Stephen O'Neill retirement official

[Maximus Marillius]

I think one thing that must be noted about Harte is that he is a very different animal in 2008 than in 2003. Back then he was fulll of ambition and a self belief as well as belief in his players. No doubt he still has those things in abundance, but he also has 5 years of intense publicity behind him, he is considered by many throughout Ireland as some sort of football genius and he now has a serious value, both financial and in terms of credability. Whether that makes you a better or worse manager is all about opinion, but the one thing about Harte now is that he knows his value and he isn't going to be bothered by other people's opinions. He will do it his way...because he can. Now he might fall on that sword or he might be successful, we can't say just yet and few of us are really in  a position to genuinely criticise a man who has won two All Irelands, we might express an opnion but really most of us wouldn't have a clue of how to start to win the Junior Championship in our home county, let alone the Sam Maguire. I don't like the guy myself, never have done, far too squeaky clean for me, everyone has a few warts here and there and maybe the fall outs with PTG, SON and Tally are evidence of the warts. He may eventually be blinded by his own ambition or he may yet prove to be the greatest manager of his generation and win a couple more Sams. The thing with Harte though, is that he will never gain universal approval, he just doesn't have that X factor that appeals to the public, which is evident by so many postings on this board. No matter what he wins, some of us will always find a reason to detract from that achievement. He has studied many succesful people and he has the capacity to mould his methods around the pieces of their character that appeal to him. He has taught himself to be a manager.

must say I enjoyed that post...alot of truths in it.

[Uladh]

If Harte wins a sam in 2008 with the squad he's got, he can rightly be regarded as a genius

[orangeman]

W

[orangeman]

MH by virtue if the two senior AI has already claimed genius status !

[red hander]

Paddy Heaney in today's Irish News



'Memories of 2005 can ease pain of O'Neill's retirement'



THE Gooch was slightly the worse for wear and tear when he ambled up to Stephen O'Neill at the GPA's Annual Banquet at the City West Hotel in 2004.

Black jacket gone. Black tie off. Shirt tail out. The Gooch wasn't concerned about sartorial protocol.

He'd come to pay tribute to Stephen O'Neill. With a broad smile across his freckled schoolboy face, he threw his arm around O'Neill and declared that the Tyrone forward had scored the goal of the year.

Few would dispute Cooper's assessment. O'Neill's left-footed rocket against Mayo in the All-Ireland quarter-final was a vintage finish. The Gooch was effusive in his praise of the precision strike and openly admitted that he was envious.

O'Neill cut a much different gait to his Kerry comrade. Jacketed and sober, he was keenly aware that Cooper was celebrating Kerry's

All-Ireland success and his coronation as the 'Player of the Year'.

The reserved and quietly spoken O'Neill was clearly pleased to receive recognition from a fellow artist, but the real envy in the conversation probably resided within him.

Twelve months later and the situation had been reversed. Tyrone were the All-Ireland champions, and a key figure in their success was the new Player of the Year, one Stephen O'Neill, who last week announced his retirement from inter-county football at the tender age of 27.

O'Neill packed a lot into his relatively short career. By the time he was 21 years old, the Clan na Gael clubman had won an All-Ireland minor medal (1998) and two All-Ireland U21 medals (2000 and 2001).

He was the outstanding player in the precocious Tyrone side that defied all expectations by winning the Anglo-Celt Cup in 2001. Although noted for his scoring prowess, it was O'Neill who memorably announced their arrival on the scene when he hit Kieran McGeeney with a thunderous body check during the shock victory over Armagh in the first round.

A long and fulfilling career seemed to be in store for the former Omagh CBS pupil when he collected an Allstar in the same year

It didn't work out quite like that for Stephen O'Neill. Admittedly, he possesses a very respectable haul of medals.

However, in terms of his personal achievement, O'Neill would be the first to acknowledge that his playing days were utterly dogged by injury.

Injury meant he was only a peripheral figure when Tyrone won their first All-Ireland title in 2003. Of Tyrone's eight Championship games, the Aughabrack man started just three times (against Derry, Antrim and Kerry), while he came on as a sub in the All-Ireland final against Armagh. His Championship tally was a modest eight points.

All that was to change in 2005. This was the season which proved to be his annus mirabilis. In 2005, O'Neill, for one of the few times in his life, was fully fit, injury-free and totally unstoppable.

Anyone who has ever played gaelic football will understand the satisfaction that comes from kicking a point and the outright glee that follows a goal. For most mortals, the experience of scoring is fairly limited.

Imagine scoring nine goals and 98 points in just 20 competitive games. That's an average of over six points per game. This is precisely what O'Neill chalked up in 2005.

His haul comprised 3-17 in the McKenna Cup (four games), 1-32 in the National Football League (six games) and 5-49 in the Championship (10 games).

Over half the tally of 9-98 came from play, (3-8 in the McKenna Cup, 0-21 in the NFL and 2-19 in the Championship).

