2005 was my perfect year. Way beyond my dreams as a kid growing up in Ardboe. For context though let’s scroll back to 2003 when the journey started.
Our first All-Ireland victory that September was a place I thought I could, or would, never get to. Even a year earlier, Sligo beat us in a qualifier match at Croke Park, deservedly so. In many ways it was a turning point for that group. So much belief, camaraderie and spirit was instilled in us the following year, Mickey Harte showed us the way and we happily followed.
2004 felt like we were on a special journey. We believed we were an untouchable team. What a high we were all on. It couldn’t have taken a bigger nosedive than it did that April morning when the news came through that Cormac McAnallen had died. My friend, my team mate and an indestructible leader was taken from us. No matter how hard we tried to convince ourselves we were going to win it in 2004 for Cormac, we were just damaged goods and it had all taken too much out of us.
Later that year I started to question the very core of my playing career, ‘Is there more to life than football?’. I wanted to see more of the world and more importantly I just needed a break from the game. I had been going since the minors of ‘96 with Tyrone – a brilliant team who won the All-Ireland in ’98 and the core went on to win the U21s in 2000 and 2001. But I always had been drawn to Australia and when my future wife and a few friends (including Kevin Hughes) decided to go for a year, the ticket was booked for January 2005. It was a huge step but there was no turning back.
Sean Cavanagh and Brian McGuigan at Flinders Street train Station in Melbourne ©INPHO/Lorraine O'Sullivan
It started with that year’s All Star trip to Hong Kong. When my Tyrone team mates left for home, I was headed in the opposite direction for Sydney. It was hard to see them go. Mickey and I had promised to keep in touch.
For the first four or five months I really enjoyed it. The lifestyle, making new friends, the weather and even work. But even though the break was good, the lure of football was never far from my thoughts. The boys back home were reenergised, putting in big shifts. They’d finished top of Division 1 of the League and were cooking along nicely. Mickey had kept me in the loop and by April I was itching to get back. I decided I’d come home after the first Championship game against Down. The hardest part was leaving my girlfriend for those months as I knew I wouldn’t be returning until the season was over. Only one outcome was going to justify my decision – an All-Ireland.
I had kept myself in relatively good shape over there, but for county Championship football I was way off! My first in-house match at training I struggled, it was going to take time. I still believe had we not had three replays and so many matches I wouldn’t have got myself to my peak by the time the third Sunday in September came around.
I came on against Cavan in the Ulster semi-final and started the replay. In the two Ulster finals against Armagh I was feeling good as was the team. Even though Armagh were the benchmark and took the Ulster title after the replay we still felt we were in a good place. Having got the extra qualifier match against Monaghan in Croke Park, there was only one quarter final match that was going to kick-start our season. Dublin.
Stephen Cluxton of Dublin and Brian McGuigan of Tyrone ©INPHO/Lorraine O'Sullivan
We didn’t feel one bit intimidated by playing the Dubs at Croke Park. Not intimidated by the proposition or the venue or the crowd, we embraced all of it. In fact, I think we were more comfortable in that situation than the Dubs were. We loved silencing them and when we did, we loved staring them out of it (as you can see in Mugsy's celebrations!). And even when the Dubs came at us and the noise was deafening, rather than go back into our boxes, it breathed life into us. We loved it! The Dubs and the fans get a tough rap but the biggest compliment I could pay them is that they are the best supporters to play against and I know by talking to our own fans, when the match was over there was no animosity, just handshakes.
Even to this day, that now famous semi-final against Armagh is such a blur to me. Or mostly a blur! Apart from the last two minutes. Two extra minutes were called and we were on the attack with the game a draw. Once we got that free 30 yards out and time was up, I knew with Peter Canavan on our team it was game over. He was never missing it. What a feeling as it left Peter’s boot and split those posts. Knowing my decision to come back is coming close to being justified. By the time the final had come, I was playing probably the best football of my career. To be fair, the quality of players I had around me was making my game easy to play. Jennifer had flown back for the final, so I was in a great place. That Kerry team was awesome too with many of the best to have ever played the game on their side – Gooch, Galvin, O’Cinnéide, Tomás, Marc and Darragh and plenty more. But we clicked that day and anything I took on came off. Just one of those days. All apart from the first few minutes when I missed a good goal chance!
When the final whistle went I had just played my best game ever in a Tyrone jersey. We’d beaten one of the best Kerry teams and won our second All-Ireland in the process. More than that we’d won it for Cormac. I was going back to Australia for four months to finish out my break. Life was good in 2005. The perfect year.
This article was brought to you in association with Bord Gáis Energy, proud sponsor of the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship – keep up to date and follow #HurlingToTheCore
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