Eugene McKenna knows the map of these days. Ulster finals with their ruddy passions and frank football are as sweet to win as a neighbourly feud. McKenna is drawn reluctantly towards the circle of tape recorders. As he stands in the tunnel his players go past him, rubbing his head squeezing his cheeks, shouldering him gently. He grins. You take the most out of days like these.

"Cavan put it up to us," he says of a game which was always suffocatingly tight. "To be down a couple of points at half-time asked a lot of questions but we came out and we played good football; we dominated the second half. Perhaps we didn't use the possession that wisely but we turned a three-point deficit into a two-point win. Cavan's fitness, organisation and appetite there certainly made life difficult for us."

In truth, Tyrone had never expected to be stuck to Cavan like so many flies to fly paper. For 70 minutes they couldn't quite get themselves free and even though Cavan didn't score from play in the second half there was always the thought they might whistle up a goal from somewhere.

It was the feeling in the Cavan dressing-room that the arrival of half-time had interrupted their best period. McKenna understood.

"We were glad of half-time. We had some reorganising to do and it's hard to do that when the boys are out on the pitch. Communication is a problem. Back in the dressing-room we heard what they had to say, and we had a chance to reorganise for the second half. Very rational, low key. We decided to reorganise the defence. Chris Lawn came out centre half and Collie Holmes went back in again.

"People thought we were playing lip service talking about the Cavan forward line but they are small, pacey and good runners with the ball. The defence wasn't getting enough help, the full back line were being isolated too much and our wing backs weren't getting back in quick enough when they were out of the play. All the things that were said before went out the window after the good start. A good start can be an hindrance sometimes."

And what next Eugene? He puts on his poker face. "Aye," he says, "we'll definitely turn up for the next game (pauses), who it's going to be is another issue."

Out on the field the familiar turret of Finbar McConnell stands sentinel near the middle. People are drawn to him with hugs. 'Proud of ye, big man'. And slaps on the back. 'Good on ye, big man'.

They'd tousle his hair if they could reach.

"It's good to be back," he says as if the gap since 1996 has been an eternal wilderness. He pauses for some pats and hugs and kisses. We ask him what Tyrone talked about at half-time. "Well. The panic element had to stop. The experienced players who have been here on big days, it took moving some of them older players to turn it around. We put Pascal in behind midfield and Chris Lawn in behind the three front men for a bit. Just to settle the whole thing. Their space was being cut out then, we were winning ball then and putting them under pressure."

Sean Teague, Tyrone's captain had just lifted the Anglo Celt Cup one-handed, a first-half injury having deprived him of action but not glory.

"It was close, you expect that in any final. It was never going to happen we would win by seven, eight nine (points). We were always confident in our ability. We knew we would turn it around and get in front. We're happy to come out of it."

And what made the difference? "Experienced men and men that are young for the experience they have, playing beyond their years some of them. Half-time and we were down a couple of scores, but we were ready, we were prepared. We came out and cancelled that. Cormac's goal was very important earlier on."

Val Andrews, his broad Dublin accent slightly displaced on this quintessentially Ulster day, considered the aftermath. Not having genuinely expected to win an Ulster title the chance just to improve in the qualifying series could be enough to overcome their disappointment. For now, though, the losing must be dealt with.

"We were on a bit of a roll up until half time. Fair play to Tyrone they stuck at it." By not being massacred had they proved a few critics wrong? "I didn't prove anyone wrong, the players proved them wrong. We didn't play very well in the first two rounds. All this stuff about the easy side of the draw. I'm delighted for the lads in that they tried - delighted is the wrong word, sick too. If we had a little composure we'd have won it."