Former Tyrone star Ronan O’Neal believes players who have since left the team were used as “evacuation tanks” and confirmed that he retired voluntarily.
A total of seven players left the Irish Champions for a variety of reasons.
Before O’Neill resigned from the country after 10 years, Hugh Pat McGuire, Player of the Year, retired along with brother Kieran. However, Tiernan McCann, Mark Bradley and Michael Cassidy all left the board.
In the middle of the tournament campaign, Trilik Lee Brennan also left, while Dangannon forward Paul Donahy left at the end of the tournament.
By then, the Reds had already secured the top-flight status in 2023 with Mayo and Kerry wins, but the Irish champions’ performances received close attention early in the season.
Tyrone ended up drawing Monaghan and defeating Kildare, but defeats to Armagh, Donegal and Dublin left them in a relegation battle and O’Neill believes their slow start is unfairly attributed to the players who left the team.
“I didn’t leave because of dissatisfaction or something – I quit,” O’Neill said.
“I just want to express that opinion. I was happy with what I’ve been up to in my life. I want to give Omaha five or six good years.”
I’m going home next month and getting married at the end of the year.
“My life goes on and life goes. You have to go too. I’ve been with Tyrone for a long time.
“I also asked the boys. I would be friendly enough with all of them and everyone would have different reasons.
“I think the fact that Tyrone didn’t play well in the league was why they weren’t kids.
“I think it might be a waste of time for Tyrone to play in the league.
I don’t think that’s why Tyrone didn’t play well in the league, but in the end he did well.
“Everyone has their own reasons for leaving and you should respect that decision.”
O’Neal was the undisputed star of the Tyrone Small Group, which won the All-Ireland Juvenile Crown in 2010 but failed to reach the same levels in his later years.
Al-Salibi’s injury while in the Under-21 team hampered his progress, although the Umag Saint Enda FC player was still able to display his talent in Gaelic football in the general defense era.
(Photo: John O’Neill)
His stunning goals against Downey at the 2017 Ulster Finals confirmed his class, although he has struggled to play in recent seasons.
He only played once for Tyrone during Sam Maguire’s career last season, replacing Mark Bradley at Croke Park in the final round of winning the Ulster Final.
Although May’s victory last September was O’Neill’s first taste of the success of Irish seniors, he insisted he does not consider himself Ireland personally.
He said, “It’s been a great career event for 10 years, but when I told you, I thought I won all of Ireland? I was saying, ‘No, probably.'”
Last year people congratulated you and congratulated others. . . My side said, “I didn’t win it.” “It has nothing to do with me.”
“Then it occurred to me. Just because I felt like I wasn’t contributing enough to the field as a person, as I thought I should.
“Obviously my teammates and other people would say the influence you had behind the scenes or on the pitch helped Tyrone win the whole of Ireland.”
“You stop life. You make too many sacrifices.
“You want to play at the end of the day. It’s just my character, but I don’t feel like I’ve done enough to say I hold myself a full Irish medal.
Source: Belfastlive
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