to be very good defensively in the knowledge that if we got our chances, we’d have to be really clinical, which I thought we were,” he highlighted.

But there will be changes this weekend, probably more so on the Roscommon side, in the personnel that togged out in Healy Park that evening.

“The turnover of players has been quite big but I’m not sure that matters a whole pile. It’s a different game now. How both teams approach Sunday will be completely different to how they approached the game two years ago.

“The big thing for me is that it’s the game after the Connacht final, it’s the game to really see where Roscommon at in terms of the national stage. There has been a lot of chat in the (national) papers about having to beat Tyrone for Roscommon to be taken seriously.

“It’s hard to disagree with that. There has always been this thing with Roscommon and Connacht. It’s hard to get over both Mayo and Galway, something that takes a lot of effort and probably expends a lot of emotion. It can be hard for the players to get back to that level,” he maintained.

Add that to the reality that Tyrone will be touted as underdogs, even among their own, and Smith sees plenty of red flags ahead of the game from a Roscommon perspective.

“The one thing I fear for Sunday is that people are quick to write the obituary of Malachy O’Rourke and this Tyrone team. People seem to have forgotten that Tyrone were in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final and they probably should have beaten Armagh — a team that’s regarded as one of the top three teams in the country — in the Athletic grounds a few weeks ago.

“Regardless of what’s happened in the league, I would see this game as extremely dangerous from a Roscommon perspective.

“It’s a certainty that Tyrone are going to be physical but they’ll give you a team that are complete footballers. Maybe that goes against them sometimes in that they would have a lot of players that are very similar, especially in their forward line — small in stature who want to play a bit of football.

“People associate Tyrone with being a hardened Ulster team, but I think they’re the most un-Ulster team you could come across. They’ll absolutely be physical with (Brian) Kennedy and (Conn) Kilpatrick around the middle third but Tyrone will let you play football.

“It’s funny about a narrative and a reputation that sticks to a team — that Tyrone are a tough, physical side that will close down Roscommon’s key players. But I don’t see it like that, I think it will be a footballing match that’s open where both teams will get loads of chances. In that respect, it may well be very similar to the Connacht final.” 

Not surprisingly, Roscommon’s biggest challenge will be to come down from the high of being crowned provincial champions and reset for what is likely to be a formidable challenge. But Smith doesn’t see that as an issue.

“At the very latest, the Connacht final was parked on the Tuesday morning after the game. It’s obviously a big deal for supporters after winning the minor and U-20, which made it that bit sweeter.

“But players can’t afford to think like that, especially in such a condensed season. Knowing them as I do, it’s great for the players that have been on the panel the last four or five years to get a Connacht medal. But, other than that, it’s now parked.

“If you look at the Connacht titles in 2017 and 2019, we came off the back of relegations in the league. This year is different. We’ve played at a really high level between the end of January and now.

“It’s time for national recognition and you only get national recognition when you perform on the national stage, and that starts on Sunday.

“I saw Malachy O’Rourke at the Connacht final, but it doesn’t take a tactical genius to understand where Roscommon’s strengths and weaknesses are. Tyrone will have a small advantage in that Roscommon could only focus on a Connacht final, even though they knew who they were playing next weekend.

“But, when the ball is thrown in, there’s only so much a manager can do. A lot of it now is how the players perform on the day, especially with the new rules and regardless of what system managements put in place or what you do in training or say at team meetings,” he remarked.

Despite the peril confronting Roscommon, however, Smith feels that the home side can edge another tight game in the Rossies’ favour.

“I would back Roscommon to get the job done. Again, it will be one of those games that go down to the wire again. Like the Connacht final, we’ll probably need the rub of the green and for things to go our way. I don’t see it much more than a two or three-point victory for either side.

“We’re going to have to get to that level we reached two weeks ago. Tyrone are coming into a game where their own supporters are probably questioning them. Their former players are definitely questioning them.

“They’re coming to the Hyde with that chip on the shoulder, and there’s no better team than Tyrone to come out swinging when their backs are against the wall,” he warned.