His mesmerising performances at the start of the season earned him the Ulster GAA Writers' monthly merit award for January and March.

In July, the northern writers were compelled to present the award to him for a third time following his brilliant displays against Armagh in the drawn and replayed Ulster final.

Comparisons with Frank McGuigan's display in 1984 were entirely justified. O'Neill kicked six points from play while being marked by Francie Bellew. Four frees brought his tally for the day to 0-10.

He was allocated Kieran McGeeney as a shadow marker in the replay, but still landed two superb points from play. Once he and Canavan were incorrectly sent off, Tyrone were a beaten force.

Throughout 2005, O'Neill exhibited the full repertoire of his formidable skills. He scored from the sideline in Casement Park and with both feet in Croke Park.

His free-taking in pressure-ridden situations was unerring and his penalty-taking was also faultless.

He took four spot-kicks against Cork (NFL), Cavan (Ulster SFC), Dublin (All-Ireland quarter-final replay) and Armagh (All-Ireland semi-final) and converted them all.

While Owen Mulligan burst into life against Dublin, and Peter Canavan was the pivotal scorer in the All-Ireland final, O'Neill was excellent throughout.

His decision to retire will be immensely disappointing to all Tyrone supporters and any fan that appreciates watching a classy and accomplished footballer.

But we need to remind ourselves that it is an amateur game and no player is under any obligation to represent his county. O'Neill's decision must be respected.

The past few seasons have been incredibly frustrating for the primary school teacher.

When blessed with such talent, it would be extremely depressing to spend such protracted periods of time on the sidelines.

Moreover, a player like O'Neill must feel under a huge amount of pressure to be fit and available for action.

Every man, woman and dog that meets him in the street probably enquires about the state of his knee. There is also the constant media speculation about his anticipated return.

For a quiet figure like O'Neill, that focus on his injuries and the constant sense of expectation must be horrendous.

It would undoubtedly have been a factor in his decision to call it a day.

What Stephen O'Neill maybe really needs is an extended break that will allow him to rehabilitate away from the glare of the media and supporters. After all, any self-respecting inter-county player is entitled to at least one faux retirement.

Those of us who have marvelled at his wonderful ability can only hope that the memories from Healy Park and the roars of Croke Park will lure him back into the Tyrone camp.

But if the former Player of the Year believes that his tendonitis condition will prevent him from returning to the peak of his powers, and if he is content with his lot, then so be it.

His legacy is assured because in one of football's finest years he was the game's finest footballer.

[never kickt a ball]

it was O'Neill who memorably announced their arrival on the scene when he hit Kieran McGeeney with a thunderous body check during the shock victory over Armagh in the first round.

Anyone remember that?

[Star Spangler]

Paddy Heaney in today's Irish News
"His legacy is assured because in one of football's finest years he was the game's finest footballer."

That's a great line.

[rrhf]

Really well put  Heaney - a legend among journalists.
Aye I remember a youthful Stevie hitting Mc Geeney and knocking him into next Month.  Set Mc Geeney back a year that hit.  Fantastic memories.  Even the Armagh men in the crowd applauded

[new devil]

    Sure they did

[orangeman]

Armagh supporters applauding Stephen O'Neill for whacking Geezer ?? Can't see it - there must have been some very perverse Armagh supporters at the match that day.

[Tyrone Dreamer]

I think some posters need to take a few reality pills. Tyrone have gone 2 years without winning an all ireland, which is hardly a disaster considering the 100 years that went before. In those 2 years Harte has had to put up with an injury list that would cripple most counties, and yet we still managed to win the ulster title last year beating the league champions and a strong Monaghan side on route. Maybe Harte has taken the team as far he can but Id certainly be more than glad to take a chance that he can continue to deliver titles and hopefully the injuries will clear up to give him the best possible chance. I suspect no one on this board knows exactly what was behind the Stephen O'Neill retirement and Im certainly not going to make a judgement without knowing the facts. I know that O'Neill is the only senior player to retire and there's no signs that the other senior players (including his clubmate Brian Dooher) are unhappy with Harte. Hopefully O'Neill will reconsider his decision later in the year when he gets fit and it dawns on him that he has another 50 years to retire from county football. There'll not be to many people complaining about Harte in September when Sam is once again paraded through Omagh!

[tyssam5]

"Injury meant he was only a peripheral figure when Tyrone won their first All-Ireland title in 2003. Of Tyrone's eight Championship games, the Aughabrack man started just three times (against Derry, Antrim and Kerry), "

Didn't Heaney get this bit wrong though, I thought SON only came on vs. Kerry in 2003 when PTG got injured?

[orangeman]

Tyrone supporters are very unforgiving !
SON did come on for PTG in 2003 ok.

[ONeill]

Yes I thought that too. Heaney should resign.

However, this is possibly the worst piece of journalism - spot the mistakes.

http://www.tyronegaa.ie/countyboard/aboutus/

[tyssam5]

You have to keep these Derry cvnts in line lads!