If Tyrone dethrone the holders Laois in the All-Ireland minor football final tomorrow few will object if the late Paul McGirr is awarded a medal posthumously. The Dromore youth's tragic death resulted from an injury sustained while scoring the decisive goal against Armagh in the Ulster championship, and his memory has been honoured by the absence of the number 12 jersey in the Tyrone strip since the fateful June afternoon.
Tyrone's chances of winning have soared since their magnificent win by 0-23 to 0-21 over Kerry in extra time in the replay of the All-Ireland semi-final, a match that has been rightly hailed as an epic.
The significance of that win is not lost on Laois manager Ollie Phelan, who said: "Any team that beats Kerry in a replay are entitled to be favourites and entitled to the utmost respect."
Both sets of selectors have taken some time to settle on their best line-ups, although Tyrone left the goalkeeping position open.
Despite feeling convinced that they have named their best team, Laois do not accept that they are a 15-man outfit. Phelan said: "Our strength has been in the panel rather than in any one 15 since we set out last January. We've had injuries that enabled us to try out players along the way. In two positions, for example, we have five players of equal ability looking for two places."
Laois's defenders and the midfield partnership of Brian Fitzpatrick and Darren Rooney have been consistent in retaining their positions. The choices in attack have varied throughout the campaign. Apart from the two survivors of last year's champion side, Brian McDonald and Stephen Kelly, the Laois attack has been subjected to change without evidence of the least disruption to morale and team spirit.
"The way our players react to changes has been one of the great strengths of the panel. All that matters with them is for the team, chosen on the day, to do well," said Phelan.
Phelan admits that a major worry for the management and players had been the way supporters in the county were comparing the present side with last year's team. "That pressure didn't lift until after we beat Wicklow to retain the provincial title," he said. McDonald, the team's top scorer with an imposing total of 2-26 from five games, is again at full forward, while Stephen Kelly's move from the right corner to lead the attack increases Laois's central attacking options. A half back of such outstanding attacking ability as John Paul Kehoe bolsters the champions around midfield, an area that could have done with more possession against Mayo in the semi-final.
"We got the goals at the right time against Mayo. We had to because they had 60 per cent of the possession," said Phelan.
Fr Ger McAleer, the only Tyrone selector who will not be restricted to the sideline for the game, said: "It will be won in the heart."
McAleer, a huge fan of Kevin Heffernan's footballing philosophy, claims that the Ulster champions are a side of great character. "They showed this in the two games against Kerry and earlier when recovering from six points down to Antrim in the Ulster final.
It is a Tyrone panel well sprinkled with Hogan Cup (All-Ireland Colleges) and MacRory Cup (Ulster Colleges) medallists. To add to the athleticism of the squad substitute Ciaran Meenagh is a World handball champion.
If Tyrone did well by recovering in the Ulster final against Antrim, Laois did equally well by surviving a tough first-round battle with Offaly (0-9 to 0-8) and from emerging winners over Kilkenny - yes, Kilkenny - in the second round. The champions led Kilkenny comfortably by three goals with eight minutes remaining but were pegged back to level scores before stumbling through for a semi-final meeting with a fancied Meath team.
Tyrone will be hoping for another blistering display in defence by Gary Hetherington who earned his first championship start following a fine display against Kerry. But new full back Ciaran Gourley, committed to police McDonald, is faced with the biggest task in the Tyrone defence.
Opposed by Kevin Hughes and Cormac McAnallan, the Laois midfield will find it difficult to get a winning supply moving. Conal Martin, now relieved of his midfield duties, can add significant drive to the opportunistic Tyrone attack who must be fancied to chalk up the winning tally.
Laois: M Leigh; P McDonald, E Bland, T Mulligan; D Mullins, J Higgins, J P Kehoe; B Fitzpatrick, D Rooney; M Lambe, S Kelly, T Kelly; K Kelly, B McDonald, M Hovenden.
Tyrone: A N Other; K O'Brien, C Gourley, B Donnelly; A Ball, D McCrossan, G Hetherington; C McAnallan, K Hughes; J Campbell, B McGuigan, C Martin; M Harte, R Thornton, S O'Neill.
