Dermot Corry

Ulster Championship Reality – The Great Leveller Armagh came in as favourites But Tyrone matched them physically and mentally Effort Stats: Armagh 111 | Tyrone 106 That’s not a gap, that’s a fight. This wasn’t a game where one team imposed dominance. This was a game where both teams dragged each other into extra time through sheer work-rate. 1. Effort. Not Just Volume, But Impact Armagh: 111 effort actions Tyrone: 106 effort actions On the surface, +5 is marginal. But in championship football, that’s: 2–3 extra turnovers 2–3 extra pressure moments 1 extra scoring opportunity That’s the winning margin (1 point). Key Insight: Armagh didn’t outwork Tyrone massively they just had slightly more impact per effort. 2. Platform: Where Armagh Gained Control This is where the game tilted. Kickouts Armagh: 68% Tyrone: 57% And more importantly: Armagh scored 7 from Tyrone kickouts Tyrone only 3 from Armagh kickouts That’s a +4 swing from restart pressure alone This is massive. Armagh turned Tyrone’s possession into opportunity that’s elite championship behaviour. 3. Tyrone’s Game Plan Worked… Until It Didn’t Look at this: More Offensive Play Starts: 52 vs 50 More shots: 40 vs 36 Better shots per attack Tyrone did a lot right. They: Built attacks Got shots off Stayed in the game But… 4. The Deciding Factor. Efficiency Under Pressure Conversion Armagh 47% Tyrone 38% Wides Armagh 11 Tyrone 16 That’s the game. Tyrone: Created enough to win But missed too much Armagh: Took fewer shots But made them count Championship truth: Shot volume keeps you alive. Shot efficiency wins games. 5. Possession Profile: A Subtle Warning for Armagh Armagh lost possession: 23 Tyrone lost possession: 16 That’s significant. Armagh: Played more aggressively (especially forward line: 15 turnovers) Took more risks Tyrone: More controlled More secure But… Armagh offset this with: Kickout dominance Higher efficiency Better transition scoring 6. The Big Picture on Why Armagh Won Armagh Winning Formula Slight effort edge Strong kickout platform Better conversion Ability to score off opposition ball Tyrone Reality Matched effort Won the attack volume battle But lost on:
 Efficiency Kickout pressure Big moments 7. Championship Lens. A Real Takeaway This wasn’t about talent alone. This was about: Effort parity Decision-making under fatigue Execution under pressure And that’s why: Extra time was inevitable 8. One-Line Performance Summary Effort matched. Platform edged. Efficiency decided. 9. Stats Guys End Game Summary If you’re in a dressing room: For Armagh: “We didn’t dominate, we executed.” Warning: possession loss (23) will punish us against top-tier teams For Tyrone: “our game plan worked.” Fix: Shot selection Composure Conversion

That right there, that’s an Effort Stat. Tactically, he’s beaten. Structurally, he’s behind the play. On paper, it’s not his responsibility anymore. But effort re-enters the play. And when effort re-enters the play: •Time compresses •Angles change •Decisions rush •Mistakes happen That’s how turnovers are created. That’s how momentum flips. That’s how standards are set. One player does it. Then two. Then it becomes unacceptable not to. That’s how standards are built.