Gavin hails "modern football team" Tyrone

Dublin boss Jim Gavin expects a tough test from "modern football team" Tyrone in the All-Ireland SFC semi-final at Croke Park on 27 August.

The back-to-back All-Ireland champions face the back-to-back Ulster champions in the Championship for the first time since 2011, as three-time Sam Maguire-winning coaches Gavin and Mickey Harte go head-to-head in the competition for the first time.

In their last five league meetings, Tyrone have won one by a single point, Dublin have won two matches by a single point, and there have been two draws. Over the five matches since Gavin took over in 2013, Dublin have outscored Tyrone by just one point, 76 to 75.

But it is the league draw in February, where Tyrone led by 1-7 to 0-5 with ten minutes to go until Dublin kicked five points without reply, that has left Gavin with much to ponder over.

"We've always looked at them as having a big scoring threat, even going back to our National League game in early February this year, they looked very impressive going forward and they got a great goal in that game," he said.

"Defensive has always been their cornerstone. They have always been an exceptionally good counter-attacking team, but they have really added to it since that league game."

Tyrone have averaged almost 24 points per game this summer, backing up their Ulster victories over Derry, Donegal and Down with an 18-point hammering of Armagh in the quarter-final. 

"If you look at their championship games it has been so, so impressive from them," Gavin continued.

"Particularly players coming off the bench has really added to it as well. They are just a modern football team and they have been very impressive.

"We know how good they are defensively and they have a great defensive system. They have been putting up big scores and they're a free-scoring team now. 6-77 in four championship games is a mighty impressive tally."

Gavin says February's Croke Park comeback, where the Dubs extended their unbeaten run to 31 matches thanks to Dean Rock's 74th minute free, showed the character and never-say-die spirit of his side.

"Back in February throughout the game Tyrone were trying to stamp their authority on us," he continued.

"We just hung in there. It was the earlier part of the season for us as we were just back from the team break so the positive for me was that with 60 [minutes] on the clock, at five or six down, we still stuck at it.

"We showed resilience and resolve to stick in there. Even going into added time we were still a point down and we nailed a long-range free to draw the game so it was satisfying in that regard. 

"Of the cycle that we are in, this game will be played in the 33rd week of the year as opposed to the fourth or fifth week. So in that context it was a satisfying result for us."

Photo Inpho/ Oisin Keniry

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