By Barry O'Donnell
THE advent of the 'back-door' structure at the turn of the decade has brought about many firsts in the game and Tyrone are set for another novel occasion this weekend- their very first Senior Championship clash with Leinster danger outfit Westmeath.
Mickey Harte's men have been handed home advantage for the second round Qualifier tussle with the Lake County on Saturday afternoon in Healy Park (throw-in 3pm), a factor which could have a significant bearing on the eventual outcome, given the sides appear quite evenly matched.
The Red Hands got the show back on the road with a comprehensive 1-18 to 1-10 drubbing of another Leinster opponent Louth in Drogheda last weekend, and while the shortcomings of the hosts inevitably have to be taken into consideration, nevertheless after a five week-lay off following the Down replay defeat, it was quite an effective, and at times, stylish performance. Westmeath however represent a significant step up in class.
This is only the second time since the system was established eight years ago that Tyrone have played a Qualifier match in Omagh (Louth replay of 2006) and recent history does tend to favour home sides in the 'back-door' clashes (excluding of course games involving the sport's perennial whipping boys). Last weekend's demise of Derry and Meath in tricky away day assignments further underlined the prevailing pattern.
The shock exit of those two struggling giants should help guard against any complacency in the Tyrone camp as they prepare to welcome the Maroon men into town.
The speed, passion and the sheer ferocious intensity of last Sunday's drawn Ulster Senior Final between Armagh and Fermanagh threw into sharp focus the lack of edge and bite to Saturday's soporific affair down in Drogheda but Tyrone could only beat what was put in front of them.
And the authoritative, eye-catching displays produced by several individuals such as PJ Quinn, Brian McGuigan and Colm McCullagh in various sectors of the field will stoke renewed optimism among supporters that the side can surmount bigger hurdles down the line, starting with Westmeath.
The midlanders suffocating approach means that the Tyrone forward unit are unlikely to revel in the space which they were afforded last weekend but the attack have now compiled decent scoring returns in all three Championship matches this summer, and will be quietly confident that they can maintain this prolific run on Saturday.
Indeed given that all six starting forwards registered points and that players of the calibre of Colm Cavanagh, Raymond Mulgrew and most notably Owen Mulligan had to settle for a role on the bench at the Gaelic Grounds, then Harte enjoys the rare luxury of real competition for places up front, now that the injury problems have subsided.
Saturday's combatants have locked horns periodically over the last ten seasons in Division One of the National League, the last time back in March 2005 when Tyrone turned on the style in Mullingar to thrash their hapless hosts 1-24 to 3-8, a certain Stephen O'Neill weighing in with nine of the Red Hands impressive scoring tally.
It's unlikely though that Tomas O Flatharta's charges will be quite so porous and disorganised at the back when they venture north his weekend looking to pull off what would be a minor shock.
Westmeath's style of play has come under the microscope this term with elements of the southern media castigating them for adopting a swarming 'defensive' Ulster approach, with the emphasis on dropping back enmasse behind the ball and then looking to counterattack at pace when possession is secured.
However it's a tactic which has reaped rich dividends, their measly defence conceding less than ten points a game thus far in 2008. This imposing platform at the back was the basis for their National League Division Two title success over Dublin in the spring and also helped propel them to provincial championship victories over Longford and Offaly. The Dubs eventually ended their Leinster interest and in turn gained revenge for that earlier league setback, following a hard-fought 0-13 to 1-8 semi-final victory at Croke Park.
The underdogs led for most of the first half and the game was in the balance right to the end as Dublin failed to shake off their sticky and resilient opponents.
Westmeath had little difficulty in seeing off Tipperary by 0-15 to 0-6 in a one-sided first-round football qualifier at Ardfinnan last Saturday.
The hosts didn't score from play in the first half and they were clearly out of their depth throughout. The midlanders were always fancied to take their place in the bowl for the second-round draw and they did so without breaking sweat.
In Denis Glennon and the evergreen Dessie Dolan Westmeath have a couple of top drawer marksmen capable of shooting down any opposition on their day, and even when this deadly duo are off-colour the likes of Fergal Wilson and Dermot Bannon can also weigh in with crucial scores.
Martin Flanagan joins Donal O'Donoghue in the midfield engine room, providing a physically imposing presence with each also capable of landing a spectacular long distance score from time to time to galvanise their colleagues.
Their duel with Ryan Mellon and Enda McGinley, should Harte persist with that partnership, will be a pivotal one as to how the contest unfolds, though such is the insatiable work-rate of both teams that there will probably be half-a-dozen others ferreting for breaking ball around that sector.
The Lake County's real strength undoubtedly lies in defence where brilliant corner back John Keane hardly gave Dublin captain Alan Brogan a sniff in two earier encounters this season. There are however doubts about the fitness of their other touted corner back Francis Boyle, who is a vital link in Westmeath's famed back unit which has been the meanest in the country this year.
Victory for Tyrone would leapfrog them into the last twelve in the race for Sam Maguire and set up a potential blockbuster clash perhaps with the likes of Kerry, Armagh or Fermanagh a week later in Round Three of the Qualifiers.
While it's mere speculation at this stage, the shoots of recovery should continue to grow at the expense of Westmeath on Saturday- but it won't be easy.
