THE MICHAEL FINNERAN COLUMN: Let’s enjoy every minute of this journey

Thirteen years apart. Both are last 12 matches against Tyrone. Both times, Roscommon are underdogs. In 2011, we start well but don’t manage to see it out. And in 2024? A massive, massive victory.

That 2011 game was the first time Roscommon and Tyrone had met in championship. We arrived at Croke Park on the back of a narrow Connacht final defeat to Mayo. We were a team on the up and while not many on the outside gave us a chance, we were quietly confident.

The first half was laden with brilliant football. We were very solid at the back with the likes of Seanie Mc, Niall Carty and Peter Domican leading the way.

I felt very comfortable in the middle of the park, winning lots of possession. Beside me, Karol Mannion had a super game, hitting three great scores in a 1-2 haul.

Up front, Cathal Cregg, Donie Shine and Senan Kilbride were on fire. We played some of the best football in my time in a Ros’ jersey in the opening 30 minutes or so. We didn’t close out the half though and Seán Cavanagh scored 1-1 in no time to mean we actually went in trailing by a point at half time.

When Tyrone went to the bench in the second half, they could spring All-Stars like Brian Dooher, Stephen O’Neill, Justin McMahon and Owen Mulligan into the fray. We kept in touch for most of it though we lived to rue a number of missed chances as we fell away in the last ten minutes or so.

That was an all too familiar story for us. In the previous year’s All-Ireland quarter-final, we’d stuck with Cork for about 60 minutes before they eventually pulled away.

Why was that? Well, we were operating out of the lower divisions in those years, and in spite of a number of challenge games against top teams, we never quite got to the level of being able to stick with them for the full 70.

Therein lies the biggest difference between 2011 and 2024. These guys on the present team are all seasoned campaigners at Division One level. They’re used to mixing it and holding their own with the best teams. They’re much stronger in depth too.

I saw a line from our sports editor about this being Roscommon’s “biggest championship win against a team outside of Connacht since 1980”. It’s hard to argue with that. This was our first victory against Tyrone in championship at any level.

I had tipped us, tentatively, to sneak a result, but, in truth, as we got closer to throw-in last Saturday evening I grew more and more doubtful that we could pull it off. I just struggled to see how we could get the defensive display which would be required for the full 70 minutes, given the gaps at the back for us recently.

A brave, hearty, passionate performance delivered the goods though. Our workrate was off the charts compared to previous games. Get the workrate and intensity right first and the rest will follow. That’s what happened at the weekend.

Donie Smith is a classic case in point. He had a terrific game. He’s had some nice moments this year but had yet to put in a big showing like he did against Tyrone. His shooting, obviously, was top drawer, but he also backed that up with big defensive plays too.

After his fourth point, Tyrone won the next kickout and attacked up the right wing, only for Donie to get back and force a turnover. This was a brilliant play and typical of the leadership shown throughout the team.

Our point-scoring was once again terrific. There’s a danger we could take this for granted, but every other county in the country would love to have our accuracy, particularly from distance. The forwards are playing really well as a unit, creating space for each other, most often choosing the best option when near goal. Daire Cregg continues to mesmerize. He makes the difficult look simple.

The turnovers though. They’re the thing that jump out at me most of all from this game. How often did we see a white jersey surrounded by eager, disciplined Rossies?

Clearly, there were great individual performances all over the park, but it’s the collective that won this game. The tackling in twos and threes. The constant support play. The impact off the bench.

There’s an image stuck in my head from deep into injury time at the end of the game. Tyrone are inching their way towards our goal, Darragh Canavan trying to fashion the goal opportunity they desperately require.

We force the turnover on our 13-metre line, straight in front of our goals. Freeze the picture. Look at the amount of Rossies involved in forcing the game-clinching turnover. And in particular, the amount of subs. Niall Daly, Keith Doyle, Ronan Daly and Ciarán Lennon are all there. Making an impact.

It’s worth mentioning the role of our ‘keeper in all this too. Conor Carroll is having another terrific season. The kickouts are getting better (he can share the credit for that with the rest of the team — the movement in front of him is getting better and better). He hit two super kick passes too late on in the game into the forward line, including the one which led to our final score by Daire Cregg.

And do you know what? I think we can even push on another step. We can still create more of a goal threat with some more runners from deep. We can play with urgency for longer spells. It was noticeable in the second half that we were slowing the game down, taking more plays. This doesn’t really suit us and can leave us vulnerable to counter attacks.

While the Cavan match will have brought a great feel-good factor and confidence boost to the dressing room, this result will bring them on no end. Some will worry about the quick turnaround, playing for the third week in succession, but the momentum generated overrides that for me and I can see us backing up the Tyrone win with another Titanic effort this weekend.

The Dubs and Kerry are the two teams I’d put clearly ahead of the rest. After that, Roscommon have a right to feel confident against anybody.

I spoke about 2011 earlier. We were good but not nearly as good as the 2024 version. We’re not overly used to big championship wins like this in the last 40 years. A win like last Saturday’s is rare for us. As is the feeling of heading into the final eight full of confidence.

Let’s enjoy every minute of it.

Top 5 moments from toppling Tyrone

Given the magnitude of the win last Saturday evening, I’m sticking with the Tyrone match for my Top 5 this week. Here are my standout moments.

*The Turnover — 72 minutes in. Tyrone looking for a goal and Ros’ force a massive turnover straight in front of our goals. Victory-sealing.

*Daire Cregg’s final point — the timing was crucial of this score that restored our two-point cushion. Lovely kick pass in by Carroll, Cregg grabs it, turns and strikes in one magnificent flowing movement.

*Goal chances missed — this could have had a major impact on the game either way at the very end of the first half. Firstly, Morgan saves a good goal chance for Murtagh. Then from the resulting attack, Ciarán Daly pulls his goal shot just wide. A goal for Tyrone at that stage would have given them serious momentum going in at half time.

*Donie Smith’s third point — Roscommon’s fantastic start was key, and this point was the pick of the lot. A sweet strike the from left corner and the fifth point on the trot for Ros’.

*Donie Smith’s late turnover — there was any amount of big turnovers throughout the game which could make the list — this just epitomised the workrate from the whole team for me though. Seconds after kicking a fine point, Donie is tracking back on the wing and forces a dispossession. These moments are huge, particularly as we were in the middle of withstanding a big fightback from Tyrone.

D-Day for ladies…

This will probably travel under the radar given the hype around the men’s team but the Roscommon intermediate ladies' footballers also have an All-Ireland quarter-final this weekend, as they face off with Leitrim on Sunday in Ballinamore.

Leitrim surprisingly got the better of Roscommon in the Connacht final in May, and they have franked that form by topping their group in the All-Ireland Series. They’ll be full of confidence heading into the game but I think Roscommon are the better team when they get motoring.

A bit like the Tyrone match for the men, this fixture will be a real season-defining one for Ollie Lennon's side.

I’d like to see us getting Laura Fleming on the ball more often in the middle third and if we gain control in this sector — with players like Lisa O’Rourke, Kate Nolan and Caoimhe Cregg we are strong here — we’ll have enough firepower to get the result.

I’m expecting a Roscommon win but it won’t be easy at all.